Designing Disney: Imagineering and the Art of the Show FROM THE PUBLISHER
John Hench has come to be known as the "guru of Disney design," a title he more than earned during his sixty-year (and counting) career with The Walt Disney Company. His remarkable and unequaled wealth of experience spans from the earliest Disney animated features to the newest theme park attractions. Show, story, character, and color are all key elements in a successful design, whether the medium is architecture, animation, live-action film, theme parks, stage plays, costumes, restaurants, or shops. In Designing Disney, John takes a look at them all, illustrating and explaining what makes a design successful, and why. In this personal journey, John reveals the lessons he has learned working side by side with Walt and with a legion of legendary Disney designers, past and present. His stories and anecdotes are filled with insight and thoughtful observations. Illustrated with more than 200 sketches, paintings, and photographs from the vaults of Walt Disney Imagineering -- many never published before -- Designing Disney is an entertaining and informative behind-the-scenes look at the fascinating world of design.
FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature - Kristin Harris
Now it is almost hard to remember that Disney created a revolution not only in animation, but also in theme parks. John Hench has worked for Disney for over 60 years. A profound respect for the people who attended theme parks was a key factor in how they developed their projects. That meant waiting in lines with customers, going on rides with them and talking to them. The Disney "Imagineers" wanted to see their guests in the park to find out what they needed to enjoy a story environment. Disneyland was considered a three-dimensional film. They used storyboards to design sequences of experiences for guests. Everything was to be part of the story. This was a new idea in entertainment. Even the vehicles for transporting guests around the park needed to be attractions in themselves. The park staffs are called cast members and are costumed appropriately. This is a fascinating look at design expertise, a real interest in pleasing people and an empire created by the genius and hard work of Walt Disney and the talent he found to implement his vision. This coffee table book is richly illustrated with photographs of the parks, working drawings, and other documents the designers used in their work. 2003, Disney, Ages 8 up.
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