Biography:
Welcome to the first episode of the Olympic Legends Podcast! My guest today is Barry Magee, the Bronze Medalist from the 1960 Marathon in Rome.
Barry hails from New Zealand, and he has had a long, distinguished career as a versatile runner of many distances including the mile, 5K, 10K, and the marathon. He was a protégé of legendary coach Arthur Lydiard (considered by many to be the greatest running coach of all time), and at the age of 81 he is still active in coaching people of all ages in the Lydiard Way. In addition to his bronze medal, he competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and set a host of other national and international records throughout his career.
Conversation:
I had a great time talking to Barry for about an hour, but just as we were finishing up, technology reared its ugly head and sadly the record of our conversation was lost. I remembered much of what we talked about, so I summarized it monologue-style for the first part of the podcast, and when I called him back after our call dropped, he was kind enough to talk to me for a few additional minutes, so at least you can at least hear him speak for a little bit.
0:01 - Introduction
1:59 - My summary of the lost conversation
12:37 - Barry joins in
20:05 - Epilogue
21:02 - End of the show
The embedded player works best in Google Chrome. You can also download the mp3 by clicking here.
Additional Links:
A great profile of Barry on the "Becky Runs Away" blog.
Barry's Running School's website where he mentors New Zealand runners young and old
The New Zealand National Anthem by Hayley Westenra. For my money, this is the #1 national anthem in the world. Other favorite anthems on my list include Germany, England, Canada, the U.S., Spain, and Italy, but "God Defend New Zealand" is the most goosebump inducing of them all.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Monday, October 26, 2015
Outstanding Authors
Here is the archive page for my Outstanding Authors podcast where I talk to great authors about their books. The podcast is also available on iTunes. Read my introductory post if you want to know more about the podcast and why I started it.
13. Vicki Mayk - Growing Up on the Gridiron
12. Andrew Selee - Vanishing Frontiers
11. George Vecsey - Eight World Cups
10. Pen Densham - Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
9. J.W. Rinzler - The Complete Making of Indiana Jones
8. Erik Kirschbaum - Soccer Without Borders
7. Randall Jahnson - The Mask of Zorro
6. Casey FitzRandolph and Family, with Jessie Garcia - No Stone Unturned
5. Ken Reed - How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan
4. Steve Skrovan - An Unreasonable Man
3. John Considine - Improvising: My Life and Show Business
2. Marty Sklar - One Little Spark
1. Kate Buford - Native American Son, The Life and Sporting Legend of Jim Thorpe
10. Pen Densham - Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
9. J.W. Rinzler - The Complete Making of Indiana Jones
8. Erik Kirschbaum - Soccer Without Borders
7. Randall Jahnson - The Mask of Zorro
6. Casey FitzRandolph and Family, with Jessie Garcia - No Stone Unturned
5. Ken Reed - How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan
4. Steve Skrovan - An Unreasonable Man
3. John Considine - Improvising: My Life and Show Business
2. Marty Sklar - One Little Spark
1. Kate Buford - Native American Son, The Life and Sporting Legend of Jim Thorpe
Olympic Legends
Here is the archive page for my Olympic Legends podcast where I talk to athletes and scholars about the Olympics. The podcast is also available on iTunes. Read my introductory post if you want to know more about the podcast and why I started it.
5. Casey FitzRandolph - Speed Skating / USA / 1998, 2002, 2006
4. Jim Thorpe (with author Kate Buford) - Pentathlon, Decathlon / USA / 1912
3. Jim Sedin - Hockey / USA / 1952
2. Dave Sime - 100 Meters, 4x100 relay / USA / 1960
1. Barry Magee - Marathon / New Zealand / 1960
Two New Podcasts
Today I'm excited to announce 2 new podcasts I am creating and hosting: "Olympic Legends" and "Outstanding Authors." Here are some details:
WHY are you doing this? I've really enjoyed interviewing people for the blog, especially when I've been able to talk with them by phone. It's always fun for me to learn from them and connect with them, and I liked the idea of doing more interviews and recording them in podcast form to share with others.
WHAT are the two podcasts about, and WHO will you be talking to? Olympic Legends will be about the history of the Olympics and the athletes who have taken part. I thought it would be fun to speak with athletes and learn more about their lives and stories. This idea could be somewhat limited by the number of people who I'm able to get a hold of and are willing to participate, but I figured it's at least worth a try.
