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May 1 - 3, 2008 |
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News |
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Saturday
May 3, 2008 |
Cast of
Disney's 'Musical' is back in school
Disney’s Wide World of Sports Announces Princess Half Marathon
Weekend
Street waits for Disney earnings, outlook on parks
Mather suit seen focused on Pixar option practices
ABC Family
Ramps Up Retention with 'Nikki' |
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Cast of
Disney's 'Musical' is back in school
Daily Herald - The key actors and principal filmmakers behind
Disney's mega-successful "High School Musical" franchise got a
big Beehive State welcome back to East High School in Salt Lake
City on Friday, from none other than Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.
himself. The reception took place in a wood-floored dance studio
at the school, where classes will still be in session until June
5. Utah's chief executive, with one arm in a sling as he
recuperates from recent shoulder surgery, said, "It is a deep
honor, on behalf of all Utahns, to welcome back the Wildcats."
 Huntsman
then introduced actors Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley
Tisdale, Monique Coleman and Corbin Bleu, along with director
Kenny Ortega, writer Peter Barsocchini and producers Bill
Borden, Barry Rosenbush and Don Schain. (Actor Lucas Grabeel was
a last-minute scratch on account of the stomach flu.)
Schain said that a large number
of states attempted to woo "High School Musical 3: Senior Year"
away from Utah, where both "High School Musical" and "High
School Musical 2" were filmed. The first film was shot mostly in
Salt Lake City, including at East High, while the second was
shot largely at the Tuacahn Center for the Arts and other
locations around St. George.
Schain said that the producers
had hoped to return to Utah because of the "wonderful"
experience of making the first two films here, and that Huntsman
made it an easy decision by assembling a generous incentives
package.
The "High School Musical" series
is primarily about the star-crossed romance between basketball
star Troy Bolton (Efron) and math geek Gabriella Montez (Hudgens).
The films have achieved a
phenomenal level of popularity since the premiere of "High
School Musical" in 2006, in part because of their songs -- the
multi-platinum soundtrack to "High School Musical" sold more
copies in 2006 than any other album released that year.
The first two films debuted on
television's Disney Channel, but the third will be given a
nationwide theatrical release by Walt Disney Films on Oct. 24.
Ortega, who also directed the
period musical "Newsies" for Disney, said that he's excited to
be able to make the third "High School Musical" movie for
theatrical release, and that he's pleased to be back in Utah.
"I've always enjoyed working in
this community," he said. "Everyone here has made us feel
welcome."
The cast members have been in
Utah to rehearse for the past couple of weeks -- Hudgens and
Efron were recently spotted attending a Utah Jazz-Houston
Rockets playoff game at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City.
(Hudgens batted aside the one
question from assembled media about their much-publicized
off-camera relationship, saying only, "We're here to talk about
the movie.")
Filming officially begins today
in Salt Lake City. |
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Disney’s Wide World of Sports Announces Princess Half Marathon
Weekend
Disney News - Disney's Wide World of Sports is creating Disney's
Princess Half Marathon Weekend, a new fantasy-filled event in
2009 designed to bring to life the "princess" in women runners
of all ages and abilities.
The weekend event, scheduled for
March 6-8, 2009, involves a health and wellness expo tailored
for women, as well as two road races - a fun 5K and a signature
13.1-mile half marathon - through multiple Walt Disney World
theme parks, all themed around Disney's popular princess
characters. In all, more than 10,000 runners are expected to
participate, making it one of the country's largest road races
geared toward women and the only race runners can experience a
storybook start and a fairy tale finish. Women and their family
and friends will also have the opportunity to participate in a
post race celebration at Magic Kingdom.
Disney's Princess Half Marathon is the latest addition to
Disney's Endurance Series, which gives recreational athletes of
all ages and abilities the chance to walk, jog, run, bike and
swim their way "around the world." From running marathons to
road races and triathlons, participating athletes from around
the world compete to stay in shape, to achieve personal-best
times and often to raise donations for charitable causes.
"Disney's Princess Half Marathon Weekend is a wonderful
opportunity for women and girls of all ages. Disney princesses
have attributes that all women want to possess: courage,
loyalty, strength, commitment and perseverance. We feel this
weekend is an opportunity to recognize those attributes within
each woman and celebrate their accomplishments," said Kathleen
Duran, sports area manager for Disney's Wide World of Sports.
Registration for Disney's Princess Half Marathon Weekend opens
on Monday, May 5, and is $120 for the half marathon and $40 for
the 5K event. Participants can register online at
www.disneyprincesshalfmarathon.com,
beginning, Monday, May 5.
About Disney's Wide World of Sports
Opened in 1997 at Walt Disney World Resort, Disney's Wide World
of Sports Complex is the premier sports venue for amateur and
professional sports in the United States. The sprawling
220-acre state-of-the-art complex features The Milk House, a
165,000-square-foot field house which seats 5,000 for
basketball; the 9,500-seat Champion Stadium ballpark; the Hess
Sports Fields, which include multiple baseball, softball and
soccer fields; and Jostens Center, a multi-sport field house set
to open summer 2008. In addition, the complex has 11 tennis
courts, including a stadium court, and a track & field complex.
The complex is home to more than 180 amateur and professional
sports events each year, including the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers
training camp, the Major League Baseball Atlanta Braves spring
training, a Tampa Bay Rays regular-season series, the NBA
Pre-Draft Camp, the Pop Warner Super Bowl, the AAU National
Championship events and a variety of endurance series events,
such as the Walt Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon
(January), one of the nation's top marathons, Disney's Race for
the Taste 10K (October) and The Twilight Zone™ Tower of Terror
13K (October). For more information, please visit
www.disneysports.com. |
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Street waits for Disney earnings, outlook on parks
MarketWatch - Disney (DIS) expects
to report its earnings after the close Tuesday. Analysts polled
by FactSet Research are forecasting profits to come in at 51
cents a share on sales of $8.51 billion, compared with the 43
cents a share on sales of $8.07 billion posted a year ago.
Sluggish economic conditions
often have a detrimental effect on revenue at Disney's theme
parks, particularly its Walt Disney World in Florida. That
facility took a hit in sales after the Sept. 11, 2001,
terror attacks but has since recovered.
Analyst Doug Creutz of Cowen &
Co. recently said that big drops in consumer confidence
often take their toll on Disney's parks. In a note, he wrote
that similar drops in consumer confidence in 1990-91 and
2001-02 resulted in attendance drops of 10.8% and 4%,
respectively.
Creutz forecast that Disney
park sales and operating profits would be down 2.7% and 10%,
respectively, as the company tries to cope with a 3.3% drop
in attendance. "We believe that Disney's parks and resorts
segment is one of the most exposed business segments in the
company to the impact of a potential recession," he wrote.
Doug Mitchelson of Deutsche
Bank Securities was more optimistic in his assessment. He
said in a recent note that Disney might have been able to
take advantage of price increases due to recent strong
attendance, though he acknowledged that the current economic
downturn might not be the best time to test such a step.
Mitchelson also commented that
Disney shares are at a low price-to-earnings ratio of 15.
Disney stock reached that level during the 1987 stock-market
crash, the 1990-91 recession and the 2001-02 recession.
In each of those instances,
shares went up by a third within six months, he wrote. "We
continue to believe that Disney has stronger long-term
growth prospects than most investors expect."
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Mather suit seen focused on Pixar option practices
Reuters - A former Pixar Animation Studios chief financial
officer, expecting a stock options backdating suit by U.S.
regulators, may argue that Pixar's board, outside lawyers
and auditors approved backdating long before she was hired,
a source familiar with the case said.
