California Film Institute Screening of Snow White

The California Film Institute has teamed up with The Walt Disney Family Museum to present a screening of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, in conjunction with the special Snow White exhibition: The Creation of a Classic on view at the Museum through April 14.

Presented on the big screen in its 75th anniversary restoration at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center on Sunday, March 10 at 4:15pm. Prior to the film, join Creative Director of the Disney Animation Research Library, Lella Smith, and Disney historian and author, J.B. Kaufman, for a discussion revealing fascinating secrets behind the creation of this masterpiece.

Tickets: $12 general. $9 Walt Disney Family Museum members, CFI members, and children 12 and under.

Member Magazine - Walt Disney Family Museum

The current issue of the WDFM Member Magazine (Oct-Dec 2012) is dedicated to the Snow White exhibition which opens to the general public this Thursday.

Front cover...

The Snow White-related pages include a message from WDFM CEO, Gabriella Calicchio, and another from Diane Disney Miller. Plus news of a recent museum acquisition--a binder containing rare Snow White pre-production color tests.

In addition, there's a write-up on the Snow White exhibition, a museum store page featuring J.B. Kaufman's two recently released titles, and an announcement page with news of upcoming members-only events. These include a VIP exhibition preview and reception November 13th; a members preview on the 14th;  and also a special book-signing event with J.B. Kaufman.

Back cover....

The quarterly publication is a nice little perk for museum members. This edition contains twelve pages (including covers); measures 7.5" x 9". The paper is more card stock rather than magazine quality.

75th Anniversary Exhibition Opens This Month at WDF Museum

When author J.B. Kaufman and Diane Disney Miller first came up with the idea for a book on the making of Snow White (The Fairest One of All), they weren't actually thinking about 2012 and it being the 75th anniversary of the film. It wasn't long, however, before the project led to not only a full-fledged art exhibition to mark the occassion, but a second book as well.

On June 12th of this year, the Walt Disney Family Museum issued a press release for their upcoming special presentation, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic. In celebration of the diamond anniversary of the film, more than 200 original production works of art will be on display "including conceptual drawings, early character studies, detailed story sketches, and animation drawings."

Curated by Lella Smith, Creative Director of the Walt Disney Animation Research Library, the exhibits are "organized by sequence through the progression of the movie, featuring some never-before-seen works of art with behind-the-scenes stories about the film’s production." It opens November 15, 2012 and runs until April 14, 2013.

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J.B. Kaufman authored the exhibition catalog, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Art and Creation of Walt Disney's Classic Animated Film (seen in earlier post). Not long ago, he answered a few questions about his own involvement with the museum...










FILMIC LIGHT: How did you come to be on staff of the Walt Disney Family Foundation and what is your role?

JB KAUFMAN: My original connection with the Foundation was a loose one and revolved around researching and writing an earlier book, South of the Border with Disney. The Museum was in the planning stage at that time, and as the plans evolved, I eventually became a staff writer for the Foundation, working on text panels for the Museum and other projects.

FM: Did the writing of your two Snow White books involve you directly with the development of the exhibition at the Museum?

JB: No, actually I haven’t had much involvement with the Snow White exhibition itself. I’ve attended some of the meetings and consulted from time to time, but that’s about it. Lella Smith, the Creative Director of the Walt Disney Animation Research Library, is the curator, and she and her staff, along with the Museum’s own curatorial staff, are the ones to be credited for this show.

FM: What can guests expect when they visit the Snow White exhibition?

JB: In the course of working on the catalog, I’ve had a comprehensive look at the art that will be featured in the show, and it’s a huge and amazing assortment. Some of it is drawn from the ARL, some from the Museum’s own collection, and some key items from the holdings of private collectors. People who really love Snow White will already be familiar with a few of these pieces, but there are also quite a number of exciting rarities that I don’t think have ever been displayed before. All in all, it adds up to an opportunity to immerse yourself in the art of this beautiful film.

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View a PDF file of the promotional images released by the museum.

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In conjunction with the Snow White exhibits, the museum also has a series of public programs planned including screenings of the film daily, a talk by J.B. Kaufman and Lella Smith, and even a 75th anniversary premiere party soiree of "glitz and glamour". See the program press release for the full listing of events and activities.

Museum Hours: 10am to 6pm, Wednesdays through Monday; closed on Tuesdays and the following public holidays: New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Tickets:  $10 for Snow White only. Combination ticket which also includes general museum admission, $25 adults; $20 seniors and students; $15 children ages 6 to 17. Become a member and admission is free.

Where: The Presidio of San Francisco, 104 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94129

J.B. Kaufman's Book Release x Two

J.B. Kaufman's two books, The Fairest One of All: The Making of Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Art and Creation of Walt Disney's Classic Animated Film have both officially launched this week. Check out these behind-the-scenes videos posted by publisher Weldon Owen.

Screen Capture of JB Kaufman and Diane Disney Miller.

