Portable Disney Channel

Smart phones with FLO TV technology and the FLO TV standalone unit will now have access to ABC and Disney Channel shows like Lost, Grey's Anatomy, Hannah Montana and JONAS.

Looks like Disney's not only recognizing the rise of casual multi-platform gaming and the spread of franchises, but they're also diving into to on demand market.

Soon their movies will be easily accessible on Keychest and their television shows will be available on portable devices and cell phones.

Disney's really making an effort to be on the forefront of media reach and technology.

Disney Gaming

As referenced many time on this blog, Disney, especially under CEO Bob Iger, is very into spreading a franchise over as many platforms as possible for optimum return on little new content and creativity.

Lately, noticeable in the anticipated Epic Mickey game, Iger's noticing the rise in "casual gaming." This leads to speculation on if Disney will attempt to acquire some game companies. Groups like Electronic Arts are Take-Two Interactive are vulnerable for takeover after huge falls in shares.

Iger only somewhat plays into this speculation saying, "we need to make sure we are structured... to take advantage of all elements of the game business."

Yea, Iger, work those franchises.

Disney Channel Ratings

"Ratings Highlights for November 09 - Final National Ratings

Disney Channel Ranks as TV’s No. 1 Network in Prime for the 57th Consecutive Month in Kids 6-11 and for the 56th in Tweens 9-14

“Phineas and Feb” Stands as the Month’s No. 1 TV Series in Kids 6-11 for the 2nd Consecutive Month, and Also Ranks No. 1 in Tweens 9-14

Disney Channel Airs TV’s Top 3 Series in Tweens 9-14, and 3 of the Top 4 in Kids 6-11"

Basically, this is why Disney's bringing Rich Ross up the ranks.

Disney Method for Repeat Customers

A key element to Disney's success is their great brand recognition and trust in a family friendly image. A great example of the way they maintain this image is their theme parks. Disney has strict guidelines for their park employees to keep up an appearance of cleanliness and friendliness. To keep up morale, employees are encouraged that they are "cast members" in a show, not working. It's true, they must be in character if they are in public view, characters in costume are not allowed to talk and must make sure they are in a safe area before removing their suits so as not to crush some small child's dreams.

Business Week outlined other points of Disney's strategy for a good customer environment for gaining repeat customers. This stresses the role of the secondary customer (the one influencing the core customer, but not necessarily buying anything themselves). These points include:

- "Train employees to be respectful of all customers, including children."

- "Make waiting in line an entertaining experience."

- "Be "show-ready."

- "Keep the show on stage."

- "Encourage your team to be "assertively friendly."

See the site for more info.

Live Action Mulan Film in China

asianmoviepulse.com

Hong Kong director, Jingle Ma has created a live action movie based on the folk tale of Hua Mulan

starring Wei Zhao.

This is not necessarily business, nor completely Disney related, but I don't care because this is pretty boss.

Of course, Disney made an animated version of the Chinese folklore in 1998, but this film will not have

Broadway style musical numbers, an Eddie Murphy voiced sidekick, or convenient solutions to all problems.

Instead, it will focus more on the more human (rather than godly hero) aspect of the character and her

emotional response in fighting.

As of now the film opens in China, Singapore and Malaysia on Friday, but distribution deals for the U.S.

and Europe are being negotiated.

/Not really related, but pretty exciting anyway.

More Ross Administration

Rich Ross has been listening in on Business of Media or something because now he's trying to convince Hollywood they have to completely rethink traditional distribution methods to compensate for the internet as a growing platform for entertainment. This involves more targeted marketing (as we've seen with Facebook and Hulu) and a shorter window between theater release and home-viewing. (I'm still ambivalent and curious for the future on this last point. Will a shorter window mean higher DVD-or in the future, KeyChest- sales as the movie will be fresh in audiences minds? Will this be at the expense of box office sales since audiences know they won't have to wait long to just own the movie? Will exhibitors than have to fight to stress the importance of a theater-going experience? Stay tuned.)

More changes come from the previously mentioned staff changes. The booting of Daniel Battsek (of specialty label Miramax) exemplifies Ross and Bob Iger's growing emphasis on safe family-friendly movies and franchises/sequels which are more easily recognizable and marketable. Unfortunately, they seem to know and don't care that this will come at the expense of original ideas and stories, which is extremely disappointing. (If only there were more people like my man, John Lasseter who'd try to make them see the light.)