Ann Mather, who served as
Pixar's chief financial officer through mid-2004 and now
sits on Google Inc's board, on Monday divulged that the
Securities and Exchange Commission may sue her for
backdating at the animation company.
Mather's attorney said
earlier this week that there was no basis for an SEC lawsuit
against her.
She will have an opportunity
to present a defense to the SEC, if she chooses, before the
agency decides whether to file suit against her.
Options backdating, a
practice in which option grant dates are changed
retroactively to allow recipients to reap greater profit, is
not illegal as long as it is properly disclosed and
accounted for in financial statements.
Pixar is among more than 200
companies that have disclosed internal audits or government
probes surrounding options practices. The Wall Street
Journal reported Pixar had engaged in backdating as early as
1997.
"What (the policy) said was,
'We look back over the last few months and pick the date
that has the lowest stock price. This is in an internal
document and discussed very openly -- this is not a big
secret what they were doing," said a second person familiar
with backdating at Pixar but not approved to speak on the
record about it.
An audit of Pixar conducted
by new parent Walt Disney Co found backdating of options
grants but cleared then-Chief Executive Steve Jobs and
anyone then associated with the company of "any intentional
and deliberate acts of misconduct," according to a
securities filing.
Disney bought Pixar in 2006,
a deal that made Jobs a board member and Disney's largest
individual shareholder.
A Disney spokeswoman said
this week that the company had no reason to believe that the
SEC would bring enforcement action against anyone now
associated with Disney. She declined to comment further on
the matter.
Mather, 47, is the only
Pixar executive who has been named as a possible litigation
target in the government probe.
The first person familiar
with the case said the SEC is likely to allege that Pixar's
stock options granting process was set up by the company's
1996 proxy to allow routine backdating of options and that
Mather, hired in 1999, should have alerted auditors KPMG
that accounting charges needed to be taken.
The Pixar board, which
included former CFO Lawrence Levy and outside legal counsel
Larry Sonsini, was signing off on backdated options that
were dated, in some cases, months earlier, via "unanimous
written consent" forms, said the source, who has seen
internal Pixar documents.
Pixar, which had no general
counsel during much of Mather's tenure, turned to its
outside law firm, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, which
had vetted the policy, and to KPMG, to approve extraordinary
stock grants usually to top executives, the source said.
The company's stock options
administrator would occasionally forward to the board memos
from managers requesting options for employees, as well as
stock charts with the lowest price circled, the source said.
On grants that deviated from
this practice, Mather requested advice from Wilson Sonsini
and was "repeatedly assured that there was no problem," the
source said.
The SEC regional office in
Los Angeles did not return calls seeking comment. A
spokeswoman for Wilson Sonsini had no comment on Pixar or
Mather on Friday.
Unless the government can
show that Mather misrepresented the backdating to Pixar's
lawyers and auditors, she may have a shot at avoiding an SEC
lawsuit, said Phillip Stern, a former SEC attorney and white
collar defender at Neal Gerber Eisenberg in Chicago.
"If she obtained an opinion
from Wilson Sonsini and disclosed all relevant information
to them ...that would be a very strong defense to negating
an allegation that she acted with... actual knowledge or
reckless disregard," he said.
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ABC
Family Ramps Up Retention with 'Nikki'
Mediaweek - ABC Family is ramping up its commercial
retention strategy in 2008-09, pitching media buyers on
Nikki in the City, a new short-form content initiative that
will marry an ongoing narrative about a young woman’s
romantic life with sponsor integrations.
Each 30-second interstitial will allow ABC Family viewers to
catch up with Nikki, a boy-crazy young tastemaker who prides
herself on being ahead of the curve when it comes to pop
culture and fashion. She’s also rather acquisitive, which
makes the character a brand ambassador of sorts for clients
who choose to have their products integrated within a given
Nikki segment.
In keeping with ABC Family’s self-described “tease and
release” retention tactics, each Nikki story will be
open-ended, thereby enticing viewers to stick around for the
next installment. One sample execution has Nikki fumbling
over a co-worker’s invitation to accompany him to see
something called Hidden Sahara Gold, starring Matthew
McConaughey; another places a cell phone purchase within the
context of her choosing between a slacker dude and a suit.
(Introduced in last year’s upfront presentation, the tease
and release strategy aligns clients with teasers and coming
attractions, with an eye toward keeping viewers on-board for
the commercial pod. The net kicked off the initiative this
winter, signing Garnier Fructis on to sponsor teases for
future episodes of Kyle XY.)
According to Nielsen Media Research household ratings data,
ABC Family in the first quarter retained 90 percent of its
prime time audience during commercial breaks. Network
president Paul Lee notes that ABC Family performs even
better among its target Millennials demo, a concentration of
younger consumers age 14 to 28.
“We’ve done a lot better than our competition, the Viacom
networks, with retaining the Millennials,” Lee said. “A lot
of that success has to do with the nature of our network.
There’s a relatability and an optimism inherent in our
programming that sets us apart.”
That sense of optimism has had a salubrious effect on ad
recall as well, according to a recent Nielsen Entertainment
study commissioned by ABC Family. Lee said the study
demonstrates that ads on ABC Family boasts higher recall
than spots running on The CW, MTV and VH1.
Per the study, viewers recalled 68 percent of the ads that
ran on ABC Family, versus the 65 percent they recalled on
The CW. MTV recall was 60 percent, while VH1 recall was 56
percent.
In addition to returning series like Kyle XY and Greek, ABC
Family has two new original series in the hopper for this
summer, including the sci-fi spoof The Middleman and The
Secret Life of the American Teenager, a one-hour drama from
the creators of 7th Heaven.
Based on the comic book series by Javier Grillo-Marxauch––also
a writer of seven episodes of ABC’s Lost––The Middleman
premieres June 16. ABC Family has ordered 13 episodes of the
strip, which chronicles the life of a young woman who is
recruited by a secret agent to fight monsters and
super-criminals.
Meanwhile, the 10-episode family drama The Secret Life of
the American Teenager bows July 1. Stars attached to the
project include Gen-X icons Molly Ringwald and Josie Bissett.
As original movies are a significant part of the ABC Family
portfolio, the net plans two new releases for summer. The
Circuit, starring Michelle Trachtenberg, bows June 8,
followed by Picture This, which features High School Musical
bad-girl Ashley Tisdale (July 13).
In addition to the summer series and movies, ABC Family will
bow the six-hour miniseries Samurai Girl this fall
(September 5-7).
Looking ahead, in 2009, the network will roll out its
first-ever half-hour comedy with the ensemble production
Roommates. Also on tap for next year: Sophie, a 30-minute
dramedy about “a lovely young woman having the worst year of
her life.”
ABC Family returns its original series hit Greek this fall
for a 12-episode second season run, and in preparation for
the encore, the network plans to beef up the show’s online
presence.
“We have loads of stuff on the Greek site that goes beyond
just streaming the full episodes,” Lee said. “Viewers upload
their own content to the site and there’s all sorts of
exclusive video and a blog and other things. So it’s become
such a noisy community-focused approach to storytelling. …
The show is surrounded by all of this stuff online and we’re
really building a community around it.”
