Breaking News : WALL-E Wins Best Animated Feature at the Golden Globes tonight, and I personally think that it's a great news and a well deserved award for Andrew Stanton and everyone at Pixar who worked on this beautiful animated movie. More about it on the Upcoming Pixar blog.
Also, more about the Shanghaî Disneyland project in this new L.A Times article.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Goodbye Polaroid, Hello PolaDROID ! - Or : How to send your digital Disneyland pictures magically back in time
Sometime, during the week-end - when there is a good reason for - i'm doing a "tech" article. And today, there is a very good reason to do one, as i'd like to introduce to you a wonderful little application called PolaDroid. Don't go away, as you'll discover below how Poladroid will allows you to create fantastic "Polaroid" pictures from your Disneyland digital photos.
We all remember the fantastic Polaroid pictures and their unique colours. The digital era arrived and changed everything, and soon, even if you still own a Polaroid camera, it will not be possible anymore to realize Polaroid pictures. Simply because the Polaroid Co will stop this year the fabrication of the legendary Polaroid photographic paper...
And then arrived PolaDroid, a magical little software. Created by Paul, obviously a big fan of the old Polaroid era, PolaDroid will allow you to give to ANY of your digital pictures "Polaroid"-like colours in a few seconds. Suddenly, the picture you took last year will look like a 1960's picture, bringing you back in time, with colours that no camera is doing anymore.
The picture above of WDW Magic Kingdom look like an early 70's picture, doesn't it? Well, actually it's a WDW marketing photo probably shoot 10 years ago...
And this other famous photo of DHS Sunset Blvd...
...look now like a real 1950's Sunset Blvd picture!
I shoot this picture of the Walt Disney Studios last year. Two minutes in the PolaDroid...
...and we're now back in time almost at the real Walt Disney Studios old era...
Of course, the software re-frame each picture to the original Polaroid "square" size.
These pictures of WDS Tower of Terror were shoot on grand opening ...or back in 1928 during that fateful day?
Main Street buildings looks more old than ever...
It's also fun to see what we can get when you use the PolaDroid with already old pictures like these 1960's pictures of Disneyland...
These WDW pictures are only 10 years old, but now they look like early 1960's pictures...
Let's have a look to the effect of PolaDroid on very recent pictures, like this marketing shot of Expedition Everest...
...Or those from Hong Kong Disneyland.
This picture of Mission Space entrance shows how subtle the effect of PolaDroid can be on the colours.
Before i explain to you how PolaDroid works, let's end this series with this marketing picture of the Epcot Nemo ride - already a picture with digital special effects with the Nemo characters...
As you saw this PolaDroid application can create amazing effects, now here is how it works, and it's extremely simple: First go on the PolaDroid web site and download the application which works both for Mac and PC. The PolaDroid software is free, but if you wish to do a donation to his creator it will be highly appreciated. Once you've install the application, you launch it, and a little Polaroid camera will appear on your screen. Now, all you have to do is to choose any of your digital picture, and drag and drop it on the Polaroid camera. That's all you have to do, can't be more easy, isnt'it?
Ten seconds later a little picture will come out of the camera, and just like the real Polaroid pictures, it'll take the photo 2 to 3 minutes to appear! Actually, you'll see it appearing little by little, just like with the real one. Once it's done, the picture in big size and in jpeg file is waiting for you in the "Images" folder of your computer. Very easy, very fun, very magical. So, go ahead, try this amazing PolaDroid application, and enjoy it!
Pictures: copyright Disney
Friday, January 9, 2009
It's Official ! Disney confirms Shanghaî Disneyland !
Associated Press announced 45 minutes ago that the WDC officially confirmed the joint venture with the Shanghaî government for a future $3.59 billion Shanghaî Disneyland project.
They both will submit the project to China central government for final approval. I don't want to be too optimistic, but i think the most difficult is done. Also, the important words in the text below are numbers: $3,59 Billion. With this amount of money, we can now be sure that Shanghaî Disneyland will not be a small park, but a real big one, just like it should be. Here is the Associated Press release:
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Walt Disney Co. said Friday that it was going to submit a plan to build a new theme park in China in a joint venture with the Shanghai government.
The family entertainment giant released a statement confirming its plans at about the same time as The Wall Street Journal released a story on its Web site that said Disney was working with Shanghai to build a $3.59 billion park to open as early as 2014.
A Disney spokesman declined to comment on the Journal story.
