Notably Disney

Author Mindy Johnson has been a key figure in chronicling the role of women in animation and film, very much on display in some of her popular books including Ink & Paint – The Women of Walt Disney’s Animation and the nonfiction picture book companion Pencils, Pens & Brushes: A Great Girls’ Guide to Disney Animation. She's also a composer, public speaker, creative force, and teaches at the famed CalArts On this episode of Notably Disney Mindy talks about the development behind Ink & Paint, as well as several other endeavors. Follow Mindy's work on her website (Mindy Johnson Creative), where you can learn more about Ink & Paint and her new weekly webcast Primary Sources. Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter @bnachmanreports, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday each month.

You know him as the author of countless Disney books published over the past 25 years, including the legendary Since the World Began and Walt Disney's Imagineering Legends. On this episode of Notably Disney, I welcome Jeff Kurtti, whose books range from the history of the Disney theme parks to covering the productions of beloved Disney animated films.  In light of the recent reissue of his The Art of Mulan book, we talk about both this title and his career in working for The Walt Disney Company. Jeff shares fun stories and insights about his work in chronicling the development of a major motion picture. Check out Jeff's array of Disney titles, available for purchase, on Amazon and Disney Books. And you can check out the Jeff Kurtti Fan Page on Facebook. Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter @bnachmanreports, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday each month.

"Just for a moment" think about the wonderful tunes from the popular Disney+ original series: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. On this episode of Notably Disney, guest Aaron Wallace once again joins Brett Nachman as they continue reviewing the soundtrack for the show. On this second part they talk about songs like Out of the Old and Just for a Moment, as well as share thoughts of what may lay ahead for the show's second season. Get in contact with Aaron Wallace by following him on Twitter (@aaronwallace), Instagram (@aaronhwallace), and on his website www.aaronwallaceonline.com. Aaron's books, including Hocus Pocus in Focus, can be ordered on his website and Amazon Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter @bnachmanreports, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday each month.

Get'cha head in the game! On this episode of Notably Disney, Brett Nachman and guest Aaron Wallace begin to review the soundtrack for High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, the Disney+ original series based on the popular franchise. On this first part they discuss their thoughts of the hit series and examine five of the original songs, including I Think I Kinda You Know and Born to Be Brave. Get in contact with Aaron Wallace by following him on Twitter (@aaronwallace), Instagram (@aaronhwallace), and on his website www.aaronwallaceonline.com. Aaron's books, including Hocus Pocus in Focus, can be ordered on his website and Amazon Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter @bnachmanreports, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday each month.

Podcaster Dan Heaton (Host, The Tomorrow Society Podcast) joins Brett Nachman as they discuss their favorite Walt Disney World attraction queue music. These are the pieces that immediately transport you to another time and place as you await boarding beloved attractions. Dan and Brett celebrate the music of George Bruns, Randy Newman, Paul Leonard-Morgan and others as they take a virtually walk through the queues in "the World." They even revisit some extinct attractions that possessed some timeless tunes.   Check out The Tomorrow Society Podcast and follow the podcast on Facebook, Twitter (@tomorrowsoc), and Instagram. Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter @bnachmanreports, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback at notablydisney@gmail.com  New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Alton Fitzgerald White played Mufasa in The Lion King for a record 4,308 performances, whether it be on the Broadway stage, in Las Vegas, or on the first national tour for the acclaimed production. He's also the author of My Pride: Mastering Life's Daily Performance, an inspirational autobiography that chronicles his childhood, career and life lessons along the way. Beyond this, he recorded a mix of Disney on Broadway tunes with his signature spin for his Disney My Way album, as well as regularly performs for various concerts and endeavors with his Disney on Broadway family. It is a thrill to welcome Alton to Notably Disney to discuss his book, album, and other projects. He joins Brett Nachman over a reflective conversation about his professional experiences in concert with principles and values that have guided his trajectory.  Check out Alton's website (www.altonfitzgeraldwhite.com) to purchase a copy of My Pride (which can be autographed) and learn more about his work. You can also follow him on his Facebo

Author Jim Fanning (The Disney Book) joins me on a two-part edition of Notably Disney that celebrates the long legacy of Disney music. In particular, we unearth Disney songs that have been forgotten, whether due to existing in the shadow of more popular hits from their specific films or shows, or even across the wide spectrum of tunes. From pieces found in rare shorts to those cut from hit motion pictures, Jim and I uncover our favorite forgotten Disney songs. This second part features unexpected treats from features including Alice in Wonderland and Treasure Planet, among others. Follow Jim on social media platforms, including Twitter (@EmeliusBrowne), Instagram, Facebook, and his new YouTube channel: Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV. You can also check out his website and blog. Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter @bnachmanreports, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback at notablydisney@gmail.com  New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Author Jim Fanning (The Disney Book) joins me on a two-part edition of Notably Disney that celebrates the long legacy of Disney music. In particular, we unearth Disney songs that have been forgotten, whether due to existing in the shadow of more popular hits from their specific films or shows, or even across the wide spectrum of tunes. From pieces found in rare shorts to those cut from hit motion pictures, Jim and I uncover our favorite forgotten Disney songs. Follow Jim on social media platforms, including Twitter (@EmeliusBrowne), Instagram, Facebook, and his new YouTube channel: Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV. You can also check out his website and blog. Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter @bnachmanreports, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback at notablydisney@gmail.com  New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

