The Walt Disney Family Museum Presents “Directing at Disney”
Photos: Courtesy of The Walt Disney Family Museum
(eap) The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco is hosting a new special exhibition, “Directing at Disney”, which will run through March 2025 to coincide with the publication of the book of the same name by Pete Docter, Director and Chief Creative Officer of Pixar, and Don Peri, Disney historian and author. The exhibition, curated by Docter and Peri in collaboration with Marina Villar Delgado, the museum’s Director of Collections and Exhibitions, focuses on many of the directors whose creative talent and innovation made Walt Disney’s animated films possible.
Directing at Disney features an extensive selection of rare film artefacts from Walt Disney Studios as well as archival photographs featuring Walt, his early production teams and directors dating back to the 1930s. Objects and ephemera on display include detailed production and meeting notes, storyboards, concept drawings, layout drawings, original notes, office memos and handwritten letters. The exhibition space also utilises interactive touchscreens and QR codes to provide access to additional digital content.
Exterior of The Walt Disney Family Museum.
“We’ve all seen the classic Disney animated features like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Pinocchio (1940),” says Docter, “but virtually no one can name the directors. Yet they were key contributors to these films, often reflecting Walt Disney’s journey as a world class creative leader.” These “invisible” Disney legends, such as directors Ben Sharpsteen, David Hand, Hamilton “Ham” Luske, Wilfred Jackson and Wolfgang “Woolie” Reitherman, will take centre stage in the exhibition. Visitors will be guided through the various stages of animated filmmaking and learn how the work and legacy of the directors of the time have influenced today’s Disney filmmakers.
“We have been honored to collaborate with Pete Docter and Don Peri over this past year to create this exhibition,” emphasizes the museum’s Executive Director Kirsten Komoroske. “Their passion in bringing their co-authored book to life in this special exhibition is a testament to their commitment to preserving Disney history.” The exhibition can be found in the museum’s lower lobby and theatre galleries. Docter and Peri will also give an exclusive talk at the ILM Premier Theatre at the Presidio on Saturday, October 26, 2024. The co-curators will discuss the process of writing their book, which inspired the special exhibition, and explain the legacy and lasting influence of the directors featured in Directing at Disney. ■