"Discussions have been ongoing about the feasibility of a theme park project in China," said Leslie Goodman, a spokeswoman for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, in the statement.
"As part of this lengthy process, we worked on a joint application report with the Shanghai government which will be submitted to the central government for review. No deal has been signed, no project has been approved."
Disney shares were down 35 cents, or 1.5 percent, at $22.55 in Friday afternoon trade.
The Journal said Disney planned to take a 43 percent stake in Shanghai Disneyland, while a holding company owned by the local government would own 57 percent, citing unnamed sources.
The first phase of the project, on about 1.5 square kilometers near Shanghai's Pudong International Airport, would include a theme park, plus a hotel and shopping development and would be built over six years, the paper said.
Text: copyright Associated Press
They both will submit the project to China central government for final approval. I don't want to be too optimistic, but i think the most difficult is done. Also, the important words in the text below are numbers: $3,59 Billion. With this amount of money, we can now be sure that Shanghaî Disneyland will not be a small park, but a real big one, just like it should be. Here is the Associated Press release:
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Walt Disney Co. said Friday that it was going to submit a plan to build a new theme park in China in a joint venture with the Shanghai government.
The family entertainment giant released a statement confirming its plans at about the same time as The Wall Street Journal released a story on its Web site that said Disney was working with Shanghai to build a $3.59 billion park to open as early as 2014.
A Disney spokesman declined to comment on the Journal story.
"Discussions have been ongoing about the feasibility of a theme park project in China," said Leslie Goodman, a spokeswoman for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, in the statement.
"As part of this lengthy process, we worked on a joint application report with the Shanghai government which will be submitted to the central government for review. No deal has been signed, no project has been approved."
Disney shares were down 35 cents, or 1.5 percent, at $22.55 in Friday afternoon trade.
The Journal said Disney planned to take a 43 percent stake in Shanghai Disneyland, while a holding company owned by the local government would own 57 percent, citing unnamed sources.
The first phase of the project, on about 1.5 square kilometers near Shanghai's Pudong International Airport, would include a theme park, plus a hotel and shopping development and would be built over six years, the paper said.
Text: copyright Associated Press
All Disneyland Resort Paris in 3D on Google Earth, March 28
Last year Walt Disney World was fully re-created in 3D on Google Earth, and i must say that the work done by the Google guys was outstanding.
I strongly suggest those of you who never saw the result to download the latest version of Google Earth and to have a look at it, it will give you an idea of how a Disneyland Paris 3D on google Earth will look like in three months from now, as on March 28, this "DLP 3D" should be available, for free, as usual. At this time, each of you will be able to "move" inside Disneyland Paris, the Walt Disney Studios and the resort. A great way to discover it for those of you who have never been at DLRP!
In the meantime, here is, above and below, some screen captures of the WDW 3D, as well as a video previously released by Disney Parks which tells you everything you need to know to see this WDW 3D on Google Earth. WDW is now automatically in 3D, so you don't need any more to click on the "mouse ears" as they say in the video.
Screen captures: copyright Google Earth
Video: copyright Disney Parks
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Disney and Shanghaî complete talks on Shanghaî Disneyland - Park opening scheduled for 2013
In a recent article - posted when everybody was denying that a deal was close between Disney and Shanghaî - i told you that you could count on a Shanghaî Disneyland, well, here we are, not totally signed yet indeed, but almost.
Today, Reuters press agency announced that " The Walt Disney Co has completed talks with the Shanghai government on plans to build a Disneyland theme park in the city and the project will be announced soon, the official Shanghai Securities News reported on Thursday, citing people close to the talks.
Senior Disney executives came to Shanghai last December to discuss details of cooperation with the local government and the two sides achieved a consensus on the project, the newspaper said.
The project, however, has yet to receive approval from China's central government, which will be essential if it is to go ahead.
A spokeswoman for the Shanghai government declined to comment. A Disney representative in Hong Kong could not immediately be reached for comment.
The plan calls for Shanghai Disneyland to open to the public in 2013, the newspaper said, citing an expert involved in the feasibility study for the project.
Disney has engaged in on-again, off-again talks for more than a decade with the Chinese government over plans to build a large theme park and hotel complex in the southern outskirts of Shanghai's Pudong district.
Those talks were stalled by a Shanghai government scandal in 2006 and Disney's need to focus on Hong Kong Disneyland, which opened in 2005 to a string of operational problems and lacklustre attendance.
