Elevators from the 1930s were retrofitted with a transparent ceiling, on which video was projected telling the history of broadcasting, a tribute to Rockefeller Centers longtime tenant, NBC. The closest we got to civilization was a rental car that a crew member drove out to camp each night, full of replacement batteries for the equipment and a satellite phone. He has 25+ years management experience: in tourism, museums and attractions, in the giant screen industries and as a zookeeper. realize the things we create are around for decades and will provide joy and Just over the last decade. Herman and Bob would sit on a log with the editor while he edited, then theyd give that days footage to the driver, who would sit on the roof of the car trying to get a signal with the satellite phone so he could transmit it to the Smithsonian for use in that days classroom presentations. BW: I did, in college. Bob came on and, sure enough, he was the right guy. 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(function(e,t,n,r){var i=n.currentScript,s=null;if(i)s=i;else{var o=n.getElementsByTagName(r),u=o.length-1;for(var a=u;a>=0;a--)if(o[a].getAttribute("rel")==="skimlinks-ref-banner"){s=o[a];break}}s&&setTimeout(function(){var i=e[t]||(e[t]=[]),o={"imageUrl":"/banners/img/referral/higher_commissions/728X90.gif","wid":"07","creativeId":60710,"color":"grey","size":"728X90","domainId":"1601785","publisherId":137930,"bannerUrl":"/banners/js/referral/referral_banner.min.js","cdnUrl":"https://s.skimresources.com"};if(i.length===0){var u=n.createElement(r);u.src=o.cdnUrl+o.bannerUrl,u.async=!0,s.parentNode.insertBefore(u,s)}i.push({el:s,config:o})})})(this,"__skimlinksBanners",document,"script"); CONTACT US | ADVERTISE ON ITM Weis hired his longtime Imagineering collaborator Chick Russell, who had worked on both Disney-MGM Studios and Disneys America with him, as the writer on ACTION! He is a producer and director, known for Georgia (1988), Pure S (1975) and Heartbreakers (1984). We made the whole soundstage look like a dock. When you take away the ceiling on an old elevator, you have machinery, cables, I-beams, obstructions. We put together a pitch and took it to OLC, and it was exactly what they were looking for. back you can see the things the way you saw them before. BW: One of the most gratifying things for me over the years has been [the emergence of] D23 and seeing the union of all those people who love Disney, who love parks and love Imagineering. The former President of Walt Disney Imagineering Bob Weis is joining Gensler as a Global Immersive Experience Design Leader, according to a statement released by the firm. Bob Weis Net Worth is $400,000. Bob Weis had garnered a reputation for leading the design of Disney theme parks that, according to former Disney Imagineer and longtime Weis collaborator Van Romans, "mixed real stuff with Disney storytelling." Weis spearheaded the team that designed the Disney-MGM Studios, opened in 1989 and renamed Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2008. He is inspirational, the best of the best in this business, but also so humble and just lovely to work with. By using this site you agree to our privacy policy. They must have, too, because they hired me shortly after I graduated! This goes back to Walts talking about Disneylandthat he could come in and change it whenever he wanted, that it was a living medium. By using tools that had heretofore been traditionally limited to filmmaking and themed entertainment design, ACTION! changing. Its an active role. Creative Direction, former Disney Imagineer, Chick Russell, Executive Producer and Creative Director at Chick Russell & Company, former Disney Imagineer, Van Romans, President of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, former Executive Director, Cultural Affairs, Walt Disney Imagineering, Tim Steinouer, Creative Producer at Steinouer Creative, former partner at Design Island, Nancy Seruto, Owner of Seruto LLC, former Disney Imagineer, John Beckman, Director, Exhibit Design and Production at Adler Planetarium, former Director of Exhibit Design and Development at MSI, Chicago, Kurt Haunfelner, Senior Vice President for Exhibitions at California Science Center, formerly Vice President of Exhibits and Collections at MSI, Chicago. by Tom Barnes, Communications Manager, Walt Disney Imagineering. Romans had continued his relationship with the Smithsonian, working with them and Weis on the development of Disneys America and creating an exhibit at EPCOT celebrating the Smithsonians 150th Anniversary. After a 42-year-long career, with plenty to be proud of, he had earned a well-deserved restor so it seemed! Before the move, Weis spent more than 30 years at Disney. Imagineers have such an incredible The training staff would act like they were really at sea in these different situations. I will always be proud to have led Imagineering from 2016-2021, and to be your Global Ambassador in 2022, Weis wrote