For the Outstanding Authors podcast, I will speak with an author about a book that I have recently read. I'm hopeful that the majority of authors will be easy to contact and be willing to talk about their book, so there are a lot of possibilities here. And in a few cases, I may feature some books about the Olympics which will count for both podcasts!
WHY are there two podcasts? I couldn't decide which one to go with, so I thought why not just do them both?
WHEN will there be new podcasts? The first one should be up in the next day or two. After that, I'm not sure. I won't promise that there will be anything consistent due to my own time constraints, but I'm hopeful that I can do 1 or 2 per month.
WHERE can I go to listen? I will create a new blog post for each episode and then link them on an archive page (which I will then link in the blog header), and I will (hopefully) get them on to iTunes also.
Thanks in advance for listening!
WHY are you doing this? I've really enjoyed interviewing people for the blog, especially when I've been able to talk with them by phone. It's always fun for me to learn from them and connect with them, and I liked the idea of doing more interviews and recording them in podcast form to share with others.
WHAT are the two podcasts about, and WHO will you be talking to? Olympic Legends will be about the history of the Olympics and the athletes who have taken part. I thought it would be fun to speak with athletes and learn more about their lives and stories. This idea could be somewhat limited by the number of people who I'm able to get a hold of and are willing to participate, but I figured it's at least worth a try.
For the Outstanding Authors podcast, I will speak with an author about a book that I have recently read. I'm hopeful that the majority of authors will be easy to contact and be willing to talk about their book, so there are a lot of possibilities here. And in a few cases, I may feature some books about the Olympics which will count for both podcasts!
WHY are there two podcasts? I couldn't decide which one to go with, so I thought why not just do them both?
WHEN will there be new podcasts? The first one should be up in the next day or two. After that, I'm not sure. I won't promise that there will be anything consistent due to my own time constraints, but I'm hopeful that I can do 1 or 2 per month.
WHERE can I go to listen? I will create a new blog post for each episode and then link them on an archive page (which I will then link in the blog header), and I will (hopefully) get them on to iTunes also.
Thanks in advance for listening!
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Disney Song #36: Promise
To Listen: Click Here
The Facts:
- Composer: Gavin Greenaway (music), Don Dorsey (lyrics)
- Performer: Kellie Coffey
- Year: 1999
- Key: C Major / G Major
Heard In:
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth
Background / Personal Connection:
A beautiful and inspirational song that I love to hear when exiting Epcot after the IllumiNations nighttime firework spectacular. It was introduced as part of Epcot's "Millennium Celebration" -- note the lyric about "another thousand circles 'round the sun." I'm an enormous fan of IllumiNations and its music, and a little bit later in the countdown I will say more about the show and hopefully get a hold of some of the people involved in its creation. In the meantime, enjoy the song.
A beautiful and inspirational song that I love to hear when exiting Epcot after the IllumiNations nighttime firework spectacular. It was introduced as part of Epcot's "Millennium Celebration" -- note the lyric about "another thousand circles 'round the sun." I'm an enormous fan of IllumiNations and its music, and a little bit later in the countdown I will say more about the show and hopefully get a hold of some of the people involved in its creation. In the meantime, enjoy the song.
Friday, October 16, 2015
Disney Song #37: El Rio Del Tiempo
To Listen: Click Here
The Facts:
- Composers: Armando Corral (music), X Atencio (lyrics)
- Year: 1982 - 2007
- Key: C Major
Heard In:
El Rio Del Tiempo, Epcot Mexico Pavilion
Background / Personal Connection:
Another day, another altered World Showcase boat ride. Yesterday I talked about Maelstrom in the Norway Pavilion, while today it's time to go one pavilion over to the north and talk about Mexico. I've always been a huge fan of the Mexican Pavilion, especially the dimly lit interior (where it is always nighttime) which houses a market, a restaurant, and what our family would call "The Mexican Boat Ride." Technically its name was "El Rio Del Tiempo," but in January 2007 it closed and was replaced later in the year by the "Gran Fiesta Tour" (which was designed by George Scribner who I talked to in July).
