Disney studio in 1975: Fyodor Khitruk reports
Abstract
For the first time, the article introduces Fyodor Khitruk’s report about his business trip
to the USA in the autumn of 1975. In this document from RGALI, a well-known Soviet
director tells in detail about his work on the jury of the 3rd New York Animation Festival
(among the winners of the festival was Yuri Norstein’s animated film, The Heron and the
Crane), as well as visiting the studios — Walt Disney Productions and Hanna-Barbera.
A significant part of the document is devoted to the analysis of a production organization — this issue was of particular interest to Soviet animators, who at that time were
actively looking for ways to reform his largest studio. By the 1970s, at Soyuzmultfilm they
often worked in a group method — a small film crew works independently with minimal
involvement of production departments. A group method helped to achieve a high artistic result, but disrupted the rhythm of production. Based on the American experience,
Khitruk formulates proposals on how to correct the shortcomings. In particular, the film
crew of “The Rescuers” (Walt Disney Productions) shows what successes an improved
group method could achieve. Hanna-Barbera is an example of a production company
that runs like clockwork.
Keywords
Fyodor Khitruk, Walt Disney, Soyuzmultfilm, Walt Disney Productions, Hanna-Barbera,
group method.
For citation
Kornatsky N.N. Disney Studio in 1975: Fyodor Khitruk reports. Theatre. Fine Arts. Cinema. Music. 2023, no. 1, pp. 146–166.
DOI: 10.35852/2588-0144-2023-1-146-166
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Received: 25.12.2022
Revised: 01.02.2023
Accepted: 13.02.2023