The Shanghai Securities News also said Shanghai Lujiazui Group and Shanghai Waigaoqiao Group would take part in the construction of the project."
Of course the WDC reacted immediately to this news and Disney spokeswoman Huang Chen told Dow Jones Newswires that "There is no agreement and no deal has been reached" and that Disney "hasn't signed any agreement with the Shanghai government to build a theme park in the city".
Well, may be they've not signed it yet - remember that the project still need China's central government final approval - but it doesn't mean that they don't have an agreement.
Text: copyright Reuters. More also about this great news on the Forbes web site.
Today, Reuters press agency announced that " The Walt Disney Co has completed talks with the Shanghai government on plans to build a Disneyland theme park in the city and the project will be announced soon, the official Shanghai Securities News reported on Thursday, citing people close to the talks.
Senior Disney executives came to Shanghai last December to discuss details of cooperation with the local government and the two sides achieved a consensus on the project, the newspaper said.
The project, however, has yet to receive approval from China's central government, which will be essential if it is to go ahead.
A spokeswoman for the Shanghai government declined to comment. A Disney representative in Hong Kong could not immediately be reached for comment.
The plan calls for Shanghai Disneyland to open to the public in 2013, the newspaper said, citing an expert involved in the feasibility study for the project.
Disney has engaged in on-again, off-again talks for more than a decade with the Chinese government over plans to build a large theme park and hotel complex in the southern outskirts of Shanghai's Pudong district.
Those talks were stalled by a Shanghai government scandal in 2006 and Disney's need to focus on Hong Kong Disneyland, which opened in 2005 to a string of operational problems and lacklustre attendance.
The Shanghai Securities News also said Shanghai Lujiazui Group and Shanghai Waigaoqiao Group would take part in the construction of the project."
Of course the WDC reacted immediately to this news and Disney spokeswoman Huang Chen told Dow Jones Newswires that "There is no agreement and no deal has been reached" and that Disney "hasn't signed any agreement with the Shanghai government to build a theme park in the city".
Well, may be they've not signed it yet - remember that the project still need China's central government final approval - but it doesn't mean that they don't have an agreement.
Text: copyright Reuters. More also about this great news on the Forbes web site.
Editor's Note: Sometime, a simple book cover can give more infos than a press release, and today it's the case with "The Art of UP!" which reveals new UP! characters! This great coffee table book about the highly awaited new Pixar animated movie will be released in four months, but you can already order it - and at special price! - on the Disney and more Amazon Store!
Also, once you've finished reading on Disney and more, don't miss Al Lutz new update and Kevin Yee's report on DHS American Idol on Miceage!
Also, once you've finished reading on Disney and more, don't miss Al Lutz new update and Kevin Yee's report on DHS American Idol on Miceage!
" Art of UP ! " book cover reveals new " UP ! " characters
The new "Art of UP!" book is now on sale on Amazon.com. The coffee table book written by Tim Hauser will be released only on May 13 by Chronicle Books, but the book cover who was put on line on Chronicle Books web site last week reveals a bit more about this Pixar "mystery movie".
I say "mystery movie" because we must admit that we don't know a lot about it, except this synopsis from the official "UP!" web site...
...or this sneak-peek video presented by UP! director Pete Docter.
And until know, that's all what we knew about the storyline and "UP!" characters. And then arrived this "Art of" book and its cover - which, by the way, was removed from both Chronicle Books and Amazon web sites ( the cover only, the book is still on pre-order sale ). And what can we see on it, if we have a closer look? Two others "UP!" characters! A dog and a bird. Well, let me introduce them by their names as they are called Dug the talking dog and Kevin the female bird. We also know that the villain's name is Muntz, but no image of him available yet.
What Dug the dog and Kevin the bird are exactly doing in the movie is another story that we don't know yet, but be sure i'll let you know as soon as I know more...although this may take some months as the secret around this movie is well kept by Pixar.
The "Art of UP!" book includes 250 full color illustrations from production and development and a foreword from Pete Docter.
You can order it now at special price - $26.40 instead of $40 - on the Disney and more Amazon store
Talking about "UP!", Disney released last month a new clip from the movie. For those of you who may have missed it, here it is below!
Let's end with two other images. The first one was previously released by Entertainment Weekly...
And this next one showing also Carl and Russell in South America on the Empire web site.
Artwork and videos: copyright Disney-Pixar
Book cover: copyright Chronicle Books and Pixar
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