The updated ride includes The Three Caballeros: Jose the parrot, Panchito the rooster, and Donald the duck. I don't mind most of the changes that were made -- working in Donald (or "Donnie" as my 3 year old lovingly calls him) is a good way to appeal to kids, and the old ride wasn't exactly the most popular ride in the park (not that the new one is either -- in fact that's one thing I like about it is that you know there will never be a line). I do have one big problem with the redesign, however, and that was the removal of the addictive, transcendent theme song which could have and should have been kept. Sadly, this is but one entrant in the tragic Epcot Musical Purge of the last 25 years (at some point I'll do a whole post about this). But there's no time to be sad while listening to this music, so turn up the volume!
Another day, another altered World Showcase boat ride. Yesterday I talked about Maelstrom in the Norway Pavilion, while today it's time to go one pavilion over to the north and talk about Mexico. I've always been a huge fan of the Mexican Pavilion, especially the dimly lit interior (where it is always nighttime) which houses a market, a restaurant, and what our family would call "The Mexican Boat Ride." Technically its name was "El Rio Del Tiempo," but in January 2007 it closed and was replaced later in the year by the "Gran Fiesta Tour" (which was designed by George Scribner who I talked to in July).
The updated ride includes The Three Caballeros: Jose the parrot, Panchito the rooster, and Donald the duck. I don't mind most of the changes that were made -- working in Donald (or "Donnie" as my 3 year old lovingly calls him) is a good way to appeal to kids, and the old ride wasn't exactly the most popular ride in the park (not that the new one is either -- in fact that's one thing I like about it is that you know there will never be a line). I do have one big problem with the redesign, however, and that was the removal of the addictive, transcendent theme song which could have and should have been kept. Sadly, this is but one entrant in the tragic Epcot Musical Purge of the last 25 years (at some point I'll do a whole post about this). But there's no time to be sad while listening to this music, so turn up the volume!
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Disney Song #38: The Spirit of Norway
To Listen: Click Here
The Facts:
- Composer: Michel Colombier
- Year: 1988 - 2014
- Key: B Major
Heard In:
Maelstrom, Epcot Norway Pavilion
Background / Personal Connection:
In 1988, the Norway Pavilion opened in Epcot's World Showcase, and the highlight for me was the Maelstrom, a "High Seas Norwegian Adventure." You got into a Viking boat and zoomed quickly past an old village, some trolls, a few polar bears, and oil derricks, and there were also two slides (including a small backward one) which was fun.
After the boat let you off in a replica of a small fishing village, you went into a theater (with memorable Norwegian-style chair backs) and saw "The Spirit of Norway," a 6 minute long movie linked above. The beginning was a little scary for me as a kid (some loud, startling moments), but the ending is magnificent as we see various shots of everyday Norwegians to the sound of a beautiful theme.
What happened to the Maelstrom and "The Spirit of Norway?" It was removed last year to make way for a Frozen ride which is scheduled to open in 2016. Although it's sad to see Maelstrom go, I can't be upset with Disney on this one considering that Frozen has made approximately 500 kajillion dollars and is beloved by every toddler and tween from here to Oslo. I guess we Maelstrom fans will just have to Let it Go (ha ha ha).
In 1988, the Norway Pavilion opened in Epcot's World Showcase, and the highlight for me was the Maelstrom, a "High Seas Norwegian Adventure." You got into a Viking boat and zoomed quickly past an old village, some trolls, a few polar bears, and oil derricks, and there were also two slides (including a small backward one) which was fun.
After the boat let you off in a replica of a small fishing village, you went into a theater (with memorable Norwegian-style chair backs) and saw "The Spirit of Norway," a 6 minute long movie linked above. The beginning was a little scary for me as a kid (some loud, startling moments), but the ending is magnificent as we see various shots of everyday Norwegians to the sound of a beautiful theme.
What happened to the Maelstrom and "The Spirit of Norway?" It was removed last year to make way for a Frozen ride which is scheduled to open in 2016. Although it's sad to see Maelstrom go, I can't be upset with Disney on this one considering that Frozen has made approximately 500 kajillion dollars and is beloved by every toddler and tween from here to Oslo. I guess we Maelstrom fans will just have to Let it Go (ha ha ha).
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Disney Songs #43: Something There to #39: Hakuna Matata
#43: Something There
To Listen: Click Here
The Facts:
- Writers: Alan Menken (music), Howard Ashman (lyrics)
- Year: 1991
- Key: C# Major
Heard In:
Beauty and the Beast
I like Beauty and the Beast though not quite as much as some of the other animated movies of the era. Nevertheless, there's no denying the great music as the Menken/Ashman team reunited after their smashing success on The Little Mermaid. Sadly, it was their last collaboration due to Ashman's death before the movie was released. This song plays at the time in the story where Belle realizes that Beast isn't such a bad guy after all while playfully frolicking in the snow.
