You can’t miss the iconic Roy E. Disney Animation building. Its larger-than-life Sorcerer Mickey hat perched atop the entryway is a symbol of the heart and imagination at the core of all Disney animated films. But it’s not only recognized for its unique design or location just a few yards from The Walt Disney Studios lot. The fanciful structure is revered more so for the creativity housed within its walls, creativity that has produced some of Disney’s most endearing animated films.
For those who haven’t had a chance to stroll through the building, Disney Animated, a new premium iPad app created by Disney Interactive and Walt Disney Animation Studios in collaboration with leading app developer Touch Press, provides a unique gateway—one that’ll transport animation connoisseurs and Disney fans alike inside the world of Disney animation like never before.
“If you’re asking me to sum up what this app is, it’s awesomeness,” Dave Bossert, co-author of Disney Animated and producer/creative director, Walt Disney Animation Studios Special Projects, says enthusiastically. “That’s what it is. It’s digital awesomeness.”
The app, available for download in the App Store, is chock-full of interactive experiences that can’t technically be duplicated through any other medium. Unlike a book or a film that creates a one-way experience for a viewer, Disney Animated allows users to touch, swipe, and scrub through a phenomenal amount of text, art, sound, images, and interviews spanning all eras of Walt Disney Animation Studios history.
“It’s a wonderful coffee-table-style app and a great tool for somebody who’s interested in animation,” Dave says about the new app. “It gives a great overview of how we’re making our movies at Walt Disney Animation Studios today.” As someone who has been a part of countless Walt Disney Animation Studios projects in his 30 years at the company, Dave also spoke to the ingenuity of Disney Animated. “This is the first time we’ve ever done something like this at the company or anywhere,” he explains. “We have created a product that virtually has information, props, and stills from all 53 animated films, including sneak peeks at Frozen, which hasn’t yet been released.”
Along with examining treasured artifacts and intricate artwork, users can now walk through Disney’s time-honored animation process through hands-on activities adapted from actual tools Disney animators use—all with the swipe of a finger or a flick of the wrist, of course.
But similar to most productions, there were some challenges along the way during the yearlong development process, namely selecting which assets would live in the app. That’s where Disney’s Animation Research Library stepped in.
After sorting through nearly 70 million archival pieces, a remarkable assortment of gems were chosen for Disney Animated. “One of the rarely seen items we chose was the maquette of Hyacinth from Fantasia,” Dave reveals. “You can spin it around and look at it from every angle. It’s genuinely one-of-a-kind, and fans now have an exclusive opportunity to take a closer look.”
In addition to giving users endless, magical experiences with Disney Animated, the team hopes the app will convey an important message to animation fans and also inspire future generations of animators. “With the app, we want to tell people that we’ve been in this business for decades,” Dave points out. “You have the essence of Walt Disney Animation Studios in the palm of your hand. It’s an incredible, invaluable resource.”
Disney Animated is available for $13.99 from the App Store on iPad at AppStore.com/DisneyAnimated. For more information on Disney Animated, visit Disney.com/Animated.