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Friday
May 2, 2008 |
Parents Plan To Boycott Disney Over Web Site Dilemma
Man jumps
from Disneyland Hotel
The Fifth Happiest
Place on Earth
Disney to shutter 98 stores, Home Depot closing 15
Third arrest in armored-vehicle heist at Disney
Miley Cyrus visits theme parks Thursday, confirmed for Saturday
concert
High School
Musical 3 Poster is released
Action speaks louder in 'The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince
Caspian'
Disney World: Why Your Must Travel At Least Once |
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Parents Plan To Boycott Disney Over Web Site Dilemma
Central Florida News 13 - Parents across America said they're
planning to boycott Disney because one of the company's Web
sites is shutting down.
 Disney's
Virtual Magic Kingdom, an interactive game, simulates the real
theme park. Users can play in the virtual park and meet other
Disney fans for free.
In the middle of May, Disney
plans to shut down the 3-year-old Web site because they only set
it up as a promotional tool.
"We were quite surprised. That
wasn't the way they promoted it from the beginning. There were
so many things to buy. They were promoting it instead of VMK
being used to promote other things," said Shelly Amato, a mom.
Parents complained about the
shutdown because they said their kids have learned computer
skills and networking skills from the site.
A Disney spokesperson said there
are still hundreds of free games on its Web site. |
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Man jumps from Disneyland
Hotel
 OCRegister
- A man believed to be in his 30s or 40s
apparently jumped to his death today from the
14th floor of the Disneyland Hotel, authorities
said.
Shortly after 11
a.m., police were called to investigate a
possible suicide at 1150 Magic Way, said Anaheim
police Sgt. Rick Martinez.
The man, who has
not been identified, jumped from a balcony in
the hotel’s south tower onto a parking lot,
Martinez said.
The man was in
town on business and was staying in a room with
a business associate; the business associate was
in the room when the man jumped, Martinez said.
The man was
pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives are
speaking to witnesses to see if anyone saw what
took place.
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The Fifth Happiest
Place on Earth
TIME - "Zippity Doo Dah" sounds more dreary than cheery as it
loops through a distant sound system in the near vacant parking
lot of Hong Kong Disneyland's multi-billion-dollar theme park.
It's 2 p.m. on Sunday, a peak hour for family fun, but Hong
Kong's Magical Kingdom is a little short on enchanted subjects.
The fifth branch of the Happiest Place on Earth has been
criticized for being too small and offering too few rides, but
the The Walt Disney Company hopes to inject a little fairy dust
into the place by adding a hitherto missing ingredient: the
iconic "It's A Small World" ride — a boat tour through an
air-conditioned world of singing and dancing dolls sporting
Disney's idea of their country's traditional costumes in locales
both real and imagined. ("The Islands" features representatives
of Hawaii alongside those of New Guinea; while Eskimos play at
the "North Pole," which, of course, no humans inhabit.)
 A
feature of all Disneyland parks except Hong Kong — until now —
the "Small World" ride debuted at the 1964 World's Fair in New
York. And it exemplified the optimistic post-World War II
attitude of inclusivity and global understanding that drove the
creation of such institutions as the United Nations, although
from the perspective of a victorious and magnanimous
industrialized West. Having spent many hours on the ride in my
California youth, I couldn't help but wonder how Disney would
translate the message of "Small World" in an era so profoundly
different — particularly at a theme park whose desired customers
are those who see the world through the cultural prism not of
the industrialized West, but of a rising Asia.
The company's answer to the
challenge of updating and translating "It's a Small World"
appears to lie in improved special effects and cross-promotional
branding. As the Hong Kong ride's water propulsion system nudged
our craft past scenes familiar from my childhood — the Taj Mahal,
the rainforest, the singing mermaids — it became clear that the
basic concept and signature, blocky 1960s motifs of Disney
artist Mary Blair had been retained. The Hong Kong sets look
more vibrant thanks to lighting techniques, while a more
sophisticated sound system belts out "it's a world of hopes;
it's a world of tears" in nine languages. The "Asia" component
here has been expanded to include Cambodia, the Philippines,
Hong Kong and a bigger China, but the Chinese acrobat dolls
still spin plates, the Scandinavian dolls are still platinum
blond, and the Africa section is still dark and jungly.
According to Joe Lanzisero, creative senior vice president of
Disney's "Imagineering" division, the ride is as relevant as
ever. "This is such a universal theme — seeing the world through
the innocent eyes of children. Could you think of another time
in history where that message is more needed?" he says. "It's a
message that's timeless, and it's a message that's now. It needs
to be heard."
There has, however, been one big
change — the strategic insertion of 38 Disney cartoon characters
into what had previously been a simulacrum of the real world.
Here, the eskimos share the North Pole with Bambi and Thumper;
Mulan flies a kite in Asia; Cinderella and Prince Charming wave
to passing boats from their castle. The additions, when first
proposed, inspired a small but fierce cry of sacrilege in the
Disney blogosphere. "Everybody is so precious about what
we do," Lanzisero objects. "At Disneyland, just a few hours into
opening, [Walt Disney] started redoing things. It's no fun just
to do the same thing all the time."
Remaining competitive in an
increasingly crowded global entertainment market challenges
Disney to find the right balance between the formulaic familiar
and the innovative, and thus far that blend proved elusive in
Hong Kong —the gateway to a vast number of Asian visitors whose
exposure to Disney storylines is lower. Last year's annual
report noted that revenue growth at the resort in Paris was
offset by Hong Kong's low attendance. Management hopes that
"Small World" will help turn things around, but that may be a
tall order, even for over 2,000 pounds of glitter and 241 dolls.
Still, to anyone familiar with
the Disneyland experience elsewhere, the Hong Kong facility has
its advantages: In Tomorrowland, the wait-time to get onto the
park's single thrill ride, Space Mountain, hovered at around
five minutes — a kid's fantasy, even if that's a company's
nightmare. Kyle Smith, a casino performer in the nearby gambling
mecca of Macau, waits for his friends near the ride's entrance.
"I've been away from the States, so having this familiar place
is nice," says the 24-year-old, visiting for the third time in
less than a year. He recommends the park, even though he
believes it could use a few more rides. "I was also thinking
more Asian-themed exhibits," he adds. "But maybe they're trying
to stay away from that." |
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Disney to shutter 98 stores, Home Depot closing 15
(HD) and Disney (DIS)
each announced plans Thursday to close stores across the nation,
the latest in a string of closings and further evidence that the
slowdown in consumer spending is having a chilling effect on
retailers.
"This is
just the beginning," says retail analyst Jennifer Black of
Jennifer Black & Associates. "We're so overstored."
Home Depot,
the world's largest home improvement chain, says it's closing 15
underperforming stores and scuttling earlier plans to open 50
others. Disney is closing about 98 stores as it takes back
control of its stores from Children's Place, whose subsidiary
had run the Disney Store chain.
The
announcements coincided with news on Thursday that consumer
spending rose a weak 0.1% in March on an inflation-adjusted
basis.
Hundreds of
other store closings have been announced by retailers this year.
But Home Depot has been especially hard hit by the real estate
crisis. With far fewer houses being sold and less money for
discretionary home purchases, both contractors and
do-it-yourself customers are pulling back on purchases. |
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Third arrest in armored-vehicle heist at Disney
MyFoxOrlando - A third suspect has been arrested in the robbery
that occurred at the Walt Disney World Grand Floridian Hotel
earlier this week.
 Deputies
arrested 24 year old Latosha Denise Black Thursday. She joins 25
year old Sondra Tarrell Farmer and 25 year old Johnnie Bernard
Leonard Jr.both of whom were taken into custody Tuesday.
Investigators said an armored car belonging to the Garda
Security Company was robbed early Tuesday morning behind the
Grand Floridian.