The Facts:
- Writers: Alan Menken (music), Howard Ashman (lyrics)
- Year: 1991
- Key: several
Heard In:
Beauty and the Beast
Background / Personal Connection:
We're back with another dose of BATB, this time with the movie's grand showstopping number. Not only is a great song, but the animation is superb. And the concept of the song is one that fits the Disney brand perfectly given the company's dedication to top-notch customer service.
A personal association I have with this song is that it takes me back to my junior high chorus days. At that age, being in chorus was not the coolest thing for a boy to do, at least in my school. Of the estimated 350 boys in grades 7 through 9, there were about 15 of us in the chorus. I never considered myself a great singer, but given the limited supply of kids and also my unwillingness to say no, I often got picked for solos. And when we sang "Be Our Guest," it was my job to start things off with Lumiere's narration. Let me see if I can remember it now, assuming I haven't blacked out everything from junior high:
It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now we invite you to relax and pull up a chair as the dining room proudly presents....your dinner!
The mic has now been dropped.
A personal association I have with this song is that it takes me back to my junior high chorus days. At that age, being in chorus was not the coolest thing for a boy to do, at least in my school. Of the estimated 350 boys in grades 7 through 9, there were about 15 of us in the chorus. I never considered myself a great singer, but given the limited supply of kids and also my unwillingness to say no, I often got picked for solos. And when we sang "Be Our Guest," it was my job to start things off with Lumiere's narration. Let me see if I can remember it now, assuming I haven't blacked out everything from junior high:
It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now we invite you to relax and pull up a chair as the dining room proudly presents....your dinner!
The mic has now been dropped.
#41: Kiss the Girl
To Listen: Click Here
The Facts:
- Writers: Alan Menken (music), Howard Ashman (lyrics)
- Year: 1989
- Key: C Major
Heard In:
The Little Mermaid
Background / Personal Connection:
Menken and Ashman strike again, this time with the countdown's first Little Mermaid appearance. This particular song is romantic, clever, and has a great build and finish at the end. Also like "Be Our Guest," the animation really adds to the song.
#40: I Just Can't Wait to be King
The Facts:
- Writers: Elton John (music), Tim Rice (lyrics)
- Year: 1994
- Key: F# Major
Heard In:
The Lion King
Background / Personal Connection:
Yet another showstopping song with fantastic animation and energy. The vocalist for young Simba, Jason Weaver, knocks it out of the park. One interesting note about young Simba is that his non-singing voice was performed by Home Improvement's Jonathan Taylor Thomas. He's been out of the public eye for a long time now (by his own choosing) so it's easy to forget just how popular he was in the mid 90's. I remember JTT fever and how he was on the cover of every single kid/teen magazine, and good for him for not letting his fame define or corrupt him like so many other child stars.
#39: Hakuna Matata
The Facts:
- Writers: Elton John (music), Tim Rice (lyrics)
- Year: 1994
- Key: C# Major
Heard In:
The Lion King
Background / Personal Connection:
We're up to song #3 on the countdown from The Lion King, and this one's a classic. For a happy song sung by a meerkat and a warthog, the message is surprisingly deep (as is everything else about The Lion King - more on this in a future post). The sentiment of "No Worries" and chilling out is a great one, yet Mufasa reminds Simba not to take it too far in a hedonistic direction and ignore his responsibilities as the true king. In particular, I love the ending to this song and the moment at 2:52 in the above video where they're walking in a straight line and we see Simba's growing before our very eyes.
And with that, we're now officially halfway through the countdown. Looking forward to discussing the top 38 -- lots of amazing music left!
And with that, we're now officially halfway through the countdown. Looking forward to discussing the top 38 -- lots of amazing music left!
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Disney Song #44: Epcot Entrance Music
To Listen: Click Here
The Facts:
- Writer: Unknown
- Year: Unknown (best guess is 1982)
- Key: Several
Heard In:
Entrance to Epcot
Background / Personal Connection:
OK, now we're getting into some seriously good stuff. I found something online attributing this to Disney composer George Wilkins, but I couldn't confirm that it was this selection in particular (since Epcot has had several different musical loops for the entrance over the years). It's interesting to me that the tune starts in F# Minor -- that's not a common key and one which I don't think has been featured yet on this countdown. Some great orchestra work here too.