From composing the score for Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, the renowned Epcot spectacular that played for two decades, to conducting popular films like Mary Poppins Returns and Captain America: Civil War, the reach and influence of Gavin Greenaway is profound. For three decades he has conducted or composed scores for film, television and theme park projects. He is currently conducting The World of Hans Zimmer live tour, which has performances around the world.On this episode of Notably Disney, Gavin joins Brett Nachman to discuss his storied career, from working with John Powell and Hans Zimmer, to creating his timeless score for Illuminations, for which he won an Emmy (via its use during ABC News' Millennium coverage). Gavin lends keen insights about the process of serving as a conductor in Hollywood and collaborating with fellow iconic musicians, as well as developing original pieces.Check out Gavin Greenaway's work on his personal website (GavinGreenaway.com) and follow him on Instagram (@greenawaym

Author Dave Bossert (also known as David A. Bossert) is a legendary modern figure in the world of Disney animation and books. He joined the company during the nascence of the Disney Renaissance, working on projects like The Black Cauldron and The Great Mouse Detective in effects animation, to eventually becoming a visual effects supervisor for Fantasia 2000. Over recent years Dave has translated his expertise and life experiences in working with and for the Mouse into a career as an author. He has written a number of popular titles over recent years, including Oswald the Lucky Rabbit: The Search for the Lost Cartoons and Dali & Disney: Destino.  On this second of two consecutive episodes of Notably Disney, Dave joins Brett Nachman to talk about some of his most significant work. This episode centers on the development of Fantasia 2000, a production long in development and driven by Roy E. Disney, Dave's longtime friend and colleague. Dave details the challenges and opportunities in creating the visual eff

Author Dave Bossert (also known as David A. Bossert) is a legendary modern figure in the world of Disney animation and books. He joined the company during the nascence of the Disney Renaissance, working on projects like The Black Cauldron and The Great Mouse Detective in effects animation, to eventually becoming a visual effects supervisor for Fantasia 2000. Over recent years Dave has translated his expertise and life experiences in working with and for the Mouse into a career as an author. He has written a number of popular titles over recent years, including Oswald the Lucky Rabbit: The Search for the Lost Cartoons and Dali & Disney: Destino.  On this first of two consecutive episodes of Notably Disney, Dave joins Brett Nachman to talk about some of his most significant work. This episode centers on chronicling his relationship with Roy E. Disney, the center of his first book, entitled Remembering Roy E. Disney: Memories and Photos of a Storied Life. Reflecting on Roy's life just over a decade after his

Journey to a galaxy far, far away on Notably Disney as Star Wars connoisseur Trent Vactor joins Brett Nachman in discussing the John Williams score for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The two discuss their interpretations of the last installment of the Skywalker saga before diving into the Oscar-nominated score.  Follow Trent Vactor on Twitter (@Vactor) and Instagram (@Vactor). Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter @bnachmanreports, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback at notablydisney@gmail.com  New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

If you have watched The Imagineering Story six-part documentary series on Disney+, produced by the fantastic Leslie Iwerks, then you are already familiar with the stirring score by Jeff Kryka. Jeff is a well-regarded orchestrator and composer who has worked on a number of Disney film projects, including Incredibles 2, Coco, Tomorrowland and John Carter, among others. In The Imagineering Story, Jeff develops an amazing and pulsating score that reflects the ingenuity of Disney's dream-makers.  On this episode of Notably Disney, Jeff chats with Brett Nachman about his musical career, work with Michael Giacchino on major Hollywood productions, and developing several hours of the score for The Imagineering Story. Along the way Jeff imparts insights about the role of an orchestrator, capturing the emotion of the visuals in creating an original composition, and how all of the individuals on the team come together to develop magical music.  Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter @bnachmanreports, subscribe to th

Author Christopher Merritt has been a Disney Imagineer since 1996, and most recently co-wrote Marc Davis in His Own Words: Imagineering the Disney Theme Parks with Pete Docter (Director, Monsters, Inc., Up, Inside Out). On this episode of Notably Disney, Chris discusses with Brett Nachman the process of developing a massive, two-volume set of books about Marc's life once he became a Disney Imagineer. Within this fantastic tome is hundreds of drawings, paintings and other pieces of art composed by Marc during his two-decade career with Walt Disney Imagineering. Each chapter covers a different attraction or concept, such as Pirates of the Caribbean and it's a small world. Chris shares the special relationship he shared with Marc and the mentorship he received from him as a budding animator. Also significantly, Chris talks about the major undertaking of translating decades of work into a one-of-a-kind book, and how it took a team of folks from Disney and beyond to gather the amazing material featured in the fina