Detectives were told by the three occupants of the armored truck
that after making a delivery at the Grand Floridian and
returning to the truck they noticed one of the doors to the
armored vehicle was open and an undisclosed amount of money
missing.
After an investigation detectives were able to determine that
the robbery was an inside job and that Leonard who worked for
the armored car company had made conspired with Farmer and Black
to steal the money from the vehicle the delivery to the hotel
was being made.
The money has yet to be recovered; so Thursday the Garda
Security Company is offering up to a $10,000 reward for any
information leading to the arrest and recovery of the fund in
this case. CRIMELINE is offering up to an additional $1,000 for
the arrest and recovery. |
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Miley Cyrus visits theme parks Thursday, confirmed for Saturday
concert
Orlando Sentinel - Miley Cyrus itinerary update: She was in the
theme parks Thursday, having a grand time with Mickey and Minnie
Mouse.
She won't attend a Friday night
red-carpet party, where other Disney Channel stars will meet the
media. The 15-year-old superstar won't have to answer questions
about those controversial photos in Vanity Fair.
The stars are in Orlando for the
Disney Channel Games, which conclude Friday in events that are
not open to the public.
But Cyrus will perform at a
Saturday concert. So if you have a ticket to that event, rest
assured: She will sing. Her time in the theme parks Thursday was
a break from rehearsals for the concert. She and her brother
enjoyed several rides. |
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The third High School Musical
movie will be coming to theaters everywhere this October
24th. Below is the first poster released for the film.
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Action speaks louder in 'The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince
Caspian'
AP - s the crowning battle in "The Chronicles of Narnia:
Prince Caspian," but as the scene played out in a Soho
dubbing theater, it wasn't yet crowning enough. Huddling
with half a dozen editors in mid-March, director Andrew
Adamson was racing to complete the film's sound mix, looking
for any opportunity to make "Prince Caspian's" final battle
just a bit more powerful. "The Telmarine army is a chatty
bunch," the 41-year-old director told the mixing team after
reviewing the buildup to an epic clash between the occupying
Telmarine troops and the sympathetic Narnians, led by
Caspian (Ben Barnes) and Peter Pevensie (William Moseley).
"I couldn't really hear the hooves of their horses. So let's
make it less chatty, more stomping."
Adamson and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen
McFeely have labored to bring that precise instruction --
action, not talk -- into every frame of the second film
based on C.S. Lewis' seven-part allegorical fantasy series,
which opens May 16. It's as much necessity as invention:
Audiences, particularly in the summer, demand bells and
whistles, and yet there's hardly any overt spectacle (not to
mention driving narrative) in Lewis' 1951 book.
Caspian appears just a bit more in the novel than Godot does
in Samuel Beckett's famous play, and the concluding battle
that fills a good chunk of Adamson's movie is recounted in
the space of just a few paragraphs. Yet as "Prince
Caspian's" creative team conjured up more conflict and
peril, they also had to remember the millions of
elementary-school-age moviegoers who flocked to the first
film nearly three years ago.
"I think it's a bit darker, and I think it's more complex.
It's a much more sophisticated movie," says Mark Johnson,
who produced "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and
"Prince Caspian." "There are a lot more liberties that
Andrew and Markus and McFeely had to take than they did in
'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.' "
As the filmmakers ratcheted up "Prince Caspian's" stakes,
they had to be mindful of the PG rating they were
contractually obligated to deliver to Disney and Walden
Media. At one point late in the game, Adamson had to add a
few frames to make it clear to the Motion Picture Assn. of
America's ratings board that a helmet lolling on the ground
didn't really have some unlucky person's head in it.
THE EYES HAVE IT
ADAMSON, WHO also directed the first two "Shrek" films,
wasn't sure he wanted to return to Narnia, even though the
first film was acclaimed by critics, embraced by families
and has grossed more than $748 million worldwide. But he
looked into the eyes of the then-10-year-old Georgie Henley
and changed his mind.
Henley plays Lucy, the youngest of the four Pevensie
children who enter Narnia's timeless world. When Adamson was
directing Henley in the first film, she couldn't cry when he
needed her to, after the lion Aslan's death. Henley had
always wept watching "The Lion King," so Adamson cued its
DVD up, but that didn't work, either. Running out of ideas,
the director shared with Henley his doubt that he would
direct the next film. The tears finally came.
Months later, with the first film completed, Henley sidled
up to the New Zealand-born director. "When you said you
weren't going to do the sequel, were you saying that just to
make me cry or because you really didn't want to do the
sequel?" she asked Adamson. "That made me want to do it,"
the director says. "When you look into those eyes, you can't
say no."
If that was an easy enough decision, wrestling Lewis'
succinct book into a movie was far more problematic. In
Lewis' telling, some 12 months have passed since the four
children left Narnia, but it's 1,300 years later in the
lands where the White Witch once ruled.
In the intervening centuries, as a dwarf named Trumpkin
relates to the children, the Narnians have been driven
underground by the usurper Miraz and the Telmarines,
descendants of pirates. Caspian, the son of the rightful
(but slain by Miraz) King Caspian, has had to flee before he
too is killed. With the Telmarines massing for battle, the
Narnians need the eldest Pevensie boy, Peter, and Caspian,
who have their own rivalry, to somehow save their race.
It sounds more exciting than it reads. Four consecutive
chapters are told in flashback, and Caspian vanishes from
the story for dozens of pages at a time. While the book may
be a classic of children's literature, it doesn't scream
movie.
Adamson and his collaborators steered the book's characters
toward three concurrent story lines: Caspian's flight and
ascension, the children's discoveries and maturation, and
Miraz's implicitly genocidal campaign against the Narnians
and their rightful king.
At the same time, Adamson says, "I was trying to find the
emotional reality" of the movie. If the first "Chronicles of
Narnia" was a fable of faith and sacrifice, the second
became a parable of loss -- how the passage from childhood
to adulthood inevitably means that as you take on something
new, you must abandon something else: Innocence is replaced
by doubt, trust by suspicion, comfort by insecurity. It's an
idea shaped in part by Adamson's experiences in Papau, New
Guinea, where he lived as a child. He could never bring
himself to revisit it as an adult, he says, "because the
place that I grew up in had completely changed and I
couldn't confront that loss. . . . But you don't want to
create a movie that's a bummer, and our first draft was
pretty cynical."
That cynicism has been replaced by mounting (and sometimes
made-up) conflict; it's clear from "Prince Caspian's" first
frenetic frames the book is more guide than bible. Lewis
writes that when Caspian fled Miraz's castle, "All night he
rode southward . . .," and that's about as nail-biting as it
gets. In Adamson's opening sequence, it's a pounding chase
filled with peril. When Trumpkin (Peter Dinklage) later
tells the children, "You may find Narnia a more savage place
than you remember," he isn't kidding.
"I've really tried to stay true to the major themes of the
book, the major events, and also have some invention,"
Adamson says back in his London postproduction suite, where
eight assistant editors are frantically cutting in special
effects shots (the first film had nine months in which to
finish after photography wrapped, while "Prince Caspian" had
about seven). Close readers of the book will notice that one
of the movie's biggest departures is how quickly Caspian and
Peter join forces.
The scale of the film also is noticeably grander. The
opening sequence alone includes footage shot in the Czech
Republic, Poland, New Zealand and Slovenia. "I think it's a
much more beautiful movie," says Oren Aviv, Disney's
production president, "just in terms of the scale and the
scope of the locations." Even with unfinished effects,
"Prince Caspian" tested better in a research screening than
the first film.