I've mentioned previously how I used to love listening to an Epcot Center record as a kid, and this song was the first track on that album. I also remember hearing it when entering Epcot, and this magical melody takes me right back to those visits. The Epcot Center of the mid 80's was my favorite Disney theme park ever, and at some point soon on the blog I'll throw in my two cents (and echo what many others have said) about Epcot's spiritual decline.
Speaking of Epcot, it's the countdown's 4th song in a row from the park. Will the streak make it to 5? Stay tuned!
OK, now we're getting into some seriously good stuff. I found something online attributing this to Disney composer George Wilkins, but I couldn't confirm that it was this selection in particular (since Epcot has had several different musical loops for the entrance over the years). It's interesting to me that the tune starts in F# Minor -- that's not a common key and one which I don't think has been featured yet on this countdown. Some great orchestra work here too.
I've mentioned previously how I used to love listening to an Epcot Center record as a kid, and this song was the first track on that album. I also remember hearing it when entering Epcot, and this magical melody takes me right back to those visits. The Epcot Center of the mid 80's was my favorite Disney theme park ever, and at some point soon on the blog I'll throw in my two cents (and echo what many others have said) about Epcot's spiritual decline.
Speaking of Epcot, it's the countdown's 4th song in a row from the park. Will the streak make it to 5? Stay tuned!
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Disney Song #45: Canada (You're a Lifetime Journey)
The Facts:
- Writer: Bob Moline (music and English lyrics), Guy Bonnardot (French lyrics)
- Performers: John Zov, Juanice Charmaine (original) / Eva Avila (remix)
- Year: 1982
- Key: A Major (original) / C Major, E♭ Major (remix)
Heard In:
"O Canada!"
Background / Personal Connection:
Great song and a wonderful way to cap the film shown in Epcot's Canadian Pavilion. In 2007 the film was updated with some new footage, a new narrator (Martin Short), and a new version of the song by Canadian Idol winner Eva Avila. These updates represent that rarest of species: an Epcot attraction being changed in a way that I actually like. I always enjoyed the original Canada movie, but it wasn't one that I was so attached to that I was against any change. I've seen the new movie twice, and I think they did a nice job: Martin Short is good, the updated footage is cool, and Eva Avila's rendition is fantastic and dare I say....even better than the original.
My one pet peeve about Circle-Vision 360 movies in general: the cast member tells you before the show that the lean rails are for leaning and are not designed to support your weight (i.e. no sitting on them). Well, why couldn't they just be designed to support your weight? After walking for hours and getting blisters on top of blisters, the last thing people want to do is to stand up for another 15 minutes. Maybe they don't want people to fall off the rails while turning around to look at the screens. In any event, I think the Imagineers can figure out a solution to this.
And here's a Sweedo Family secret pro tip. Part of me hates to reveal this to the world, but I do it for you, the good reader: stand in the very last row (the one with the lean rail that's shorter than the others). It's always available (at least until now that I have revealed it to the world) since no one else ever goes back there, and you have the best view. You're welcome.
Great song and a wonderful way to cap the film shown in Epcot's Canadian Pavilion. In 2007 the film was updated with some new footage, a new narrator (Martin Short), and a new version of the song by Canadian Idol winner Eva Avila. These updates represent that rarest of species: an Epcot attraction being changed in a way that I actually like. I always enjoyed the original Canada movie, but it wasn't one that I was so attached to that I was against any change. I've seen the new movie twice, and I think they did a nice job: Martin Short is good, the updated footage is cool, and Eva Avila's rendition is fantastic and dare I say....even better than the original.
My one pet peeve about Circle-Vision 360 movies in general: the cast member tells you before the show that the lean rails are for leaning and are not designed to support your weight (i.e. no sitting on them). Well, why couldn't they just be designed to support your weight? After walking for hours and getting blisters on top of blisters, the last thing people want to do is to stand up for another 15 minutes. Maybe they don't want people to fall off the rails while turning around to look at the screens. In any event, I think the Imagineers can figure out a solution to this.
And here's a Sweedo Family secret pro tip. Part of me hates to reveal this to the world, but I do it for you, the good reader: stand in the very last row (the one with the lean rail that's shorter than the others). It's always available (at least until now that I have revealed it to the world) since no one else ever goes back there, and you have the best view. You're welcome.