JB Kaufman and Diane Disney Miller on The Fairest One of All...

JB Kaufman, Diane Disney Miller, and Lella Smith on the art exhibition and companion catalog book...

J.B. Kaufman's Exhibition Companion Book

With 2012 marking the 75th anniversary of Snow White, author J.B. Kaufman is treating fans to something extra special. In addition to The Fairest One of All, his forthcoming 320-page treatise on the making of the the film, he's also giving us a companion volume entitled Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Art and Creation of Walt Disney's Classic Animated Film.

This second book features over 200 pieces of art from the new exhibition coming in November to the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco...

Both familiar and never-before-seen pieces from the Walt Disney Animation Research Library will walk the reader scene by scene through the movie, accompanied by behind-the-scenes stories about the film’s production. [amazon.com paraphrased description]

Front Dust Jacket

Title Page

I asked JB about this new book...

FILMIC LIGHT: JB, you have not one, but two Snow White books coming out this year. Why two?

JB KAUFMAN: We didn’t originally plan it that way. Believe it or not, when we first started working on The Fairest One of All, I don’t think it occurred to any of us that the film’s 75th anniversary was coming up. But as it turned out,the publishing timetable did coincide neatly with that anniversary, and that led to the idea of a special Snow White exhibition at the Walt Disney Family Museum, and that led to the idea of a separate, smaller book that would serve as an exhibition catalog. And we tried to put some real substance into it, so it could be published separately in a trade edition; and as a result we wound up with two different books on the same subject at the same time. I’m really happy with the way it worked out, because the two books are very different; each complements the other.

FM: How do they differ and complement each other?

JB: The Fairest One of All is meant to be a definitive history of the film, and it’s driven by the text. I’m very proud of the book’s design (I didn’t design it, so I can brag about that!), and it’s heavily and beautifully illustrated—the illustrations including some exciting rarities—but the images are chosen primarily to illustrate the text. The catalog is just the opposite: the art comes first and the book is sumptuously designed around it. The text is a supplement to that. I should add that the catalog does give a substantial account of the film’s production, and I’m happy to say that we included some drawings and paintings that were used to create specific effects, along with explanatory text to show how they were used. So, even with the same subject, the two books don’t duplicate each other. I’m very happy with the way they work together.

FM: What kinds of specific artwork do we see in the exhibition book?

JB: The works—everything from early concept art and story sketches through layout drawings, background paintings, animation drawings, and painted cels, to the finished cel setups used in the film. As the exhibition catalog, it reflects the exhibition itself, which is designed to illustrate the full range of production art that went into the making of a film as elaborate as Snow White.

Snow White on Stairs, p. 118.

Spell Book, p. 163.

Snow White's Glass Coffin, p. 230-231.

Title: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Art and Creation of Walt Disney's Classic Animated Film
Approx. Dimensions: 9.5" x 10.75"
Pages: 256

Publisher: The Walt Disney Family Foundation Press
ISBN: 9781616284374
Release Date: October, 16, 2012
List Price: $35.00 (USD)

Rear Dust Jacket

With the completion of his two Snow White books, what's next for JB?

FM: Do you have any other Disney projects in the works?

JB: Yes, as a matter of fact I’m working on a followup book about the making of Pinocchio. As you can imagine, that’s a fascinating subject too! But it will take some time to finish it.

J.B. Kaufman Interview and His New Book - The Fairest One of All

It's big! It's heavy! And with an October release date, it's almost here! J.B. Kaufman's new book, The Fairest One of All: The Making of Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is nothing short of an event. Several other fine titles on the subject have been published in recent history, many of them invaluable contributions to our collective understanding. Yet, as Diane Disney Miller writes in the foreword, this one is the definitive book on the making of the film. The timing of its publication also makes it the perfect "official celebratory book" of the 75th anniversary.

Front Dust Jacket

J.B. Kaufman is an author and film historian on the staff of the Walt Disney Family Foundation and has published extensively on topics including Disney animation and American silent film. [rear jacket flap]

JB

This book is the first to reconstruct the process in exacting detail of how Snow White was made. Kaufman spent years researching the film’s history, interviewing participants, and studying the marvelous archival art that appears in these pages. The result is a work that can be appreciated equally as a piece of film history and as a collectable art book. [amazon.com paraphrased description]

Title Page (UK Edition)

Table of Contents

The Filmic Light blog is all about bringing together the various pieces of how Walt Disney's Snow White came into being and also showing what resulted from it. This is exactly what JB has done with his book. In Part One, background information is presented on those stage and film productions that proceeded and helped to inspire the Disney studio.

Then the heart of the book is in Part Two. From 1933 when the idea first "crystallized" in Walt's mind to the world premiere in 1937, the making of the film is detailed in such a way as we've not been privileged to before. Through the combination of story meeting notes, sweatbox sessions, animator interviews, and numerous other sources, the development of every sequence in the movie is revealed.

Luske and Natwick sketches of Snow White, p. 48.

