The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
BrianLo said:
I assume this is the Asian Disney announcement you alluded to a couple weeks back?

And not TDR, which I'm still very puzzled what they are dragging their feet for...
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There will be new stuff at TDR, but when and what I don't know.

The relationship between Burbank and Glendale and Tokyo is often difficult at best ...

BTW, where are you on your true Top One Percent Summer Holiday?
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
No. Am I missing something you think I'd enjoy?
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Just lots of interviews with people from the themed entertainment industry. Big names and smaller ones. One of the hosts is also actually in the industry so the conversations are not always the same as what the lifestylers would get. The bigger names can sometimes be a little boring just because they have their set of stories that they tend to repeat. An example would be Tony Baxter's interview last year with Theme Park Insider, it was very similar to the one he gave earlier to The Season Pass.
 
flynnibus

flynnibus

Premium Member
WDW1974 said:
I don't have any issue with the medium. I have entered the 21st century (kicking and screaming as I am carried on a gold-plated throne by fanboi minions wearing very little!) ... podcasts are legit.
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Finally.. you can teach an old dog new tricks ;)

WDW1974 said:
Now, would you find me a Disney or UNI one that is truly worth listening to regularly?
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Too much fragmentation and too many pretenders in this space still to have a good podcast. The best ones are when you get commentary from multiple sides from actual industry PLAYERS or experts. You get the dynamic of the back and forth and live discussion vs 'approved talking points'. In the tech space, there is enough neutral ground you can get experts from various niches together without cat fights. Disney-sphere is still too high-school and unqualified for that to play out. Plus, the majority of the disney media outlets are still aimed at simple NEWS and details on the news items.. instead of actual theme park BUSINESS or design topics.

A Podcast of actual theme park design veterans discussing latest changes or trends could be interesting. Be it story telling, critiquing or simply walking through the process could be very interesting. But people haven't been forth coming on this yet.
 
BrianLo

BrianLo

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
BTW, where are you on your true Top One Percent Summer Holiday?
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New Zealand (en route to Christchurch specifically), slightly sick as I had acclimated to summer in SE Asia and it's obviously winter here.

I did visit the absolutely amazing Hobbiton though, kind of cheating since it was a filming location. But it deserves mention in the best adaption of material into a theme park-esque land that I've seen so far. I'm glad the Hobbit made them rebuild the entire thing with the intention of actually keeping it this time, and the farm owners have done a stellar job maintaining and even expanding the place.

Whoever does get the rights has a pretty easy job... Copy paste, add some pyro and hide an E-ticket behind the hobbit holes... oh and expand the walkways of course. :rolleyes:

But yes, let me reiterate that it holds its own with TDS and Potter, sans any actual attractions.
 
B

Bolna

Well-Known Member
lazyboy97o said:
Have you looked at the back catalogue of interviews on The Season Pass Podcast?
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Since you recommended two shows previously (thanks for that, I really enjoyed both interviews!!) I did listen to theses two shows. I have to say while I truly enjoyed the interviewees, I did not enjoy the interviewers as much. I also hated their start music. it did appear to me to suffer from some of the things that make people think that amateur podcasts are horrible. But I have decided to give that podcast a try in my general rotation. I can tolerate quite a bit of nonsense especially once I get used to it! :)
 
B

Bolna

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
Almost, but not quite.

Newspapers and TV stations (and radio) are run by professionals (for the most part) who have training and experience.

Many/most podcasts are done by people with no experience in broadcasting, media or journalism who just like to hear themselves talk.

I do agree that you can find quality content in any medium (I haven't found any in a Disney podcast yet, though! ... the best would be the DIS Unplugged and that was still largely full of incorrect information mixed with a rehash of news one could simply find on the first page of a site like say ... this one!)
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Yes, it is easier to just put a podcast out as an amateur. But just because the entry investment is smaller, does not mean that the medium is bad in general. And that is what some people seemed to imply...

As to the question of rehashing news that could simply be found on the first page of wdwmagic: Some people might prefer to hear news rather than to read it. If you are walking to work like I am, it is nice to have a podcast to listen to. I can't very well walk around town with my iPad and read wdwmagic....
 
Cesar R M

Cesar R M

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
Are you asking me what I think of George Kalogridis as a Disney exec or a member of our species? (had to ask because the man and I have had a 'complicated' relationship in the real world largely due to ... him!)

I never got the hate for Meg, especially when fanbois didn't seem to have it for Al Weiss who did far mor damage over a much longer tenure.

George ... he cares. I will say that. But he ONLY cares as much as his bosses will allow. When they give him the proper funding, George is smart enough to use it well. He isn't a Phil Holmes type. And George will, to some degree, fight for things he believes in. But at this point of his career, he's largely just playing the role of good soldier who was rewarded for taking a few bullets along the way by being brought home as the conquering Queen of the Kingdom (c'mon, that's a joke that he even he would laugh at, so relax!)