SCORING UNDER THE GUN
WITH only a few weeks left to lock the movie, Adamson, in
the Soho scoring stage, had asked composer Harry Gregson-Williams
to move up a scoring cue by a few frames.
Adamson made the decision around 2 p.m., and by 4 p.m. at
Abbey Road Studios (yes, that Abbey Road), Gregson-Williams
already had made the change. Nervously chewing at the stubs
of his fingernails, the composer in the next few days would
assemble a 119-voice choral group. "I still have the whole
battle scene to do," he says. If the film has approximately
two hours of score, Gregson-Williams still had 30 minutes of
music to finish.
Adamson isn't worried, though. The second movie may have
been trickier at every turn, but it nevertheless was coming
together. In Narnia, magical things happen.
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Disney World: Why Your Must Travel At Least Once
melodika -Walt Disney World in Orlando is a package
destination, which provides something for every person who
visits the Land of Parks (Disneyland). Four major theme
parks are developed on different ideas like Animal Kingdom
dedicated to environment and wild life, Magic Kingdom is
dedicated to imaginary and magical thoughts of human being,
MGM Studios is dedicated to the world of Hollywood, and the
last but not the least EPCOT is dedicated to the futuristic
approach and innovative ideas. These theme parks houses many
attractions according to there themes.
Tomorrowland and Fantasyland are
two such attractions of Walt Disney World those offering
different reasons to visit Orlando. Both parks have many
attractions and rides which can engage the visitors for long.
Tomorrowland was originally
designed to portray Disney's view of the future world but in
90's Disney decided to convert it a sci-fi theme park. To create
this land of sci-fi lots of neon, glasses, and gleaming metal is
used. There are some metal palm trees that actually react to
sunlight. The theme land provides knowledge and information
about all possible questions about futuristic innovations. The
major attractions of Tomorrowland are Astro Orbitor, Autopia,
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Disneyland Monorail, Disneyland
Railroad, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Star Tours,
Innoventions, Space Mountain, Starcade, and Honey, I Shrunk the
Audience. To enjoy all these attractions Disney Tomorrowland
Tickets are must and are available at the admission of the theme
park.
For this theme land once Walt
Disney said "Fantasyland is dedicated to the young at heart and
to those who believe that when you wish upon a star, your dream
come true". This quote indicated that the theme land is a place
of fantasy and imagination. Almost every attraction of the
Fantasyland Disneyland is based on Disney feature Film, from
Alice in Wonderland to Peter Pen to Dumbo. The popular
attractions of Fantasyland are Alice in Wonderland, Casey Jr.
Circus Train, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, it's a small world,
King Arthur Carrousel, Mad Tea Party, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Mr.
Toad's Wild Ride, Peter Pan's Flight, Pinocchio's Daring
Journey, Snow White's Scary Adventures, Storybook Land Canal
Boats, and Sword in the Stone. |
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Thursday
May 1, 2008 |
Disney buys back North American Disney Store chain
What is Mickey
whispering to Selena?
Disney's Hollywood Studio Archway Sign up and photos of Toy
Story Mania
Disney Channel Games parade at Disney's Hollywood Studios
Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey's Very Merry
Christmas Party tickets now on sale
Second Arrest Made in Disney Armored Car Robbery
Disney's First U.S. Family Magazine in Spanish
Senate confirms Disney exec's appointment to water board
Children's Miracle Network Honors The Walt Disney Company
Disney to
Sponsor MEAC/SWAC Challenge
Lineker
'playing Dumbo' in Disney portraits
Super Challenge Teaches Central Florida Kids About Home Safety
Walt Disney World President honored by Florida State
Disney
Standing By Miley
Disney's
'Tinker Bell' Blu-ray Cover Art
Disney
Lends Magic to Orlando Family Festival
The Magic of Disney Fine Art Exhibition -- Ogden, Utah -- May 1
to September 30, 2008
Student Recognized as Two Millionth Magic Music Days Performer
Saviance brings Disney training programs to India
Local actor gets
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Disney buys back North American Disney Store chain
Reuters - Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) has repurchased its North
American Disney Store chain from Children's Place Retail Stores
Inc (PLCE.O ), the companies said on Thursday.
Disney said it bought back 220
locations in the United States and Canada. Terms were not
disclosed. The final number of acquired stores will depend on
the outcome of negotiations with landlords, it said.
Disney also obtained the right
to close about 100 stores.
Children's Place said in March
it was exiting the Disney Store business, and Disney confirmed
it was in talks to take back stores.
Children's Place, whose
eponymous chain sells clothes for children, said it would
provide transitional support to Disney for up to six months and
expects to incur exit costs of $50 million -- at the low end of
its anticipated range of $50 million to $100 million.
Most of these cash costs were
taken in the first quarter, the company said.
Disney sold a struggling chain
of 313 stores to Children's Place in 2004. At the time,
Children's Place was seeking to expand in the market for
merchandise for newborns to age 10, and Disney was shifting its
consumer goods strategy from running its own stores to designing
and then licensing products to other retailers. |
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What is Mickey whispering to Selena?
 MX
- What is Mickey whispering to Selena? We may have caught the
first pictures of Mickey Mouse making a Big offer to Selena
Gomez. Our Expert lip readers tell us Mickey is making an offer
to Selena to make her the next Big Disney It Girl! Here is what
was whispered in Selena's Ear by Mickey: "Oh Boy! Selena, we
have big goings on for your future here at Disney, Miley's
fairly out and you are fairly in." huhuh! |
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Disney's Hollywood Studio Archway Sign up and photos of Toy
Story Mania
 MX
- Finally, The Rock has come back to Disney World!, Oops, we
take that back, what we meant to say is Finally The Disney
Hollywood Studios Archway has been adorned with the new Name.
Looks good and just in time for the Toy Story Mania opening.
Speaking about the Toy Story
Mania here are some pictures from TSM the first is the Fastpass
machines, the second is the TSM queue, and the third is the TSM
attraction cars. |
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Disney Channel Games parade at Disney's Hollywood Studios
Theme Park Rangers - Guests Wednesday at Disney's Hollywood
Studios were treated to a short parade featuring some of the
young celebrities who are in Orlando to compete in the Disney
Channel Games.
The parade (video on jump) was
unannounced, but word had traveled among fans watching the
taping of the games Tuesday at Disney's Wide World of Sports
complex.
And, so, we saw starry-eyed kids
and their like-minded mothers having fun anticipating what was
to come while they searched for the best vantage point to see
the parade.
As we scouted for a good piece
of concrete to call our own, we noticed the stairs of the ABC
Theater were empty and shady. A cast member told us most were
reserved, but there was a corner that was not roped off. Little
did we know, we would end up sitting near the sister of Cheetah
Girl Kiely Williams and other friends and family of the
celebrities.
Chip 'n Dale, Mickey, Minnie,
Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto escorted the Jonas Brothers, The
Cheetah Girls Sabrina Bryan, Demi Lovato from the upcoming movie
'Camp Rock' and Selena Gomez ('Wizards of Waverly Place') in the
vehicles like you would have seen in the former Stars N Cars
Motorcade.
Although there was some
disappointment over Miley Cyrus' absence, the fans around us
seemed thrilled to see the other stars in another up-close
setting.
The stars were whisked
backstage afterward, so there were no meet-and-greets.
Still, it was a fun surprise, and cameras and video cameras
were allowed, unlike at Champion Stadium.
Teens and tweens seated next to
us said they were really happy that it was easier to get
autographs Tuesday at Disney's Wide World of Sports,
including those coveted signatures from the Jonas Brothers.