2019 has represented a fantastic year for dozens of new Disney books. On this episode of Notably Disney, host Brett Nachman walks you through more than 40 titles that have been released by, or are centered on, The Walt Disney Company. Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter @bnachmanreports, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback at notablydisney@gmail.com  New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month. BOOKS COVERED GUESTS ON NOTABLY DISNEY Christopher Lucas: Top Disney: 100 Top Ten Lists of the Best of Disney, From the Man to the Mouse and Beyond (Episode 8) James Mason: Disney Connections & Collections: Volume One: Movies (Episode 13) Amy Osatinski: Disney Theatrical Productions: Producing Broadway Musicals the Disney Way (Episode 5) Ken Pellman and Lynn Barron: Cleaning The Kingdom: Night, Day, Past and Present (Episode 22; interviewed Lynn) Bob Sehligner and Len Testa: The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2020 (Episode 14; interviewed Len) Aaron

You have heard Valerie Vigoda's tunes across Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and even in film, and now is your chance to learn about her as the songwriter. Vigoda and her collaborator Brendan Milburn, who has been featured in a previous episode of Notably Disney, crafted songs for the Tinker Bell films and stage shows in the Magic Kingdom, Disneyland and the Walt Disney Studios park in Paris. Perhaps most notably, Vigoda and Milburn wrote the songs for Toy Story: The Musical on Disney Cruise Line. On today's episode, Valerie takes us on her amazing journey from growing up in a musical household to touring with her band on the road, to eventually playing a role in developing musical productions around the United States. She is a gifted electric violinist and songwriter, relaying some hilarious stories and moving moments over her career. Check out Valerie's work on her website (valvigoda.com) and YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/ValerieVigoda).  Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter @bnachmanre

Podcasters Len Testa, Courtney Guth and Emily McDermott brave a new set of questions on Disney music in film and the theme parks, in addition to Disney theme park quotes, in this second edition of Disney Tunes and Quotes Trivia! We cover the gamut of Disney songs and reveal some fun facts along the way, as well as recall some hilarious and heartfelt quotes from Disney attractions, past and present. Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter @bnachmanreports, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback at notablydisney@gmail.com Find Len on TouringPlans.com or email him at len@touringplans.com. Hear him each week on the Disney Dish Podcast with Jim Hill. Be sure to check out Emily and Courtney on the Book of the Mouse Club podcast on iTunes and wherever you listen to podcasts. Email is bookofthemouseclub@gmail.com The podcast website is https://bookofthemouseclub.libsyn.com/ Also make sure you follow Book of the Mouse Club on Twitter, as well as each of the hosts on Instagram: Courtney (@greatguthsby) an

Author and podcaster Aaron Wallace returns to conclude the Notably Disney series of episodes on Epcot Essentials. In this episode, we veer off the beaten path by not exploring the music or books of the park, but rather the future of Epcot more generally. Based on new information we gleaned from D23 Expo, we talk about everything from the new attractions like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, to new films like Awesome Planet and Canada: Far and Wide. We also discuss the renovations coming to major sections of the park, including Future World's dissolution into three new neighborhoods.  Get in contact with Aaron Wallace by following him on Twitter (@aaronwallace), Instagram (@aaronhwallace), and on his website www.aaronwallaceonline.com. His books, including The Thinking Fan's Guide to Walt Disney World: Epcot, can be ordered on his website and Amazon Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter @bnachmanreports, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydi

Songwriter Brendan Milburn is responsible for co-writing many tunes for The Walt Disney Company for more than a decade. Along with his musical partner Valerie Vigoda, Brendan co-wrote songs for Toy Story: The Musical, which ran on the Disney Wonder on Disney Cruise Line from 2008-2016. Their music has also entered the film space with the Tinker Bell movies and the Disney theme parks, including crowd-pleasing tunes heard in Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom. On this episode of Notably Disney, Brendan shares his musical journey and what led him and Valerie to create original music for Disney. Along the way Brendan shares how they channeled Randy Newman to develop new tunes for the Toy Story production at sea. He even unveils some secrets behind the Toy Story tunes that did not quite come to fruition. Check out Brendan's music on his website Brendan Is Making a Song a Week and YouTube Channel of the same name.  Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter @bnachmanreports, subscribe to the podcast, and send your f

Author and podcaster Aaron Wallace, host of On Main Street with Aaron Wallace (formerly known as Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod), joins me as we continue exploring Epcot with the Epcot Essentials series. On this episode, we highlight many of the books that have given great context to the history, evolution and behind-the-scenes perspectives of the community-turned-theme park. Aaron represents a valuable voice in this conversation as both a Disney expert and author on Epcot himself, having written The Thinking Fan's Guide to Walt Disney World: Epcot!  Among the books we discuss are the titles below. Walt Disney's Epcot Center (Richard Beard) The Epcot Explorer's Encyclopedia (R.A. Pedersen) Walt Disney and the Promise of Progress City (Sam Gennawey) Project Future: The Inside Story Behind the Creation of Walt Disney World (Chad Emerson) Since the World Began (Jeff Kurtti) Building a Dream: The Art of Disney Architecture (Beth Dunlop) Realityland (David Koenig) Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Look at Making the Magic