Spring 1997 is the fifty-fifth anniversary of the theatrical release of Bambi. This celebratory volume is filled with original sketches and color studies from the Animation Research Library and the personal collections of Bambi animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas, many of which have never before been seen by the public. Walt Disney's Bambi reveals how animators Ollie Johnston, Frank Thomas, Marc Davis, Ty Wong and others transformed the Felix Salten story; how each of the beloved characters evolved; how the palette of the seasons was refined; and how the life of the forest was breathed into the animation.
Note: The decision was made to consolidate all Disney publications under the name Walt Disney Company. This profile is for Walt Disney, the characters he created, and the company he founded. Any questions, please ask in the Librarian's Group.
Walter Elias “Walt” Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966) was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist. Disney is famous for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. As the co-founder (with his brother Roy O. Disney) of Walt Disney Productions, Disney became one of the best-known motion picture producers in the world. The corporation he co-founded, now known as The Walt Disney Company, today has annual revenues of approximately U.S. $35 billion.
Disney is particularly noted for being a film producer and a popular showman, as well as an innovator in animation and theme park design. He and his staff created some of the world's most famous fictional characters including Mickey Mouse, a character for which Disney himself was the original voice. He has been awarded four honorary Academy Awards and has won twenty-two competitive Academy Awards out of fifty-nine nominations, including a record four in one year, giving him more awards and nominations than any other individual. He also won seven Emmy Awards. He is the namesake for Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in the United States, as well as the international resorts Tokyo Disney, Disneyland Paris, and Disneyland Hong Kong.
Disney died of lung cancer in Burbank, California, on December 15, 1966. The following year, construction began on Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. His brother Roy Disney inaugurated the Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971.
The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) (commonly referred to as Disney) is the largest media and entertainment conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by brothers Walt Disney and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, the company was reincorporated as Walt Disney Productions in 1929. Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into live-action film production, television, and travel. Taking on its current name in 1986, The Walt Disney Company expanded its existing operations and also started divisions focused upon theatre, radio, publishing, and online media. In addition, it has created new divisions of the company in order to market more mature content than it typically associates with its flagship family-oriented brands.
The company is best known for the products of its film studio, the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, today one of the largest and best-known studios in Hollywood. Disney also owns and operates the ABC broadcast television network; cable television networks such as Disney Channel, ESPN, and ABC Family; publishing, merchandising, and theatre divisions; and owns and licenses 11 theme parks around the world. On January 23, 2006, it was announced that Disney would purchase Pixar in an all-stock transaction worth $7.4 billion. The deal was finalized on May 5. On December 31, 2009, Disney Company acquired the Marvel Entertainment, Inc. for $4.24 billion. The company has been a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average since May 6, 1991. An early and well-known cartoon creation of the company, Mickey Mouse, is the official mascot of The Walt Disney Company.
I had no knowledge that such a wonderful book was available for everyone to enjoy! Immediately, I absorbed all the sketches and it just makes me realize just how much work was put into this film, the hours and references! It breaks my heart when people try to downgrade it by saying this is just a kids movie.
Bambi, one of my forever comfort movies and favourite animations <3 Seeing the depths of the process of creation that went into this movie only makes me love it more
I found this relatively rare book randomly (and at an incredibly discounted price) when a favorite bookstore was going out of business. This short book is a beautiful collection of animation production sketches from Bambi. The movie itself is a symphony in many ways, and these drawings illustrate wonderfully the simplicity and elegance of the characters and the world they inhabit. There isn't much by way of realistic animal drawings that you read about them doing during production (the ones based on the live animals they kept on the studio property for reference), but the character drawings are really great. There is very little text, just some quick model sheet-type notes to indicate proportions or to ensure consistency, but the point of the book, as well as the real treat, is the art. There aren't thousands of drawings here, but the ones they chose are exquisite, whether rough or refined, quick gesture sketches or more finished works of art with shade and tone. The art of this movie is undeniable when you take ten minutes to just leaf through these pages. The design of the characters is genius, as is evident in their immediate charm and appeal. It really made me want to do some drawings from life, especially of animals. These artists were masters, I tell you.
I wish this "Sketchbook Series" would expand more to include publications about other Disney films, but so far this is the only one I've seen. I'll have to keep my eyes open for more. There's nothing not to like about this book.