One girl had collected more than 20 so far!
Below is a short video I
made of the parade and the photos are courtesy of my
5-year-old shutterbug, who had a lot of fun seeing his
Disney Channel Games stars.
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Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey's Very Merry
Christmas Party tickets now on sale
Now on sale
though the Disney Reservations Center: 1-407-W-DISNEY. Tickets
will go on sale at www.disneyworld.com soon.
Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) is a
one-of-a-kind Halloween party where guests can trick-or-treat
immersed in the fantasy of the Magic Kingdom Park. It takes
place from 7 p.m. to midnight on select nights in September and
October. We have added five additional nights in 2008 for a
total of 25 ghoulish events. The first event night is earlier
than ever – September 5! This is the lowest priced (and best
value!) Halloween Party in Central Florida!
Full Dates:
Sept 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 28, 30
Oct 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 13, 16, 19, 21, 23, 24, 26, 28, 30, 31
Hours: 7 PM - 12 Midnight
Parade at 8:15pm and 10:30pm
Fireworks at 9:30pm
Premium Nights (no advance savings) are:
Sept 19, 26
Oct 3, 10, 16, 23, 24, 26, 30, 31
Premium and Gate Pricing (including taxes):
Adult (age 10+) $59.59
Child (age 3-9) $53.20
Advance purchase savings are available for the select dates:
Sept 5, 9, 12, 16, 23, 28, 30
Oct 2, 5, 7, 9, 13, 19, 21, 28
Advance Purchase Savings Price (including taxes):
Adult (age 10+) $52.14
Child (age 3-9) $45.75
Tickets must be purchased at least 1 day prior to event. Select
nights only.
Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save even more
by purchasing in advance for the following select nights:
Sept 9, 12, 23, 30
Oct 2, 7, 9, 21
DVC or Passholder Advance Purchase Savings Price (including
taxes):
Adult (age 10+) $48.94
Child (age 3-9) $42.55
Passholders can purchase for themselves and up to 3 Guests
DVC Members can purchase for themselves and up to 5 Guests
All Passholder tickets and DVC Tickets must be picked up at Will
Call to validate discount. Tickets must be purchased at least 1
day prior to event. Select nights only.
This years Halloween highlights:
The ever popular Mickey’s "Boo-to-You" Halloween Parade. Back by
popular demand.
Trick-or-treating throughout the Magic Kingdom® Park at numerous
treat locations.
Happy HalloWishes fireworks spectacular – watch as the Disney
Villains go trick-or-treating in the sky!
Characters decked out in their favorite costumes - so wear yours
too.
Use of the most popular Magic Kingdom Park attractions.
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (MVMCP) takes place from 7
p.m. to midnight on select nights in November and December at
the Magic Kingdom Park. It’s a magical night of special holiday
entertainment including an enchanting parade, nighttime
fireworks spectacular, Castle Dream Lights, Disney Character
greetings, tasty treats, snow on Main Street, U.S.A., plus some
of the most popular Magic Kingdom attractions. Mickey's Very
Merry Christmas Party is everything you love about Christmas
plus the fantasy of the Magic Kingdom Park. This is the only
Holiday-themed, family-event in Central Florida!
Dates:
Nov 10, 11, 14, 16, 20, 21, 30
Dec 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19
Hours: 7 PM - 12 Midnight
Parade at 8:15pm and 10:30pm
Fireworks at 9:30pm
Premium Nights (no advance savings) are:
Nov 14, 21
Dec 4, 5, 11, 12, 14, 18, 19
Premium and Gate Pricing (including taxes):
Adult (age 10+) $59.59
Child (age 3-9) $53.20
Advance purchase savings are available for the select dates:
Nov 10, 11, 16, 20, 30
Dec 2, 5, 7, 9, 16
Advance Purchase Savings Price (including taxes):
Adult (age 10+) $52.14
Child (age 3-9) $45.75
Tickets must be purchased at least 1 day prior to event. Select
nights only.
Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save even more
by purchasing in advance for the following select nights:
Nov 11, 20
Dec 7, 9, 16
DVC or Passholder Advance Purchase Savings Price (including
taxes):
Adult (age 10+) $48.94
Child (age 3-9) $42.55
Passholders can purchase for themselves and up to 3 Guests
DVC Members can purchase for themselves and up to 5 Guests
All Passholder tickets and DVC Tickets must be picked up at Will
Call to validate discount. Tickets must be purchased at least 1
day prior to event. Select nights only.
This years Holiday highlights:
Castle Dream Lights.
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade featuring Santa and
Mrs. Claus.
Holiday Wishes - Celebrate the Spirit of the Season Fireworks
Spectacular.
Celebrate the Season Castle Stage Show.
Twas the Night Before Christmas Stage Show in Tomorrowland.
Snow on Main Street, U.S.A.
Complimentary Hot Cocoa and Cookies.
Use of the most popular Magic Kingdom attractions.
Remember, extended table service dining times are available
during these events at:
Liberty Tree Tavern
Tony's Town Square Restaurant
Cinderella's Royal Table
You may book these locations on all event nights starting today.
You may also book the Magic Kingdom Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for
all event nights starting today. |
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Second Arrest Made in Disney Armored Car Robbery
MyFoxOrlando - A second person has been arrested in an
armored car robbery at Walt Disney World.
 Late
Wednesday afternoon, Orange County deputies arrested 25 year
old Sondra Tarrell Farmer. Her arrest comes after deputies
took 25 year old Johnnie Bernard Leonard Jr. into custody
Tuesday.
Investigators said an armored car belonging to the Garda
Security Company was robbed early Tuesday morning behind
Disney’s Grand Floridian Hotel.
Detectives were told by the three occupants of the armored
truck that after making a delivery at the Grand Floridian
and returning to the truck they noticed one of the doors to
the armored vehicle was open and an undisclosed amount of
money missing.
After an investigation detectives were able to determine
that the robbery was an inside job and that Leonard had made
plans with Farmer and another suspect to steal the money
from the vehicle the delivery to the hotel was being made.
No money has yet been recovered and the investigation is
still continuing.
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Disney's
First U.S. Family Magazine in Spanish
Business Wire - Disney En Familia, a new Spanish-language
magazine for parents that celebrates the joys of Latino family
life, will publish its premiere issue this coming July.
Filled with great parenting tips, travel and party ideas,
recipes and advice on preserving cultural traditions, the
controlled-circulation quarterly will initially reach 350,000
Latino families that are key Disney consumers and have children
between the ages of 4 and 12.
“Disney
En Familia will provide Latina moms the inspiration and support
they need to raise a happy, healthy family in the U.S.,”
said Gilbert Davila, Disney’s vice
president of multicultural marketing and publisher of Disney En
Familia. “For advertisers, it’s
the perfect vehicle for reaching young, affluent Latino
families.”
Disney En Familia will be
produced by the same team responsible for Disney Publishing’s
award-winning FamilyFun and Wondertime magazines and will
include specially tailored content for Hispanic readers.
Each issue will also feature an
exclusive Disney section showcasing the best that Disney has to
offer, including previews of new Disney movies and TV shows as
well as interviews with stars and details on the latest
merchandise and theme park attractions.
Disney En Familia’s
inaugural issue will include an exclusive interview with Maria
Celeste Arraras, anchor of Telemundo’s
Al Rojo Vivo, who shares her philosophy on balancing work and
family; a parent’s guide to kid’s
teeth; some great back to school tips; and a story on the stars
of Disney’s upcoming feature film,
Beverly Hills Chihuahua, featuring George Lopez, Andy Garcia,
Salma Hayek among others.
