Steve Diggins

Technology for Storytelling. Former Disney Imagineer working in Film and Television. Futurist and historian.

[Steve Diggins @SDiggins]

@DrewTailored @DisTwitrPodcast Disney’s America WDI Quarterly Report
https://t.co/s25x6TgToU

[Steve Diggins @SDiggins]

@DisTwitrPodcast Disney’s America WDI Quarterly Report
https://t.co/s25x6TgToU

[Scott Gustin @ScottGustin]

NEW: Disney and Adobe have announced a multi-year strategic AI partnership.

Walt Disney Imagineering is already using custom AI models to transform hand-drawn sketches into fully rendered concept art and generate franchise-accurate creative assets for theme park development.

The partnership now extends to Disney Studios, ESPN and Experiences/Disney Cruise Line.

Adobe will now serve as Disney’s Official AI Innovation Partner, providing the company early access to new AI tools and custom models trained on Disney’s characters, environments and visual styles.

In the news release, Disney says the technology will help creative teams develop ideas faster while keeping the process artist-led and protecting creators’ work.

[Steve Diggins @SDiggins]

I got my pin! #lucasmuseum

[Steve Diggins @SDiggins]

#dougtrumbull https://t.co/2m2LGVQ8Uv

[Steve Diggins @SDiggins]

https://t.co/iRD6RAlLe0

[Steve Diggins @SDiggins]

Building Disneyland’s Splash Mountain was a ‘horrible idea,’ Imagineer says https://t.co/uymp6Wu7Ga via @ladailynews

[Scott Gustin @ScottGustin]

Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland reopens today following a six-week refurb. Updates include higher capacity, electric Mara doors, improved loading, larger storage pouches, rebuilt Indy figures and refreshed effects, according to @Toddmartens.

Story: https://t.co/UJF94FDBUf

[Todd Martens @Toddmartens]

It’s mostly common knowledge that the Griffith Park carousel inspired Walt Disney. But few are likely familiar with its current connections to those who work for the Walt Disney Co.

https://t.co/vya81JCabH

[Scott Gustin @ScottGustin]

Disney has received a patent for technology that could project dynamic images onto changing surfaces like smoke, fog, mist, clouds or even fireworks residue. The system would track the shape and density of the material in real time, then resize projections to fit as it moves.

[Scott Gustin @ScottGustin]

NEW: Disneyland’s Tomorrowland reimagining has been prioritized ahead of the Avatar experience planned for Disney California Adventure.

That means after Disney completes the Coco attraction and Avengers Campus expansion, the next major Disneyland Resort project will be Tomorrowland, followed by Avatar.

[Disney Parks @DisneyParks]

Learn more: https://t.co/5X1BFmR5t6

[The Hollywood Reporter @THR]

Disney’s Experiences chief Thomas Mazloum speaks with THR about all that D23 news, including a Tomorrowland revamp: “This particular Tomorrowland here at Disneyland was the one that was originally thought of and designed by Walt himself. So much of that was based on optimism: Optimism about the future, and this is going to be our North Star."
https://t.co/FviT6ZTHfB

[Drew Smith @DrewDisneyDude]

FULL VIDEO: Behind-the-scenes of the Avatar destination coming to Disney California Adventure, which will feature a major boat ride.

[Los Angeles Times @latimes]

Disney California Adventure pulled the curtain off the “Avatar”-inspired area coming to the park. We've got all the details here: https://t.co/1n5AQLtdLh

[Scott Gustin @ScottGustin]

NEW: Here’s a new look at the Avatar destination coming to DCA.

[Steve Diggins @SDiggins]

Hollywood's open secret: It's battling AI — but already recruiting to use it. Including #Disney . https://t.co/KMXUwUcwMy

[Industrial Light & Magic @ILMVFX]

Our ILM community was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Don Iwerks. Although our work only briefly overlapped with Don’s — for the Disney Parks attraction Captain EO — his example has empowered our artists and engineers working across film, animation, and themed entertainment. Don’s creative ingenuity and masterful problem-solving skills helped redefine what was possible in the craft of motion-pictures. In all our coming adventures making new images, we’ll continue to look to Don’s work for inspiration.

[Steve Diggins @SDiggins]

https://t.co/ID5XqFWeJo

[Todd Martens @Toddmartens]

Walt Disney Imagineering last week unveiled a new audio-animatronic pirate, one that’s a preview of the park’s next-gen toys. It’s wow-inducing. It’s also narrative wrecking. And it’s inspiring debates centered around theme parks as places of living art.

https://t.co/bB5WnAEyit