I don't see him rocking the boat. And, unless Meg retires and Bob is feeling generous before he leave in 2016, this contract is George's swan song before he becomes a retired exec living the Central Florida dream and likely consulting on the side (only to Disney) while his partner, Andy 'Hail and' Hardy continues to work as a top level financial guy for TDO (Andy is considerably younger than George).

help any?

EDITED TO INCLUDE: George's strong suit has always been in OPs and I do see some improvement in various areas that he may well have had influence on.
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I see!
so, while George can be good.. he as been pretty much "tamed" to be a corporate drone and yessmen?
 
Darth Sidious

Darth Sidious

Authentically Disney Distinctly Chinese
lazyboy97o said:
Pulled up iTunes and "Featured Providers" of podcasts include The Economist, NPR, American Public Media, CBS News, Slate, ESPN, BBC, TED, WBEZ 91.5 and WNYC. Are those not professional organizations with professional broadcasters?
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Not to mention ESPN for example has dozens of professional podcasts. Also many radio personalities and comedians have professional setups and shows going now as well. Just because podcasting is accessible for the average joe doesn't mean there aren't a ton of professional podcasts.
 
Darth Sidious

Darth Sidious

Authentically Disney Distinctly Chinese
WDW1974 said:
Don't want to veer too far in this discussion, but John Lasseter wouldn't be capable of running TWDC and I can assure you that while he wouldn't mind the money, he has no desire to be CEO (nor would be ever be considered).
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I'm quoting you in the 7th heaven thread to keep 8th wonders scope. Just want to ask one quick question, has TWDC ever given serious thought to restructuring the corporate heirarchy for the better? Perhaps creating the CCO position for the entire company rather than just for animation considering the role is applicable to all their lines of business.
 
GiveMeTheMusic

GiveMeTheMusic

Well-Known Member
jmcl07 said:
I'm quoting you in the 7th heaven thread to keep 8th wonders scope. Just want to ask one quick question, has TWDC ever given serious thought to restructuring the corporate heirarchy for the better? Perhaps creating the CCO position for the entire company rather than just for animation considering the role is applicable to all their lines of business.
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You wouldn't want Lasseter to be CCO of the whole company. I will give him credit for his successes, but he's not the creative dreamboat so many fans make him out to be. Thus far his influence at Imagineering has created Cars Land, which he happily takes credit for - but where was his influence on FLE? (Hint: it wasn't there, probably because the project didn't involve Woody, Buzz, Sully or Lightning McQueen) Why has he let WDW remain untouched during his tenure? Perhaps he'd like to claim responsibility for the Rapunzel potties?

He is a champion of his studio's IP and little else. Many of the people who still get it in Disney (an admittedly small number) have stories about the guy that would curdle milk. Suffice to say, his creative compass doesn't always point due north, and that's been evident at Pixar in the past three years.
 
S

stlphil

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
After bashing podcasts (or Disney and UNI ones), I did listen to a few. Some from big 'names', some that think my pal @EPCOT Explorer is somehow an expert on DL (after spending four days there once).

I have yet to find one that is worth my time. They take an hour or many hours to state information that could be written in 10 minutes and read in less than half that.

It's all an ego trip. They all think they have the talent to be radio broadcasters when they don't. Adding morning drive Top 40 fart sounds doesn't make you the Howard Stern of the fanboi brigade, sorry. What's even worse is every single podcast I have sampled over the last year has had numerous factual mistakes spoken as facts. REAL broadcasters at least attempt to get it right. When they don't know something they don't nervously make things up while being egged on by their buddies.

Look, I'm sure my pal @flynnibus is right that there are worthy podcasts. There might even be a Disney one, although I'm very doubtful about that. But the vast ... vast ... majority are simply ego trips by fanbois who technology allows to have voices. Not much different from twitter, just louder and more obnoxious.
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I haven't found a Disney fan-based podcast that had any consistent value. In fact the only Disney podcast that was consistently interesting was the late, lamented official DLR podcast. Some really good interviews on topics both large and small (one I remember was an interesting interview with the composer of Baroque Hoedown), and cool behind the scenes views into what was in development.

Then they started having video podcasts that were pure promotion/marketing/advertising garbage, and I guess one of the sharp-pencil boys then questioned the ROI on the audio podcasts since they weren't pure marketing plays, but they went away. As did the video ones eventually which wasn't surprising because I can't believe there was much interest in those.

On podcasts in general, I find they really help the time go by quickly on long road trips. Not long ago I loaded up several hours worth of StarTalk by Neil deGrasse Tyson and hit the road, and learned a lot along the way.
 

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