in an email sent today to colleagues. Bob had this idea that he would edit everything shot at the end of the day on-site, so one of our crew on horseback was the editor, says Steinouer. China He has also consulted with major clients including Smithsonian, National Geographic, NASA, and the United States Navy, among others. But he felt just as While we have a long history of building Disneyland-style parks, we wanted to make this one unique and tailored to the local population. And today, with the recent additions of Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxys Edge, Disneys Hollywood Studios is truly a peer to the other parks at Walt Disney World. Unlike ACTION!, where actual members of the filmmaking community portrayed themselves in their roles, CSI took actors playing their fictional characters from another medium the exhibit presented a fictionalized world, but embodied with real scientific exploration. It had been an enormous project: seven square kilometers of property with the theme park, two hotels, Disneytown, subway lines, lakes and boats. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. At 75 years old, with a full and fulfilling career behind him for one of the most creative companies on earth, the reasons must be very compelling. Just this week, the design firm Gensler announced that Bob Weis was coming out of retirement to work for their organization as Global Immersive Experience Design Leader. One of our primary goals was "We are thrilled that Bob is joining our global innovation design team," Gensler co-CEO Andy Choen said in a press release. Heartfelt thanks to all of them, and to Walt Disney Imagineering, for their cooperation. Theres plenty in there that Marty wrote, and theres plenty of references to Walts philosophy in his first decade in this business. Seruto recalled her first meeting with Weis. He kept changing the environment, and this brought out peoples ideas that we otherwise might have missed. Im also passionate about doing things that are closer to peoples everyday lives, and theres no other place I can realize that passion than at Gensler. Another example of modern technology mixing with history, the Top of the Rock experience was multifaceted with a small gallery, a multimedia walk across a construction beam with a 1930s landscape projected below, and a 60-person three-screen theater showing a rotating selection of three films directed by Weis on the famous Radio City Music Hall Rockettes, Tom Brokaw speaking on the history of news broadcasting at Rockefeller Center, and David Rockefeller on the development and history of the complex. points of view to everything they do. It might have made me nervous and impacted the ease with which we spoke at this first meeting.. The attractions, such as The Great Movie Ride and the animation tour, used authentic film props to tell the story of film and television. Privacy Statement & Cookie Policy He was adroit with working with management, instead of bowing to it. Many of Weiss collaborators joined him again in creating exhibits for the Fort Worth museum Nancy Seruto, Tim Steinouer, Jen Bressler, and Chick Russell among them. Their computers seamlessly edited the film that guests got to take home with them. The park was initially conceived and built as a half-day experience something guests could visit the afternoon they flew into Orlando, for example. Bob Weis, former president of Walt Disney Imagineering, has accepted a position with Gensler, a California-based architecture and design firm. quote, were just getting started., Start planning your dream Disney Vacation As of January 2023, Bob Weir's net worth is estimated to be roughly $60 Million. He joined Walt Disney Imagineering, then called WED Enterprises, in 1980, soon after graduating college, and within eight months had relocated to Japan as part of the WED team creating Tokyo Disneyland. From the U.S. to Shanghai, Tokyo to Paris, Weis design and storytelling imprint has been indelibly left on theme parks, attractions and rides, resorts, and cruise ships. I went back to Shanghai after we opened and saw how quickly the Shanghai audiencerelatively inexperienced in theme parks or in Disneyadopted it and made it their own. It was a wonderful way to use theme park storytelling, technology, and immersive design in a completely different way. for an audience. You are impacting how the conflict is resolved or how the art piece is accomplished. color theory to the appropriate use of language. In each set, a little scene was recorded. The Untold Truth of Don Lemons partner & fianc TV Series second unit director - 2 episodes, Raoul Wallenberg: Between the Lines (1986). As President of Walt Disney Imagineering, Seruto says, Bob brings three key traits that will help the company grow into the future: Vision for where the company can go, of its total potential and with clear insight on how it can and should adapt to meet the challenges of a complex and changing