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Disney Song #46: Makin' Memories
To Listen: Click Here
The Facts:
- Writers: Richard and Robert Sherman
- Year: 1982
- Key: D Major / C Major
Heard In:
Magic Journeys pre-show
Background / Personal Connection:
My memory of hearing this in Epcot is hazy at best, which is ironic since that's the whole point of the song: take pictures and make memories. What I remember much better is listening to the song on this Epcot Center record -- I loved that record (and this song) as a kid. When Epcot opened, the Imagination Pavilion housed the Figment ride (much more on that later), Image Works, and Magic Journeys, a 3D movie about some kids who experienced some dreamlike fantasies. "Makin' Memories" was heard in the pre-show before Magic Journeys until '86 when Magic Journeys moved to the Magic Kingdom and Captain EO took its place in Epcot. The pre-show kept its photography theme with "Capture a Smile", and then in 1995 it was updated again with an excellent True Colors remix that I've already written about. Also it's worth mentioning that the emphasis on photography was due to the pavilion being sponsored by Kodak, the once mighty film company whose business was crippled by the digital camera revolution.
My memory of hearing this in Epcot is hazy at best, which is ironic since that's the whole point of the song: take pictures and make memories. What I remember much better is listening to the song on this Epcot Center record -- I loved that record (and this song) as a kid. When Epcot opened, the Imagination Pavilion housed the Figment ride (much more on that later), Image Works, and Magic Journeys, a 3D movie about some kids who experienced some dreamlike fantasies. "Makin' Memories" was heard in the pre-show before Magic Journeys until '86 when Magic Journeys moved to the Magic Kingdom and Captain EO took its place in Epcot. The pre-show kept its photography theme with "Capture a Smile", and then in 1995 it was updated again with an excellent True Colors remix that I've already written about. Also it's worth mentioning that the emphasis on photography was due to the pavilion being sponsored by Kodak, the once mighty film company whose business was crippled by the digital camera revolution.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Disney Song #47: New World Bound
To Listen: Click Here
The Facts:
- Writers: Buddy Baker (music), X Atencio and Randy Bright (lyrics)
- Year: 1982
- Key: B♭ Major
Heard In:
The American Adventure
Background / Personal Connection:
This song is heard in the opening of the American Adventure in Epcot's United States pavilion at the moment in the show when the Pilgrims cross the ocean to the New World. Benjamin Franklin (the audio-animatronic co-narrator along with Mark Twain) declares, "So if you'll pardon an old man's pride, for me this is the beginning of the American Adventure!" right as the song opens with a momentous crescendo. Despite the historical inaccuracy and cultural insensitivity of Franklin's statement (forgetting Jamestown, St. Augustine, and approximately 50,000 years of Native American history), it's a great song and a great show (I'll share more thoughts and memories about the American Adventure in a later post).
This song is heard in the opening of the American Adventure in Epcot's United States pavilion at the moment in the show when the Pilgrims cross the ocean to the New World. Benjamin Franklin (the audio-animatronic co-narrator along with Mark Twain) declares, "So if you'll pardon an old man's pride, for me this is the beginning of the American Adventure!" right as the song opens with a momentous crescendo. Despite the historical inaccuracy and cultural insensitivity of Franklin's statement (forgetting Jamestown, St. Augustine, and approximately 50,000 years of Native American history), it's a great song and a great show (I'll share more thoughts and memories about the American Adventure in a later post).
Friday, October 2, 2015
Melody Malmberg: A Conversation
As part of my resurgent interest in all things related to Disney, I've been reading as many books as I can about the topic, and my latest is Imagineering by Melody Malmberg (click here for the link to buy on Amazon). I've always been fascinated by Imagineers, the creative geniuses that power the Disney company, and this coffee table style book has an endless supply of fun facts, stunning photos, and amazing artwork. I recently got in touch with Ms. Malmberg, and she was kind enough to answer some questions of mine.
NS: How did you get involved with writing the book?
MM: Disney Publications approached me to update the first Imagineering book, which I helped with before I left the company to work as a freelancer. After I left Imagineering, I wrote The Making of Animal Kingdom, and two books for Hong Kong Disneyland that were cast giveaways (instead of a jacket).
NS: What was your favorite part about writing the book, and what was the biggest challenge?