Disney En Familia will publish
once more this year with a Holiday-themed issue appearing in
November 2008 before beginning its regular quarter publishing
schedule in 2009.
Santa Barbara, Ca.-based IPR, a
firm that specializes in Spanish language custom publications,
has been selected to handle outside advertising sales for the
magazine. |
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Senate confirms Disney exec's appointment to water board
Orlando Sentinel - The Florida Senate this morning confirmed
Gov. Charlie Crist's appointment of a Walt Disney Co. executive
to the governing board of an agency that helps oversee
environmental regulations at Walt Disney World.
The Senate signed off on Jerry
Montgomery, the senior vice president for conservation and
environmental sustainability at Disney Parks and Resorts, as one
of two new board members on the South Florida Water Management
District. The other new appointee confirmed by the Senate was
Coral Gables lawyer Paul Huck, who until recently was Crist's
general counsel in the governor's office.
Montgomery listed some prominent
names on his application for the water district post. Among
them: Walt Disney World President Meg Crofton and lobbyist David
Rancourt, whose firm, Southern Strategy Group, represents Disney
in Tallahassee. |
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Children's Miracle Network Honors The Walt Disney Company
Disney News - Children's Miracle Network presented
its Legacy Award to The Walt Disney Company at its annual
celebration, citing Disney's longtime support. The Walt
Disney Company has worked with the organization for more
than 20 years, dating back to 1987, when Disneyland®
hosted the Children's Miracle Network telethon. Walt Disney
World President Meg Crofton accepted the award, noting that,
"Improving the lives of children is one of the most
worthwhile causes any of us can pursue."
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Disney to
Sponsor MEAC/SWAC Challenge
Disney News - Walt Disney World Resort will serve as
a presenting sponsor of the MEAC-SWAC Challenge, an ESPN
Regional Television event, featuring teams from two
historically black college and university leagues – the
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and Southwestern
Athletic Conference (SWAC). The game, which is in its fourth
year, takes place Labor Day weekend, and will showcase a
football match-up between MEAC's Hampton University and
SWAC's Jackson State University. The game will be televised
live on ESPN2 from the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando. "We
have a long history of supporting the African-American
community and we're proud to build on this legacy by
supporting the 25 historically black colleges and
universities in the Mid-Eastern and Southwestern Athletic
Conferences," said Eugene Campbell, vice president of
Community Relations and Minority Business Development for
Walt Disney World Resort.
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Lineker
'playing Dumbo' in Disney portraits
Digital Spy - Gary Lineker will play Dumbo in the Disney
Dream Portrait Series, the Daily Star reports.
Reports claim that the sports presenter was recommended for
the job by Jennifer Lopez after she saw him presenting
Match of the Day at the Beckhams' home.
Lopez told photographer Leibovitz that Lineker had a
"natural aptitude" for the role.
"She was laughing with Victoria and Becks about how Gary
would be perfect as Dumbo and couldn't wait to tell Annie,"
a source said.
Acclaimed photographer Leibovitz has already assembled an
impressive roster of stars for Disney's Year Of A Million
Dreams. David Beckham has been chosen to play Prince
Charming, Beyoncé has posed as Cinderella and Scarlett
Johansson was photographed as Alice in Wonderland.
"I would be very disappointed if I wasn't a frontrunner [for
Dumbo]," Lineker joked.
Leibovitz has caused controversy over her recent topless
Vanity Fair photograph of teen star Miley Cyrus.
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Super Challenge Teaches Central Florida Kids About Home
Safety
Disney News - Walt Disney World Resort, local Radio Disney
celebrities and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) recently
brought the Safety Smart! Super Challenge to Highlands
Elementary in Kissimmee to teach students valuable lessons
about safety in the home. Nearly 100 first and second
graders played interactive games such as the Super Duper
Conductor Scooper where they learned the difference between
items that conduct electricity and items that insulate it.
UL and Radio Disney are taking the program to over 200
schools across the country.
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Walt Disney World President honored by Florida State
Orlando Sentinel - Meg Crofton - president of Walt Disney
World - has been selected as a Florida State University
College of Business hall of fame recipient for 2008.
Crofton, who got her bachelor
of science degree from FSU in 1974 and an MBA there in '75,
was one of three individuals officially inducted during an
April 19 ceremony at the university.
Crofton, 54, is a 28-year
Disney veteran was made president of Walt Disney in August,
2006, overseeing the resort's four theme parks, two water
parks, 22 hotels, numerous retail and restaurant operations
and more than 60,000 employees. She and her husband Rich
live in Winter Park.
Established in 2003, the FSU
College of Business Hall of Fame honors and celebrates
individuals who embody the qualities espoused by the
college. The college was founded in 1950.
The
other inductees were Bruce Redditt, executive vice
president, Omnicom Group,
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Disney Standing By Miley
Fox 28 - Disney is standing by Miley
Cyrus. A top exec confirms that she's still the headliner
for this weekend's concert capping the 2008 Disney Channel
Games in Orlando, Florida.
Disney Channel entertainment president Gary Marsh tells The
Los Angeles Times that "being the most famous 15-year-old in
the world is exciting," but he says it's filled with
"challenges and exceptional responsibility." He also says
"the Internet adds a whole new twist to typical teenage
life."
Marsh made the comments after those private photos of Cyrus
leaked on the Web, but before she apologized for the
"embarrassing" Vanity Fair magazine shoot.
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Disney's
'Tinker Bell' Blu-ray Cover Art
 TheManRoom -
Disney Home Entertainment has released cover art for Tinker
Bell on Blu-ray, the first solo excursion for Peter Pan's
winged ally heading straight to home video on October 28.
Tinker Bell explores the
world of Pixie Hollow where "Tink" was born and many other
fairies like her live. In Disney tradition there will be a
downfall, friendship, encouragement and ultimately
redemption as "Tink" finds her way in life.
Disney will present Tinker
Bell on Blu-ray in widescreen 1.78:1 1080p video and either
5.1 PCM or Dolby TrueHD uncompressed audio.
Supplemental features will
include a Blu-ray exclusive BD-Live Guide to Pixie Hollow as
well as shared features with DVD including behind-the-scenes
and making-of featurettes; a set-top game; and a Nature-pedia.
Tinker Bell on Blu-ray will
carry an SRP of $34.99.
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Disney Lends Magic to Orlando Family Festival
Disney News - The Walt Disney Amphitheater at Lake Eola Park
was brought to life as Walt Disney World entertainers
performed during the Jewish Community Center of Greater
Orlando's Family Festival 2008. Barry Jacobson, director of
event management for Walt Disney World and vice president of
development for the Jewish Community Center says, "The event
is all about raising money for kids to go to camp who would
not otherwise be able to go." The fifth annual festival
featured rides, games and local artist displays.
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The Magic of Disney Fine Art Exhibition -- Ogden, Utah --
May 1 to September 30, 2008
Business Wire -
Sanders Art Studio.com in
Ogden, Utah is pleased to announce "The Magic of Disney Fine
Art Exhibition." This exciting new exhibit features artists
Trevor Carlton, Tricia Buchanan-Bensen, James Coleman, Mike
Kupka, Harrison Ellenshaw and Peter Ellenshaw, among others.
The exhibit showcases over
30 of your favorite Disney Classic Film moments such as
Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, The Many Adventures of
Winnie the Pooh, Kermit the Frog, Peter Pan, Mickey Mouse,
Pirates of the Caribbean, Mary Poppins and much more.