Now, according to Ross, "it's brand over everything else." Sad.

More marketing recognition* comes to the need for "more movies that appeal to women." Given their stereotypical penchant for doing things in groups (like trips to the bathroom), it seems to make more sense that women are more likely to want to see a movie in theaters. At least online, women 25 to 54 are "heavy online ticket buyers" and movie ticket purchasers are 39% more likely to be female." This is why we have Twilight movies.

*This should count as like, 3 blog posts right? :]

Rich Ross Restructuring

Continuing the thread of changes under Rich Ross, the new chairman of Walt Disney Studios has already made some changes.

• Greg Brandeau, vice president of Pixar Studios, will be chief of technology at Walt Disney Studios
• Alan Bergman, still president of WDS, will get added responsibilities of managing studio franchises, to reflect Ross' "focus on brands that can be utilized by other divisions within the company"
• Oren Aviv will still oversee live-action movies
• Bob Chapek, president of home entertainment, is now also head of distribution for "all outlets for Disney movies, including theaters, DVD, pay television and new media"
• New marketing head TBA

Unfortunately a handful of executive have already be left by the wayside or have left due to the changes including Jim Gallagher (former marketing head), Dick Cook (chairman replaces by Ross), Daniel Battsek (former president of Miramax), and Mike Zoradi (formerly oversaw world wide distribution and marketing).

It seems many positions will now report directly to Ross, Chief Executive Bob Iger, or Chapek. Part of the reason they're using is that these interconnected responsibilities will help promote inter-division coordinating on marketing. Some are citing higher-ups' disatisfaction with the marketing of their recent big budget, computer animated, A Christmas Carol.

Disney thinks of more creative ways to interconnect their marketing and advertising than actual creative content. It seems they've become all about stretching everything out of what little they come up with and make the most money possible simply out of franchises.

I wish they'd stop shuffling around and listen to my man, John Lasseter about how people really care about good content.

Mark Zoradi Leaves Movie Studios

Mark Zoradi has left his position as president of Disney's motion picture studios following the departure of his former boss Dick Cook, succeeded by Rich Ross.

Since Bob Iger's appointment of Ross, there have been talks of restructuring Disney's distribution techniques. They plan to shorten the window between theater release and DVD release to keep up with consumers wanting movies on demand, now, anywhere.

Personally, this doesn't seem like a great idea. In the age of video on demand, movies online, etc, movie theaters still have a surprising amount of business. Going to the theater is an event and a way to see the movie as soon as possible. Closing the gap between theater release and DVD release seems to just make less incentive to go to the movie since you don't have have as much time to wait.

Jonas Second Season

Only this blog could make me look up Jonas Brothers pictures...

As mentioned before, Disney greatest revenues come from their media studios/tv, and they love pushing franchises to their fullest.

While Disney Channel's show featuring the Jonas Brothers (Jonas), is second in sales and viewers to Hanna Montana, they've stilled gained quite a bit of popularity.

According to ABC News the show just earned its second season, as well as a second season of the short-form reality series, Jonas Brothers: Living the Dream.

The second season of Jonas will move the boys to a new location, as the characters pursue various media industries over the summer in California, getting them out of the studio and trying something new.

Hannah Montana is also getting another season - its fourth.

Possibly the easiest way for Disney to make money is coming up with one or two great franchises and using them across the board with merchandising, video games, movies, music, shows, etc.

Re: Epic Mickey, Mouse's New Look

As I mentioned in the last post, with Disney Interactive Studio's upcoming Epic Mickey game, they seem to be capitalizing on the retro trend by redesigning the iconic mouse to more closely resemble his Steamboat Willie roots with longer, more slender limbs.

Epic Mickey

No really, that's the title of Disney Interactive Studios' new video game set for release on the Nintendo Wii next year.

The game seems to be a puzzle/platformer game based on the story of the famous Mickey entering Cartoon Wasteland, where all Disney's old characters like Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (Walt's first star in 1927) have been thrown to the wayside. Screenshots and concept art from Total Video Games show kind of trippy cartoon, steampunk, and retro visuals.

The basic premise of the game seems basic and boring - hero enters strange world, hero must save world, hero does puzzles and collects things. The real reasons Disney seems to be making the game to grow their video game branch and market something to gamers and retro Disney fans. It's also another case of Disney digging in their vaults for old characters to exploit rather than legit new content.

