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IAAPA brings a ‘mini-Imagineering’ reunion of Disney veterans to Expo
by Amanda Charney
Want to hear the man who wrote “It’s A Small World” more than a half-century ago actually play the iconic theme song live—right in front of you? That’s just one of about a million reasons to attend what is shaping up to be a must-see seminar at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2009.
“Walt Disney was the best casting director that came along. He knew his talent and how to motivate them and how to assign them to projects,” says recently retired Disney Imagineer Marty Sklar, who will help lead “Disney Legends: Working with Walt,” Wednesday, Nov. 18, 3:30 p.m.-6:15 p.m. He says sometimes people were given jobs they didn’t even know they could do. And the results were often amazing … even magical.
For years Sklar shared these magical moments with attendees at IAAPA Attractions Expo, in annual seminars that always played to capacity crowds. But this year there’s a twist: Additional Disney Legends—designer Bob Gurr, sculptor/animator Blaine Gibson, economist Buzz Price, and composer Richard Sherman, all of whom likely discovered new talents of their own under Walt—will be in one place at one time for an unforgettable session moderator Bob Rogers of BRC Imagination Arts calls a “mini-Imagineering.”
 It will be a gathering of some of the most veteran designers in the business—a rare occasion that may never happen again. FUNWORLD asked Sklar and Rogers for some background and insight on the session.
You’ve hosted many popular sessions over the years, so what makes this one stand out from the rest?
Marty Sklar: The treat is that this group has never done this outside of Disney except for the fan clubs.
Bob Rogers: These guys are part of the generation that created the foundation of our industry. Somebody who is now in their early 20s just starting out is going to probably continue to carry this industry forward in the middle of the 21st century when they come up on the 100th anniversary of Disneyland. There’s a chance here to have direct contact with members of the generation who invented the business we’re all engaged in.
What can attendees expect to learn about Walt during this session?
Sklar: It’s a combination of leadership, motivating talent, knowing how to cast your talent so you have the right mix, and, of course, story—there’s nobody who was a storyteller like Walt Disney.
The stories are legion about him doing things like telling Blaine Gibson he was going to be a sculptor at Imagineering, and Blaine said, “I’m not a sculptor; I’m an animator.” But he had a hobby as a sculptor, and Walt saw that and decided Blaine was the most important person to become head of sculpting. Blaine spent 30 years doing that.
Rogers: I have this image that comes down to me from stories that Walt himself may have been inarticulate. In the end there was this element of him that seemed to leave it loose enough that you knew you better perform. It left you with this tremendous inspiration and surge of adrenaline that caused you to reach down inside yourself and pull out something you didn’t even know was there. He built an empire by pulling out of people things they didn’t know were there.
How will attendees take those anecdotes and transfer them into tips and advice to take back to their jobs?
Sklar: Bob and I can bring that out. Most of these people will not necessarily say, “Therefore, this is something you can do.” Rather they’ll cite examples of how Walt Disney motivated them. He was not interested in anything he did in the past. That was tremendous motivation. What he said was, “Whatever you did yesterday I don’t care about it anymore. I only care what you do today and tomorrow.” And we all had to measure up to that; and therefore you kept topping yourself because you knew he was looking for that.
Rogers: That’s an example that’s crisp and clear: How can I be less articulate and get more out of people? I‘d love to know that.
How did you choose the participants this year?
Rogers: What does it take to make Imagineering? You need money, that’s Buzz; great words, that’s Marty; great technology, that’s Bob Gurr; music, that’s Richard Sherman; and you need shape, form, color, and the touch of life, and that’s Blaine Gibson. It’s a mini-Imagineering right there on stage. And every one of them worked directly with Walt, and every one of them found more in themselves than they knew was there because they were working with that man.
What will the dynamic be like between the panelists?
Sklar: You’ll find we feed off one another. One of us will tell a story, and that will remind another one about an incident they had or an experience they had with Walt.
Rogers: My job is, number one: Keep them focused on the transferable knowledge we can put into our own leadership vocabulary, to get some of the wisdom that can be learned from the experience with Walt. Number two: Keep Richard from playing the piano until the last 30 minutes because once that starts, everyone else is done. He’s hypnotic; he’s the real thing. You will not be able to hear “It’s a Small World” the same.
Contact Editor Amanda Charney at acharney@IAAPA.org.
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