I have so much respect and admiration for the late, great Walt Disney. Disney was a passionate, innovative filmmaker/entrepreneur who helped change the world we live in today by persuading a simple vision:
“to make people happy”
Walt Disney was a jack of all trades and master of many. I’d like to explore 3 powerful ways to become a visionary filmmaker like Disney.
1. Stretch Your Brand
“It’s something that will never be finished,” Disney once said of Disneyland. “Something that I can keep developing and adding to.”
Disney used his films as leverage: not only did they allow for the creation of additional products, such as dolls, toys, and games related to the movies but they would also attract visitors to his theme parks. Disneyland quickly became an ideal venue for cross-promotion and Disney was clever in exploiting all the opportunities.
2. Chase Your Dreams
“Somehow I can’t believe there are any heights that can’t be scaled by a man who knows the secret of making dreams come true,” Disney said. “This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four C’s. They are Curiosity, Confidence, Courage, and Constancy and the greatest of these is Confidence.” – Walt Disney
Disney spent three difficult years working on the production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. No full-length animated feature had ever been done before, let alone in full colour and with music. Neither his competitors nor his associates nor even his own wife believed that he could make it a success.
It was Disney’s passion for his project and determination to finish it no matter what that made it such a success.
“If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney
Now that I’m 34 years old I’ve come to realize that achieving any level of success in life is very simple.
A) Know exactly what you want. A very clear, specific goal.
B) Persist, hustle and keep moving forward until you’ve reached your objective.
I am currently in production, directing and producing my feature film Bend and Break. However, my journey to get to this point was challenging and like Disney I constantly met people who said…
“it’s not possible to make a feature film in X number of days”
“you need more money to make a feature film”
“you don’t have enough experience yet”
But I never really listened to those people and because of that I am fulling my dream of making a kick-ass feature film that will entertain people all over the world.
3. Use Your Imagination
“I believe in being an innovator,” said Disney. “Tomorrow can be a wonderful age.”
Since its inception, Disney has always been an innovative and imaginative brand. From his animations to his theme parks, Disney was always looking to the future; he was in constant search for creative ways to improve his products and thrust his business forward.
Disney’s contribution to the animation industry is equally significant, creating a name for himself through a series of technological innovations. His use of the multi-plane camera and his ability to use both colour and music effectively in his films made him an important force to be reckoned with in American cinema.
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing” - Walt Disney
What did you learn? Leave a comment!