John Lasseter

[twinnstar]

So, I have a question for some of you that understand the inner workings of Disney. How much control does John actually have as the Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios? And the same for his role in Imagineering?

Basically I'm trying to figure out who to blame if I don't like something haha.

Does everything have to go through him before it gets to someone like Iger or Staggs? Or can they just disregard him on things?

Thanks!

 

[Retlaw Yensid]

I'm not sure about imagineering, but from my understanding Lasseter has a big influence over animated movies. I believe he does screen each of them and monitors them all the way through development. He gives advice to the director who will most likely tweak the movie accordingly. I know people do not like to say Walt's role can ever be filled, and I agree that no one can match him, but Lasseter performs a similar function to what Walt did back when he was alive. He facilitates things and critiques them

 

[Lee]

With animation...Skipper John has lots of power. He basically callls the shots over there, along with Ed Catmull.

As for Imagineering...he doesn't have much real power at all. He is basically a very influential advisor. He can't greenlight projects or anything like that, but most everything in development passes through his hands at one time or another.
(The one exception being Carsland. That is his baby all the way. All $500mil or so of it.)

 

[twinnstar]

Thanks guys. Good to hear about the animation, not so much the imagineering. I feel like I remember reading an article about him way back when and he was going on and on about all this stuff about WDW and i agreed with him SO much, i was so excited (especially about Epcot) and I was wondering why nothing has changed... I guess that's why. Boo.