world. Crossing over into a very different field, Weis had the opportunity to utilize his skills as an attraction and exhibit designer in the creation of Battle Stations 21: a realistic, virtual training experience for the US Navy Training Center near Chicago. was an early, important example of blurring the line between attraction and exhibit. Bob felt that the best way to conceive something big was to actually do it. Kurt Haunfelner had this to say: Ive known Bob as a friend and respected colleague for many years. One of the things we looked at was a new pavilion for EPCOT that would have celebrated entertainment. Its exciting to think that we can create great stories that people can experience together in new ways and do them in the spaces Gensler already creates. He is best known for his Disney projects most recently his leadership roles on the Disney California Adventure and Shanghai Disneyland parks. BREAKING: 'Hey, Disney!' We ended up using pieces from the Tishman collection in this new gallery, showcasing them with contemporary pieces by young African American artists. Dies geschieht in Ihren Datenschutzeinstellungen. Bob Weis is a storyteller. Bob loved to take people to different venues restaurants, the beach, his house. Its always a brainstorming session, a discussion of ideas. Founded as WED Enterprises back in 1952, Walt Disney Imagineering has been a staple of Disney Theme Parks since the very start. Talking to Bob is like having an open conversation with an old college friend. Later, he would lead the team on the conceptual stages of Disneys America theme park near Washington D.C. Had the project gone forward (it was canceled in 1994), it would have depicted America and the fabric of its people through real stories, as told through Disney storytelling techniques and technology. He felt that the museum industry couldnt make an exhibit about movie making where you actually didnt get to make a movie.. Contact us: email For me this is a very exciting next chapter, the post reads. Its an active role. You can withdraw your consent for these messages at any time. Weis would prove a trailblazer with his approach to ACTION! In his mind, if you loved these things, it would be very hard for you to neglect them in your mind and heart. With a career that spans 30 years at Disney (most recently as the president of Walt Disney Imagineering), Bob has created, designed, and developed physical stories and immersive experiences for some of Disneys most iconic projects around the globe. At the heart of his style is the empowerment of the individual and the team, treating all with respect and trust, wrote the Thea Awards Committee of Bob Weis in its official remarks, calling Weis a world class visionary who is sincerely modest, selfless and kind, with a keen ability to align a very large efforttowards success among the more than 100 diverse disciplines required to create a multi-dimensional end product. Where the firm has worked with Disney in the past, its not a stretch to imagine that Weis may well be treading on Disney soil once again, bringing his talents to Magic Kingdoms across the globe. When I was leading Imagineering, we delivered hundreds of projects that brought new experiences, new stories, new innovations to our guests around the world. To increase the level of excitement, the elevator shafts were filled with animated LED lighting, complementing the see-through video projected on the top of the elevator carriage. Our whole mission is to connect to people through space, through places, through the activities that take place in great spaces. View Videos. One of his greatest attributes is his strategic mindset. Bob likes industrial things. In recent years, he led the creative team for the development, design, and construction of Shanghai Disney Resort. But we shouldnt give all the credit to the pandemic. took on the design and artistic disciplines as a coordinator, which involved Weis was with Walt Disney Imagineering for 42 years, serving as president of WDI for a time and then Global Imagineering Ambassador. I have close friends who have worked with Bob and they all say something similar a class act, a pleasure to work for, a humble leader who mentors and empowers his team, someone who takes risksa visionary guy! Ive never heard a negative word about Bob. The most emotional time for any Imagineer is when you when you stand out front when something opens and you see the fans come in for the first time and hear their reaction for the first time. This is different from what were used to, which is watching things on a screen or seeing a piece of sculpture or painting in a museum. was my first big museum project with Bob, says Jen Bressler of Hunt Design, another long-term collaborator of Weiss. Im also passionate about doing things that are closer to peoples everyday lives, and theres no other place I can realize that passion than at Gensler. How can we add magic to everyday life rather than reserving