Part Three continues with the post-1937 Snow White legacy--the massive success and its effect on the studio, international distribution, war-time films, theatrical re-releases, Snow White merchandise, and more.

The appendices, footnotes, and bibliography are included in Part Four. Appendix-A in particular details the production credits for each of the film's sequences--invaluable information from an animation history standpoint--laid out nicely for all to see.

Recently, I had the good fortune of being able to ask JB a few questions about his new book...

FILMIC LIGHT: A book as thoroughly detailed and researched as this is not written by someone with only a passing fancy in the subject matter. Tell us about your background and what it was that first attracted your interest in the Snow White film.

JB KAUFMAN: Like millions of other people, I’ve been a Disney enthusiast as long as I can remember, and have a special fondness for Disney animation of the 1930s. I think the Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphony cartoons of those years achieved a gold standard that no other animation studio has ever duplicated at any time. And you can’t love those films and not love Snow White; it was the culmination of all the things the Disney studio had accomplished during the 1930s in terms of character animation, storytelling, use of color, use of music and everything else.

FM: How did you come to write the book and what is it you hoped to achieve by publishing it?

JB: I think I probably always had the idea of a Snow White book in the back of my mind, but several years ago, during a conversation with Diane Disney Miller about other Walt Disney Family Foundation projects, the idea of such a book came up and we made the decision to go ahead with it. The main thing I’d like to achieve is to record this story for posterity.This is history; I think it’s highly significant history; and I think it’s important to make sure it’s not forgotten.

The Queen at her Mirror, p.100-101.

FM: Your research for the book was extensive, and for a film historian, Snow White must have been a dream come true. Where did you start? What kinds of materials and documents did you go through? Did the bulk of your work take place at the Walt Disney Animation Research Library or somewhere else?

JB: You’re right, a film historian documenting, say, silent film history is usually desperate to find any little scraps of information that will shed light on the films. With Snow White, so much documentation had been preserved that the challenge was just the opposite: to get a grasp of that huge mountain of information and get some kind of meaningful perspective on it. For extensive research into Disney production history, the best place to start is the Walt Disney Archives. They’ve done a magnificent job of preserving story conference transcripts, correspondence, animation drafts, and other primary production papers. I also found some wonderful rarities in the collection of the Walt Disney Family Foundation. Yes, the Animation Research Library is also a great place to do research; their main function is to preserve the art itself, but certain kinds of primary documents were filed along with the art and are still preserved there.

FM: What were your greatest finds?

JB: There were so many that it’s hard to single anything out, but to me the most striking thing is the combination you get when you put different kinds of documents together. For example, the draft for a scene will tell you something about the scene—but if you combine that with the sweatbox notes, where Walt and the directors are asking for changes; the exposure sheet, where the changes are recorded as the scene moves through production; and sometimes the retake order, where a decision is made to revise something after the scene has been filmed the first time, the combined effect is a much more complete idea of how the finished scene arrived on the screen.

Early sketch of Snow White and Dwarfs' musical party, p.175.

FM: Most of the people who worked on the film have now passed on, but you did have the opportunity to talk with a few of them a number of years ago. What were some of the more memorable interviews?

JB: At that time they were all memorable because I was just starting out in this field, I was so in awe of these artists, and most of them were so friendly and generous in sharing their memories with a total stranger. Grim Natwick was a highlight, partly because he was such a legendary figure. At the time I wasn’t actively planning a Snow White book, so my questions for him were more general, but of course Snow White was the high point of his Disney experience and he wound up sharing some great memories. I couldn’t afford to travel very much in those days and some of my interviews were done by telephone, but Art Babbitt suggested that I send him my questions and a blank cassette tape. That turned out to be a good system, and I got a good sample of his biting wit! But he was also very kind about taking time to answer my questions.

FM: You laid out the progression of the film in such magnificent detail that your book will certainly become “the” reference for Snow White enthusiasts for years to come. Is there anything in particular that you hope others will take away from it after reading?

JB: Thank you! When a film or any other popular work is absorbed into our culture over a long period of time—even a film as beautiful and widely loved as Snow White—I think some of us tend to get used to it, take it for granted, and stop thinking about it. If this book gets people to start thinking about Snow White again, as you’ve done with your blog, take a fresh look at it, and maybe even come to a new appreciation of it, I’ll be happy.

Witch's demise sketch, Ken O'Conner, p.215.

Title: The Fairest One of All: The Making of Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Approximate Dimensions: 11.25" x 12.75"
Pages: 320

US Publisher: Weldon Owen
US ISBN: 9781616284381
US Release Date: October 16, 2012
US List Price: $75.00 (USD)

UK Publisher: Aurum Press Ltd.
UK ISBN: 9781781310250
UK Release Date: October 11, 2012
UK List Price: £35.00 (GBP)

Rear Dust Jacket (UK Edition)

The Fairest One of All is just one of two books by JB being published this year in celebration of the movie's 75th anniversary. See the companion book in the next post.