Early yesterday morning, Ian G. sent me this e-mail:
Hi Jim,
Love the site, especially the “why for’s” with concept art!
Do you know where I could mail a letter to John Lasseter or Tony Baxter? I know the address of WDI but is there a specific department or anything? any address you know of would be great.
Thanks
Ian
Well, as it turns out, Ian, I do actually kind of know a way to get a message to John Lasseter. By that I mean: Check out this blog, Re-Imagineering.
Believe it or not, folks, this site is legit. What they say at the very top of this webpage — I.E. That it is …
… A forum for Pixar and Disney professionals passionate about the Disney Theme Parks to catalog past Imagineering missteps and offer up tenable practical solutions in hopes that a new wave of creative management at Imagineering can once again bring back the wonder and magic that’s been missing from the parks for decades.
… is true. Some very well connected people at Pixar are reportedly directly involved with this blog.
“Like who?,” you ask. John Lasseter’s personal assistant for starters. More importantly, Pete Docter (I.E. the co-director of “Monsters, Inc.“) has supposedly given this website his blessing.
“But why should I care that Pete Docter has allegedly given this ‘Re-Imagineering’ blog his blessing?,” you continue. Well … What if I were to tell you that Mr. Docter may soon assuming a very important role at Walt Disney Imagineering?
To explain: As Executive Vice President, Creative, at Pixar Animation Studios AND as the newly installed Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Feature Animation AND as the newly appointed Chief Creative Adviser at Walt Disney Imagineering … John Lasseter’s plate is just too full right now. Even with a proposed work week that would have John down in Burbank & Glendale on Tuesdays, Wednesday & Thursdays and back up in Emeryville on Mondays & Fridays (So that Lasseter can then spend his weekends at home with his family), he’s still going to need a hell of a lot of help in order to pull off everything that John now wants to accomplish.
Which is why Lasseter is reportedly moving some loyal lieutenants and/or old friends into key positions at both Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Feature Animation. EX: When John’s away from Emeryville, “Finding Nemo” director Andrew Stanton will supposedly oversee day-to-day operations at Pixar. And when Lasseter’s no longer on site in Burbank, newly appointed interim head of WDFA Don Hahn will allegedly oversee what’s going on at the Mouse Factory.
“But when John’s not watching the store in Glendale, who’s going to be keeping an eye on how things are going at Walt Disney Imagineering?,” you query. Well, this is where Pete Docter reportedly comes in.
Yes, I know. All of you Disney fanboys out there had been assuming that — given John Lasseter’s on-going friendship with Tony Baxter (More importantly, given that John made such a big show of going up to Tony and publicly shaking his hand during Lasseter’s first official visit to WDI) — that Tony would be soon calling the shots at Walt Disney Imagineering.
Well, over the past few weeks, Lasseter has learned quite a bit about WDI’s toxic atmosphere. How the past two decades of corporate infighting & political gamesmanship have made it rather difficult to know who exactly to trust in 1401 Flower Street.
So — rather than going with Baxter (WDI’s senior VP of design) or Tom Fitzgerald (Imagineering’s executive vice president) or even Don Goodman (WDI’s current president) — the current rumor has it that John now wants to bring in someone from the outside. Someone that he can trust implicitly. Someone who’s new to Imagineering’s corporate culture but also loyal to Lasseter. Who — after observing operations for a while — can then tell John where changes really need to be made.
This is the role that Pete Docter has allegedly been asked to fill. The guy who’s first got to determine what is actually wrong with Walt Disney Imagineering and the Disney theme parks, then tell Lasseter what he thinks should be done to fix both WDI and the theme parks.
“So where does that ‘Re-Imagineering’ website fit into all this?,” you ask. Well … Think of this blog as a preliminary fact-finding mission. Something that a few folks at Pixar are now doing in order to gather info for Pete. So that Docter can then have some sense of what he’s actually getting himself into.
Just so you know, folks: When they say ” … Pixar and Disney professionals” at the “Re-Imagineering” website, they really mean professionals. Only those who have actually worked for Pixar Animations Studios, the Walt Disney Company and/or in the themed entertainment industry will be allowed to post on this particular blog. So sorry, but no Imagineer wannabees need apply.
Also … Once word actually gets out about this “Re-Imagineering” website … Well, I’m not entirely sure how long this blog will remain up & accessible to the public. Those guys up in Emeryville … They really like keeping their secrets. Which is why I don’t think that they’ll be all that pleased to learn that their Disney theme park “To Do” list is now out there for the whole world to see.
But — that said — I have to admit that I’m rather pleased to see the folks at Pixar doing this. Actually out there actively seeking opinions from entertainment industry & animation professionals about what needs to be done in order to fix WDI and the Disney theme parks.
And even if — in the end — this just turns out to be some sort of PR ploy … It’s still a pretty brilliant PR ploy. Putting the message out on the Web that “We know that something’s wrong with the Disney theme parks & Walt Disney Imagineering. Which is why we’re actively soliciting opinions about what must be done to fix WDI and the parks” … That’s a great way to start John Lasseter’s tenure as Imagineering’s new Chief Creative Adviser. To signal that the company wants its theme parks to seem special again.
More to the point, it puts those who are currently in charge of WDI on notice that — once Pete Docter finally arrives in Glendale to assume his yet-unnamed position — that he’s going to bringing a list with him. And that those execs had better be ready to defend some of the decisions that they’ve made over the past 10 years. Otherwise, they may soon find themselves pruned from the Flower Street facilities.
So what do you folks think? Is this “Re-Imagineering” blog and/or Pete Docter supposedly coming on board to help John Lasseter fix Walt Disney Imagineering & the Disney theme parks just what the doctor ordered for Disney’s theme parks and resorts?
Your thoughts?