Brand relevance must be maintained: Disney
John Cracknell, managing director at The Walt Disney Company Australia, talks about the restructure of Disney and how the powerful studio is adapting to new platform and consumer habits.
How has Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures re-structured itself after the departure of Alan Finney?
The Walt Disney Studios continues to drive great content and exceptional films to movie lovers all throughout Australia. Having been operational for 22 years in Australia, the new structure for the entire Walt Disney Company, which was announced at the beginning of this year, means that the introduction of an integrated structure will drive continued growth across all our businesses and will provide opportunities to further deepen our relationships with consumers and our partners here.
We now have in place an integrated structure with our Motion Pictures and Home Entertainment marketing teams, working together as one team to drive our product through the windows and to provide a consistent message to our target consumers.
What were your strongest performing films of the 2009/2010 financial year?
Toy Story 3 ($41.3m and counting), Alice in Wonderland ($37.5m), Up ($28.5m), G-Force ($10.7m), Old Dogs ($9.6m).
What was your best campaign of the year?
The two that stand out for me are Alice in Wonderland and Toy Story 3. Both films have wonderful stories and were critically acclaimed. I know that my own daughters just could not wait to see the films on the big screen- both stories really invoke that sense of excitement. With Alice, Tim Burton’s vision for this timeless story was exceptional. The film itself generated excellent publicity with the blockbuster line up of Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter, Anne Hathaway, and of course, the Alice role going to Australian actress Mia Wasikowska. It was a visually stunning, exceptional film, with cross-over potential through consumer products, which made the campaign all the more fun and appealing to a wide section of fans.
Toy Story 3 was so highly anticipated – it’s a franchise that is so beloved by so many Australians since it first debuted 15 years ago. With such wonderful heritage, the whole of The Walt Disney Company together as one team delivered a creative and unique campaign that maximized the heritage and story of the film, but also explored new ways to engage fans through social media (which we didn’t have 11 years ago) and delve even deeper into the development of toys. The characters (young and old) gave us new and exceptional narratives to work with.
Do smaller 3D films – which are now being produced in many countries – have a chance competing for screens with the major blockbusters?
While 3D is a platform that The Walt Disney Studios has wholeheartedly embraced, we still believe firmly that it is exceptional storytelling that will drive and continue to drive the audience’s appetite for this platform. At the heart of all of Disney stories is exceptional storytelling and unparalleled creativity- 3D as a technology allows us to add another dimension to the story-telling that is hopefully delivering a whole new experience to our audiences.
Are audiences losing the meaning of the movie-going experience as better home entertainment systems become available?
Again, I think that audiences above all things look for a great story. I think it is an exciting time to be operating in the studios and content space as at the heart of everything we do at Disney is creating innovative and meaningful content.
Working with our exhibition partners, we understand that a strong performance at the box office can help drive long-lasting interest in a film. There continues to be something special about the shared experience of seeing a movie in a theatre that cannot be replicated at home. But today’s improved home entertainment systems are changing the landscape of how our fans and consumers experience entertainment. Digital media has created some interesting new platforms in terms of where and how people are going to access their entertainment.
With the advent of 3D TV, increased 3D screens, the popularity of the iPad, mobile content, TV –on-demand- consumers will naturally gravitate to where the latest and greatest technologies exists- it’s human nature- and we are working towards being there, ready to tell our great stories. We believe that maintaining brand relevance and innovating and being on these new platforms is important.
What should Australian producers keep in mind when pitching a project – emphasis on the business side instead of just the storyline, perhaps?
A focus on creativity and great content are paramount to a successful pitch. As distributors, we can create great campaigns around great stories- but the essential ingredient that binds it all together is great stories and storytelling. At the heart of all great films is telling great stories.