In addition to the exhibit,
over 300 limited-edition Disney Fine Art Giclee's on
canvases are available for purchase on a new website and
virtual gallery at
Sanders Art Studio.com.
The website will be
showcasing work from the below listed artists:
John Alvin
– Toby Bluth –
Tricia Buchanan – Bensen James
Coleman – Dick Duerrstein
– Harrison & Peter Ellenshaw
– Michael & Inessa Garmash
– Manny Hernandez
– Mike Kungl –
Mike Kupka – Allison Lefcort
– Stephen Reis
– Tim Rogerson
– John Rowe –
Jim Salvati – Jim Warren
– Trevor Carlton
Quantities are limited.
Limited-Editions vary in size.
Sanders CC - established in
1960, is Northern Utah's leader in Numismatic Coins and
Collectibles. They carry a wide selection of US Coins,
including the US Presidential Coin program, and World Coins.
The Managing Director of
Sanders CC is KC Sanders; KC has a long history working for
the Walt Disney Company. He worked in the Disney Specialized
Businesses area for over five years, creating Disney Fine
Art Exhibitions at the Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World
Resort, and Disneyland Paris Resort. He is bringing his
knowledge, expertise and passion back to Utah to showcase
the magic of Disney for the community.
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Student Recognized as Two Millionth Magic Music Days
Performer
 Disney
News - Traci Ervin of Ellicott City, Md., was recently
recognized as the two millionth performer to participate in
the Disney Magic Music Days program. Performing with the
Mount Hebron High School band, Traci marched down Main
Street, U.S.A., for a special celebration to mark the
milestone. Joined by her parents, Ervin was honored with an
overnight stay in the Cinderella Castle Suite. She also
received a $500 gift certificate from instrument
manufacturer Conn-Selmer, Inc. and an invitation for her
family to enjoy a future, all-expenses-paid vacation to Walt
Disney World Resort.
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Saviance brings Disney training programs to India
Business Standard - The focus is on Disney's professional
development courses including leadership, management,
service and creativity.
Rohit Mahajan,
the Texas-based CEO for Saviance Technologies, the US technology
products and consulting company, can barely hide his joy at the
response that his Disney Institute professional programs are
getting in India.
"We had to
refuse registrations for the Chennai workshop since we did not
anticipate such a huge response from companies," said Mahajan,
who is in India to ensure a smooth take off for the Disney
programs.
The courses
are being promoted by the Indian subsidiary of Saviance through
its newly set up Human Capital Solutions unit, which is into
education and training.
The unit will
bring other soft skills programs into the country, though, for
now, the focus is on Disney's world-famous professional
development courses including leadership, management, loyalty,
service and creativity.
Disney
trainers are currently holding workshops in different Indian
cities to showcase the strategies and methodologies that have
built the Disney Brand.
Mahajan said
that the USP of these programs would clearly be the "Disney best
practices for business excellence that cannot be showcased or
taught by anyone else".
Incidentally,
the Disney Institute was set up as a separate entity some 20
years ago to help organisations inculcate the Disney magic.
Mahajan, who
studied the leadership and quality service programs at the
Disney Institute, Orlando, felt that time was ripe to introduce
the Indian corporate sector to these programs. "Indian companies
are becoming increasingly global in their presence as well as
outlook," he said. Besides, a lot of Indian executives are
returning to India and expect higher standards of service from
companies.
Mahajan said
that companies in the IT, banking and finance, travel and
tourism and even the FMCG sectors have attended the ongoing
Disney workshops. Participants included companies like GE Money,
Yes Bank, Reliance, Wipro, TVS, Tata Group, Tata Motors, Tata
Coffee, ITC, the Oberoi Group, TOI, USI (AT&T), LG Electronics,
Google, E&Y and Apollo Hospitals, among others.
"We have
requests from companies to hold the workshops exclusively for
their employees," said Mahajan.
Will Disney
Institute set up a full-fledged branch in India? Not really. It
sets up a base only where there are Disney theme parks. So after
Orlando, it opened in California. It is now said to be moving
into Tokyo. The park experience helps people understand the
nuances of the professional programs that are taught in the
class rooms.
But Disney is
an entertainment company and are its lessons transferable to
other sectors? "Disney methods — even if they are in creativity
— are very simple and practical. Its tools and techniques are
applicable to any industry," said Mahajan. |
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Local actor gets role in Disney film
Owen Sound Sun Times - Jennifer Ricci almost missed out on a
role in the upcoming Disney Channel film "Camp Rock".
The former Sauble Beach resident
initially decided not to even audition after she learned her
agent wanted her to read for the part of mother of a teenager.
"When she told me I was going to
be playing the mom of a 15 year old, I thought I'm not even
going to go to this audition. There's no point because I don't
even get cast for moms of babies," Ricci said laughing.
But she went after all and feels
her lack of usual preparation was a big factor in her landing
the role of T.J. Tyler in "Camp Rock", which is being hyped by
Disney as a successor of sorts to its popular "High School
Musical" franchise.
Ricci said she gave her lines
only a cursory glance before the audition. It resulted in a more
spontaneous performance than she might otherwise have delivered.
"Basically, I had fun with the
audition and then I left and I forgot about it. Three weeks
later I got a call that I was booked (for the part). I didn't
even audition again."
It's taught her to approach
future auditions with the same kind of attitude whenever
possible. Ricci is still relatively new to acting and realizes
every experience offers more opportunities to learn.
It's an attitude she has
embraced ever since she fell into modelling and acting several
years ago after abandoning anthropology studies at the
University of Western Ontario.
Jennifer Rollinson, as she was
known then, was active in sports at Amabel-Hepworth Public
School and Wiarton District High School. Theatre arts weren't
something she got too involved with, but not for a lack of
interest. She just couldn't see how she would be able to do
something like that as a career while living in midwestern
Ontario.
That all began to change after
she dropped out of UWO.
"I didn't enjoy it at all,"
Ricci, 34, said of university. "I went away for a year and
travelled and met my husband and got married. It wasn't until
about three years after I got married that opportunities started
presenting themselves, after we moved to Toronto."
Ricci found an
agent and began landing work in commercials and as a model,
although she didn't particularly like that either. She laughs as
she recalls her time working on The Shopping Channel.
"It just wasn't me," she said.
"I need to be given material to work with. I need to be
creative."
She landed a spot in a program
at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts in Australia and has
worked steadily in TV and film since returning to Canada. She
has continued acting classes and is working toward a visa that
will allow her to work in the United States.
That might be even more
realistic following the June 20 airing of "Camp Rock", which
stars the Jonas Brothers, a bubblegum-pop trio of siblings
getting the big push from Disney.
"They're the next huge thing and
they're nice boys," Ricci said.
"Camp Rock" is a follow-up of
sorts to the company's "High School Musical" movies and doesn't
appear to stray too far from the formula. Set at a performing
arts wilderness camp where students vie for a recording
contract, it could probably be described as a cross between
"Fame" and "Meatballs" - a G-rated "Meatballs," mind you.
Filming took place in Toronto
and Haliburton. Ricci plays the mother of Tess Tyler, played by
Meaghan Jette Martin. It's a relatively small but "pivotal"
part, she said.
"She's one of the divas at Camp
Rock, one of the mean girls," Ricci said of Tess. "I play her
mom who's been absent her whole life and I show up at the end of
the movie."
Ricci is the daughter of David
and Carol Rollinson, who live in Sauble Beach. |
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