A new short film from Disney takes a look at how artifacts are collected, catalogued, and preserved at the Walt Disney Archives.
Walt Disney Archives 55th Anniversary Short Film
The Walt Disney Archives was founded 55 years ago, on June 22, 1970, by Disney Legend Dave Smith, who approached Roy O. Disney with the idea of the archives.
“Together, the two men created the first entertainment archive in Hollywood,” explained Rebecca Cline, Director of the Walt Disney Archives, in a press release. “Now, 55 years later, it is a model for corporate archives all over the world.”
At that time, longtime employees and staff were retiring and passing on, so it became very important to save the historical documents, assets, and vast institutional knowledge that would be otherwise lost.
Rebecca Cline
The Archives team decided that the best way to honor their 55th anniversary was with a short film telling the story of how the Archives works. Cline said, “Walt Disney always intimated that great storytelling was at the heart of everything we do. And that is still true today.”
“A Daring Journey into the Walt Disney Archives” follows a Pinocchio animator’s model used during the production of the original 1940 film as it goes through the archival process. The model reminds everyone that he’s “got no strings” when he gets scared and runs through the Archives, encountering other interesting assets along the way.
Joanna Pratt, Director of the Archives’ Operations & Business Strategy, came up with the idea to use Pinocchio in the film.
Once acquired by the Archives, the asset is properly condition reported, catalogued, and stored so we can associate a location and any condition details with that item. Often, the item is extensively researched, so we know where, when, and how it was used prior to coming into the Archives. This is especially important so we have documentation to support any future use of the item, such as exhibition or display.
Joanna Pratt
The Pinocchio model is examined, measured, photographed, and researched before going to the Digital Preservation lab to be 3D scanned, at which point he escapes.
Items visible in the Archives include Mary Poppins’ “Jolly Holiday” costume, a Stormtrooper suit, the Ark of the Covenant from The Great Movie Ride, and a dress worn by Kate Winslet in “Titanic”.
“We wanted to use this opportunity to showcase the breadth of our collection and, of course, a few of our ‘crown jewels,’” said Pratt.
The model shares a moment with a larger-than-life Pinocchio puppet from “Fantasmic!” at Disneyland. He runs past a Pinocchio’s Daring Journey ride vehicle. And he’s caught using a cage from the 2022 live-action “Pinocchio.”
The short film’s cast consists of almost all the Archives staff.
“Our team has grown exponentially since 1970,” Pratt said. “What began as a department of one in 1970 has grown to over 40, and we are thrilled to feature them in this film.”
The man in the final scene is director and producer Theodore “Ted” Thomas, the son of Disney Legend Frank Thomas, who is depicted in the film’s opening scene animating Pinocchio. Thomas gets to see the Pinocchio model on display at Disney California Adventure. Pratt said the model featured was “likely among the few used by his father some 85 years ago.”
Cline said of the Archives’ evolution, “Today, the company still follows in the footsteps of Walt Disney, creating timeless stories, believable characters, and enchanting experiences. It’s our job here at the Walt Disney Archives to make sure that everyone can learn how Walt himself made magic — and by keeping Walt’s legacy alive, we can make sure that we, as a creative company, are able to continue ‘making the magic’ in new and innovative ways.”
The new stories that we tell at Disney today will be tomorrow’s history and legacy. If we keep to our mission, to protect, preserve and share the history of The Walt Disney Company, we will continue to make sure that there is always Disney magic in the world — for the next 55 years, and beyond.
Rebecca Cline
Watch “A Daring Journey into the Walt Disney Archives” below.
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