it for people who are going away on vacation? [weve been able to] lift the veil a little bit and not be so secretive. The two things most people learn first when talking with Braden is his passion for history, and for Disney. We were trying to explain to young people that every kind of job imagined and skill needed exists in the film business. Weis also posted a missive on his Instagram page with details about his plans going forward. Bob Weis President Walt Disney Imagineering Bob Weis is the president of Walt Disney Imagineeringthe creative, design and delivery arm of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Mr Chapek's total remuneration from the Walt Disney Company as CEO and director is $3,122,027. Bob was very responsible for not getting in the way of this famous architect, but actually working with him.. And thats one of the great joys of being an Imagineer. was a traveling exhibit in two parts. Weis, a history buff and cinephile, always built upon what he learned from project to project. And then we got access to a massive library of classic film stories and characters, which really expanded the possibilities. Battle Stations 21 was the Navys attempt to upgrade training. Let us know in the comments below! Out of the Walt Disney Company's five executives, Robert Iger earns the highest compensation of $47,517,800. He would get down in the weeds and work with the team to figure out solutions. Battle Stations 21 was the final test to see if Naval recruits could stand up to rigors and real conditions at sea., We were at sea on a destroyer to film for a week Bob, myself, and six crew members, continues Steinouer. Weis is the former president of Walt Disney Imagineering. Hes very engaging, and that makes you want to engage with him.. Bob has an ability to balance all of it. Bobs magic trick is to show how the illusion could be so convincing and real., In 2002, John Beckman, now Director of Exhibit Design and Production at Chicagos Adler Planetarium and Principal at Sage Creative Group (Hamilton: The Exhibition), was just settling into his new position as Manager of Temporary Exhibits at MSI Chicago when ACTION! Someone turned in the briefcase phew!. Im glad I didnt know more about him his stature, his tremendous accomplishments. There were a number of videos produced to make it look like live TV. He recently sat down with the Disney Parks Blog to discuss highlights from his work on Disney theme park projects around the globe over the span of five decades. Bob Weis Reflects on Prolific Career at Walt Disney Imagineering. managing the process of translating our design intentions for our collaborator, It was professionally produced with sound effects and music, and they could email it to family and friends. Under her Seruto & Company moniker, she would collaborate on four museum projects with Weis. If you walked around the back, youd see canvas and plywood. He has written screenplays and books during a long career in the entertainment industry. Disney Imagineering President Bob Weis steps down ahead of Lake Nona move Bob Weis stepped down as president of Walt Disney Imagineering this week as his department moves to Lake Nona from. built with tradition, filled with things we want to preserve, so when you come It was a natural fit for Bob hes a producer on all media. Bob invited me to be Associate Producer on a documentary on the Lewis and Clark expedition, says Tim Steinouer, who had previously worked with Weis on an unaired television show episode for another production company. What made this unique was the execution. I was But first, he had a film to make. Many design fields think in this way: First, orchestrate the movement of people and ideas through the story and that will give you all the keys you need to design the physical space. He was working on a project in Chicago [the ACTION! bob weis disney net worth. What Bob is masterful at is the strategic process of developing an idea and moving the idea into reality. Mini Biography. Our projects can be taxing, and we all Durch Klicken auf Alle akzeptieren erklren Sie sich damit einverstanden, dass Yahoo und unsere Partner Ihre personenbezogenen Daten verarbeiten und Technologien wie Cookies nutzen, um personalisierte Anzeigen und Inhalte zu zeigen, zur Messung von Anzeigen und Inhalten, um mehr ber die Zielgruppe zu erfahren sowie fr die Entwicklung von Produkten. With Braden is his passion for history, and for Disney massive library classic., and to Walt Disney Company & # x27 ; s total remuneration from the Tishman collection in this,... Put together a pitch and took it to OLC, and theres plenty of references to Walts in... Because they hired me shortly after I graduated I was but first, he the... Wrote, and theres plenty of references to Walts philosophy in his decade... Than reserving it for people who are going away on vacation an early, important example of blurring line! 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