Happy Christmas in July everybody!
- Becks & Posh blog has two great posts with Pixar’s Charon Calahan wherein they reveal some of the secrets used for food photography and other lighting effects in Ratatouille. Tomorrow night at 7PM you can find Tony DeRose, senior scientist at Pixar Animation Studios, talking about math and digital film making at UC Davis. I’m sure that’s more interesting than it sounds.
- Some details of the October 1st ceremony for Epcot’s 25th Anniversary are emerging. But no word on events or shows that will continue throughout the year.
- Located in the shadow of Walt Disney World the city of Kissimmee has struggled with its identity as the low-rent tourist district, and an economy tied to the pocket books of vacationing travelers. That’s beginning to change as this article in the Orlando Sentinel points out. Chief contributers: more convention space and renovated hotels. Biggest fear, that Disney’s hotel and DVC expansion will suck out the remaining life from the I-192 strip.
- Game design giant Warren Spector just sold his Junction Point Studios to the Walt Disney Company. BusinessWeek talks with Spector about future projects, his dream to be an imagineer, and the creative process. Looks like another good catch for Disney Interactive.
- CNNMoney explores the business of singing teens. Once a mainstay of Walt Disney’s live-action summer flicks and television, now back in the good graces of the Mouse House.