I'm curious to hear reviews of the game in the future and see how well the steampunk visuals turn out.

Return to Hand Drawn Animation

"I've never understood why the studios were saying people don't want to see hand-drawn animation.

What people don't want to watch is a bad movie."

Oh, John Lasseter, you get me every time.

Back in 2003, Disney converted to all digital animation after they had a couple hand-drawn flops (Treasure Planet, Brother Bear) while other studios made out great with their CG works (Shrek, Finding Nemo). Now they're probably realizing, as Lasseter points out, the problem was the stories, not the animation and are therefore kickin it old school style with their next princess movie, The Princess and the Frog. Also, traditional animation may come out cheaper than computer versions, as upcoming The Princess and the Frog managed.

Of course this means Disney had to refurbish half of their production department to accommodate their old, stored hand animation desks and equipment. In a heartwarming move, this also involves rehiring old Disney employees that had been booted at the dawn of CG animation.

This move was brought on in part by Pixar's Ed Catmull and John Lasseter, ironically, the men pretty much responsible for computer animated feature films.

The fact that Disney's The Princess and the Frog, due out this December, is very traditional - both in animation style and it's "Broadway-style" musical numbers - comes as a great selling point for those interested in animation, nostalgic for old Disney films, and a new generation of kids that haven't fully experienced such a Disney Princess movie.

Another tactic to create buzz for the movie should come from word-of-mouth after advanced screenings in NYC and LA with special events held afterwards.

Regular US Release Date: December 11, 2009.

Disney Shanghai in 2014

It was announced this week that Disney has cleared plans for a park in Shanghai with a Chinese government group.

Upcoming Disney Sequels

Oy vey..

"Keychest" Plans - Multi-Platform Access to Movies

Disney has sneakily shared info with a couple companies about its plans for "Keychest."

Mickey Money

I kind of feel like my friend after she used a meal swipe to get some homeless guy some food only to come back and catch him on his cell phone.

The theme of many recent Disney articles is their desire for more revenue - from parks, new content, etc. - seemingly negatively affected by the recession and crying about it.
Looking at they're annual revenues from 1991 - 2008 (yes, it's Wikipedia, but they're cited), their revenue increases by a greater margin each year.

Last year's annual revenue topped at nearly $38 billion.

You're really suffering guys.

Anyway, the more interesting point is that nearly $16 billion of that is from Disney Media Networks. This isn't surprising when you realize this includes ESPN as well as Disney channels, ABC channels, and Radio Disney.

Here's yet another reason they moved up someone from their TV department - it's been the their most successful area.

With Rich Ross now heading the movie studios, all the additions to Disney World, revamps to all the Disney Stores and more, looks like Disney's trying to get each of it's sectors up to the level of it's Media Networks.

Mouse Round-Up

Getting you up to date on random Disney company projects and going-ons:

Further Attempts to Lure You to Disney World

As if I need more excuses to want to go.

Disney Channel head now to lead Movie Studios

latimes.com

Rich Ross, President of Disney Channel Worldwide, is credited with saving the tv network since the 1990's with shows like Lizzie McGuire, That's So Raven, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Wizards of Waverly Place, and Sonny With A Chance. He's also largely responsible for the rise of Disney's current star franchises - Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers.

And Chief Executive Rob Iger loves some meaty franchises. Mm mmm

Mickey meet Mac's Mighty Mouse

Mac's new mouse is so feminine and attractive it entices Mickey away from Minnie..?

Interesting Russian ad mock up.

Via Cult of Mac

Disney Creativity Recession

According to a recent article in The New York Post, Disney is facing some troubles in vision and finance, citing the fact they've fairly recently acquired Pixar and Marvel while also financing Dreamworks. They see this as a dire need for new content.

Follow the jump.

Family guy, Disney, singing about pie? Story of my life.

I liked this until they reminded me Walt was an anti-semite.

Just thought I'd share.

Family Guy goes Disney (via Buzzfeed)

Mickey Mouse meet Mighty Mouse

Marvel.com

I know, old news at this point, but better late than never.

The $4 billion deal of Disney buying Marvel isn't as confusing as many bloggers/vloggers seem to think considering Disney also owns networks ABC and ESPN; already fairly removed from the wholesome, 1950's sterile image they traditional attempt to keep.

Much, much more under the jump.