Some of Disney’s biggest creative minds came together Sunday morning at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event for the world premiere of Disney Worldbuilders, a new documentary from filmmaker Leslie Iwerks.
Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro opened the presentation before Leslie was joined by some of the biggest names from across the company: Jared Bush, chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios; Dave Filoni, president and chief creative officer of Lucasfilm; Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios and chief creative officer of Marvel; Pete Docter, chief creative officer of Pixar Animation Studios; and filmmaker and Disney Legend Jon Favreau. Together, they discussed creativity, collaboration and what it feels like to see their stories become real places inside the Disney parks.
The documentary also features former Disney CEO Bob Iger, James Cameron and Jennifer Lee. It arrives on Disney+ on August 20.
Leslie Iwerks Finds Inspiration in Walt Disney
The idea for Disney Worldbuilders came to Leslie while she was watching footage of Walt Disney riding the Mine Train attraction. That moment made her want to explore the people who turn Disney stories into places guests can actually walk through.
Disney history also runs in Leslie’s family. Her grandfather, Ub Iwerks, was Walt’s original animation partner and helped create Mickey Mouse. Her father, Don Iwerks, was a Disney camera technician and inventor.
Leslie described Imagineering as a giant sandbox where artists, engineers and storytellers can play with ideas and see how far they can take them.
Walking Into the Worlds They Created
Each panelist shared what it was like to step into a theme park land inspired by their work.
Pete remembered being overwhelmed the first time he walked into A Bug’s Land.
Kevin recalled seeing the first Stark Expo at Hong Kong Disneyland and watching the Marvel universe expand beyond the movies.
Jared had an even bigger reaction when he first entered Zootopia at Shanghai Disneyland.
There were “ugly tears.”
Jared said approximately 70 percent of the land came directly from the original movie. The other 30 percent came from the minds at Walt Disney Imagineering.
That included Ed Shearin, the sheep voiced by Ed Sheeran. Yes, the character’s name is a sheep-shearing pun.
Movies and Theme Parks Working Together
Jon talked about Walt Disney’s creative flywheel and how different parts of the company can inspire one another. A movie can become a theme park attraction, and technology created for a theme park can eventually make its way back into a movie.
He loved being involved in bringing Din Djarin and Grogu into the parks. The process later went in the other direction when robots developed for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge were used in The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Jon said he continues to learn from the work of Walt Disney Imagineering, originally known as WED Enterprises, and carries those lessons into his own filmmaking.
He also talked about standing on the shoulders of the people who came before him, including Ub Iwerks and his groundbreaking Circle-Vision technology.
Spider-Man Has Come a Long Way
Kevin used Spider-Man as an example of just how far theme park technology has advanced.
Early versions of a swinging Spider-Man were basically a figure attached to a flipping stick. Today, guests at Avengers Campus can watch Spider-Man perform flips and fly high above the land.
The technology is impressive, but Kevin said the real challenge is figuring out how to use it to create an emotional response.
Respecting the Past While Moving Forward
Dave talked about working with George Lucas and how that experience shaped the way he approaches storytelling.
Seeing guests enjoy the worlds and characters he helped create affects how he does his job. For Dave, watching people connect with those stories is everything.
He believes Disney parks should continue to change while still respecting their history. Seeing his work represented inside a Disney park remains special and a little surreal.
Dave also said he rarely talks about the future because nobody can be completely sure what it will look like. The most important part of any project is having the right people involved.
Finding a Creative North Star
Pete said every project needs a creative “North Star.”
The team needs one central idea to follow, but it also needs trust and collaboration. Even Monsters, Inc. started with someone recognizing that the basic idea could become something special.
Pete also admitted that he would rather watch other people’s movies than revisit his own. When it comes to the two Anaheim parks, he prefers Disneyland over Disney California Adventure.
Jared agreed that collaboration is important and said passion is what allows Disney’s creative teams to keep pushing the limits.
A Stage Full of Disney Fanboys
When the panelists were asked what they enjoyed most from the previous evening, Jon chose the celebration of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and the effort to preserve Ub Iwerks’ legacy.
After listening to everyone talk about Disney history, Leslie jokingly called the entire group a bunch of fanboys.
She had a point.
These were not just filmmakers and executives discussing their latest projects. They were Disney fans talking about the artists, Imagineers and attractions that inspired them.
One Conversation With a Disney Legend
The panelists were asked which legendary Imagineer or Disney figure they would visit if they could go back in time.
Jared chose Joe Rohde.
Pete selected Marc Davis.
Kevin wanted to meet Rolly Crump and ask him about the Museum of the Weird.
Jon imagined standing beside Walt Disney as he looked down Main Street, U.S.A.
Dave wanted to ride the Disneyland Railroad and talk with the people who helped create it.
The answers were different, but they all showed how much Disney’s history continues to influence the people shaping its future.
A Memorable Bob Iger Story
The panel also showed plenty of appreciation for Bob Iger, who appears throughout the documentary.
Jared remembered seeing Bob sitting on a bench with his feet swinging. It was a small and funny moment involving one of the most influential leaders in Disney history.
Bob stepped down as Disney CEO earlier this year and now serves as a senior advisor to the company. He is also being honored as a Disney Legend during this year’s D23 event.
Advice for Future Storytellers
The conversation ended with the panelists sharing advice for aspiring artists and storytellers.
Jon encouraged people to follow whatever makes them curious and to pay attention to what is happening around them.
Pete stressed the importance of learning your craft and practicing as much as possible. He also encouraged people to understand themselves and what they want to say.
Kevin advised storytellers to study a story and figure out how to turn it into an emotional experience.
Dave told everyone to do their best, get started and not be afraid to fail. He also worked in a little advice from Yoda.
Jared said people need to figure out who they are and bring their own unique point of view to their work.
The People Behind the Worlds
Technology will keep improving, the parks will keep changing and Disney will keep introducing new stories and characters.
The message from Disney Worldbuilders was that none of it happens without the people behind it.
The worlds may begin with movies, attractions and new technology, but they only work when guests feel something.
Disney Worldbuilders begins streaming August 20 exclusively on Disney+.
Sources: The DisInsider’s on-site coverage, The Walt Disney Company, Disney+ and D23
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