From: mayerson@sidefx.uucp (Mark Mayerson)
Subject: re: Disney Productions Computer Graphics Department-Help
Organization: Side Effects Software Inc.
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 16:35:39 GMT


> Hi I have an request for anyone who worked on Beauty and The Beast and
> Aladdin. I'm a high school student who's interested to work for Disney
> after my college. I'm especially interested in the Computer Graphics Dept.
> I would like to have some advise from you pros on what kinds of courses
> should I take or places I could go to in order for me to qualify for this
> line of work. Thanks alot and Merry X'mas.
> Regards.
> +Warren =8^)
> wliu@world.std.com


Hi.  I don't work in Disney's computer graphics department (I'm sitting
in Toronto, Ontario), but I do know two people who work there.  Also, I'm
in the computer animation business myself.

I'll start off by telling you some easy, straightforward stuff.  Disney
has Alias, Wavefront and Softimage software in their feature department.
These softwares run off Silicon Graphics computers.  There is also a computer 
animation department in Imagineering.  They are the people who create rides for 
the theme parks.

If you are interested in working in computer animation, be as good an artist
as you can.  This is especially true since you're in high school.  Computer
hardware and software change at a very rapid rate.  It's pointless to
try and predict where computer graphics/animation will be in a couple of
years.  If you have solid art skills and familiarity with computers, you'll
be in demand.  Be prepared, however, to continue learning about computers
and software for the balance of your working life.

Several schools regularly have students end up at Disney.  These include 
Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario, and Cal Arts and UCLA in the Los Angeles 
area.  All three schools have programs in both drawn and computer animation.

If your goal is to be a programmer, I'm afraid I can't help you out.

Personally, I think that there are other companies doing more interesting
computer animation than Disney.  Pacific Data Images and Industrial Light
and Magic (both in the San Francisco area) have done computer character
animation that is far more advanced (from a computer standpoint) than
anything that has been done at Disney.  PDI did The Last Halloween, a TV 
special that included several computer characters mixed with live action.  PDI
is also responsible for Waldo C. Graphic, a computer Muppet character that
appeared on The Jim Henson Hour and in Muppetvision 3D at the theme parks.
For Muppetvision 3D, they did a computer animated Mickey Mouse that I thought
was great.  ILM has done special effects on several feature films including
Willow, The Abyss and Terminator II.  Right now they're working on Spielberg's
Jurassic Park, where the dinosaurs will be done (at least some of the time) 
with computer animation.  Rhythm and Hues in L.A. and Lamb and Co. in 
Minneapolis have each done several TV commercials with computer character 
animation.  

I know that at Disney Features, they see the computer strictly as a support 
resource for the pencil animators.  At other companies, computer character 
animation is seen as an end in itself.  Disney seems to be hedging it's bets, 
though.  Disney has hired Pixar (in S.F.) to do a completely computer animated 
feature.  This film, directed by John Lasseter, won't be in theaters until 
at least 1995.  

I hope this helps.

-Mark Mayerson