MM: My favorite part of writing the book was talking to all the Imagineers and gathering stories. The biggest challenge was getting the artwork together. It was a huge job because only some of the archives had been scanned at that point.
NS: What kind of response have you gotten from people regarding the book? I really liked all the pictures, especially of Tokyo and Hong Kong.
MM: People seem to love the book. High ratings on Amazon! We had great designers through Disney Publications, and my editor, Wendy Lefkon, is a great human being.
NS: What is the application process like to become an Imagineer? Do they have any common majors or fields of study?
MM: People become Imagineers in a variety of ways. You can actually major in theme park design these days. Of course engineers, software designers and architects, construction management, media production, etc. need to have majored in those fields. Most people have a major (like illustration, graphic design, creative writing) that is directly related; some come to Imagineering from more tangential but comprehensive majors like dramatic arts, biology, materials science, studio art, music or literature.
There's an internship program called ImagiNations that is pretty rigorous, and some newer Imagineers have come in that way. Other people come in via working for Disney in the parks, consumer products, TV or animation, etc. And the theme park design world is quite small, so many people work for other companies like Universal, Bob Rogers Creative, the Hettema Group, or foreign companies during their careers in the business, either before or after Imagineering. Many people don't have college degrees at all, but extensive experience or portfolios to show. A lot of people who work in the business belong to TEA, the Themed Entertainment Association. It's world-wide, and the main convention and trade association is called IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions).
NS: Is there one central Imagineering office location/building where Imagineers work or are they scattered about?
MM: The main HQ for Imagineers is in Glendale, CA, (1401 Flower St) which is actually a series of really non-descript buildings scattered around an industrial park. Disney also has consumer products, TV animation and ABC-TV (for LA) in that neighborhood. It's literally next door to Dreamworks Animation and about three miles from Disney Studios in Burbank. Imagineers also work at all the parks, even after they are built; there are probably 10-25 Imagineers at every park location. And of course when building a park it's all hands on deck. I'll bet there are well over 500 Imagineers either living or doing long business trips in Shanghai right now.
NS: Are Imagineers on the same level within the company, or are there different levels/titles in a hierarchy?
MM: There are different levels of titles like senior (whatever you do) (writer, graphic designer, ride engineer), director, vice president, etc. Nobody just calls themselves an Imagineer except to outsiders -- inside, you are identified by what you do (e.g. an illustrator, a model builder, a scientist in Research & Development).
Show producer is an odd title there -- they act like show runners in the TV business, working on an attraction to get it created, up and running. They could be from any discipline (writers, figure finishers, illustrators and animal keepers have all become show producers that I know of). The management structure is called a "matrix" which means that when assigned to a specific project, if you are (for instance) an architect you report to the person in charge of architects PLUS the person who runs your project, who is the show producer.
Show producers work for Creative Portfolio leads, who have overall responsibility for big areas (like all of WDW) -- there are only a few of those. Creative Portfolio Leads (who are called Creative Vice Presidents too) have business partners (called construction managers) who watch the money side of everything and run the construction of projects. Portfolio leads report to Bruce Vaughan and everybody else reports to Craig Fleming, and those two actually run Imagineering and report to Bob Chapek, who is in President of Parks & Resorts (and just started, having come out of Consumer Products). Bob presidens over the operation and creation of the parks & resorts, and reports to Disney's chairman, Bob Iger.
NS: Do Imagineers actually construct the rides, or is that outsourced?
MM: Imagineers design the rides and the construction is outsourced, but closely overseen by Imagineering.
NS: In general, who makes the decision that a ride or attraction needs updating?
MM: That decision can be driven by the park operators (based on guest satisfaction ratings, for instance), management (like Bob Chapek or Bob Iger) or can "bubble up" from the Portfolio leads or somebody anywhere, really. But it has to be funded, that's the hard part. Sometimes it's in the contract with the pavilion's sponsor (like at Epcot) that there will be a renewal. There's a master plan that allocates $ to each park for upgrades each year, and it's usually either 3, 5, or 7 years out and can change each year.
NS: What is your favorite Disney park and ride/attraction?
MM: I love Disneyland, having grown up here in LA. My favorite ride is a toss-up between Star Tours and Tom Sawyer's Island, and honorable mention to Pirates and Jungle Cruise. I also love Animal Kingdom's Africa and Everest.
NS: Do you have any more Disney books or projects planned?
MM: Nope!
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