[Rumor] Lincoln gets outsourced?

[Magenta Panther]

Okay, somebody tell me this isn't true. Over at the weblog Blue Sky Disney, a poster claims that the resculpted head for Lincoln to be used in the refurbed "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" was OUTSOURCED. In other words, NOT created by WDI. Here's the exact post:

I'm not sure about Tim, but I can contribute a few facts about Valeries departure.

So the new Lincoln head for "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" was outsourced. It was something that the core team did not want, however when R&D is giving you X amount of millions of dollars on a new AA head, they feel they have say over who sculpts.... Enter Mark McConville, a street performer from Universal Studios Hollywood... You know, those people who sit up in the windows on New York Street and act like they're New Yorkers and yell at the people below.

You might ask, what's that have to do with sculpting? Well, turns out he's friends with one of the guys at R&D. Some have said he's friends with Phil Jackson at R&D. If that's true, then Phil brought him in to sculpt Lincoln...

at :57 you can see Mark sculpting Lincoln...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdxMfRWHDqE&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - Making the US Presidents, D23 Expo 2009[/ame]

Also, at D23, this new "sculptor" seemed to have another role... as PUSH the talking Trash Can.

Here he is performing "PUSH" [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTtupOYaxEI"]YouTube - Toddler vs Talking Trashcan at Disney D23[/ame]
You can see him clearly at :29

On his myspace page, he bio reads: Mark McConville is an actor/improviser/musician based in Los Angeles, California. He honed his skills in Madison, Wisconsin, with the legendary and sadly defunct ComedySportz Madison in the late 90's. Currently, Mark is performing in several different improv and comedy groups in LA- Opening Night at IO West, ComedySportz LA, Mix at National Comedy Theater, Disney Entertainment Productions and more. Mark is also a contributor to Superego, America's premier absurdist podcast.

Weird, no mention of sculptor.

This is how WDI is now run. If you know somebody, you're in. Doesn't matter if you have talent. Doesn't matter if you've been there for 30 years. Doesn't matter if you knew John Hench and know Blaine Gibson...

And MarkTwain, you're right... This is a Rasulo thing! However, it's also an Iger thing. Bob doesn't care about the parks, he's too busy building his empire. The fact that Disney has a legacy and a following only annoys him further. And Rasulo doesn't care what happens in the parks, he's just wanting to make a few bucks. I have a friend who met him in the early 80's when he first came to Disneyland. She asked him what his favorite attraction was. His reply was "Disneyland's a cash cow, you milk her 'til she's dry."

So for Jay, it doesn't matter if he destroys everything in the process, he'll continue to push people out until WDI is built of people who are only looking at projects from a money point of view... No passion, no pride, no legacy.

Walt's name should be removed immediately from WDI's front door.

I'm telling you guys, I was seething as I read this. The above post was referring to the, um, retirement of two people who worked for WDI. People who had worked there for many years. One of whom was apparently involved with D23. And now they're gone. Pushed out, apparently.

What is happening with Walt's company????

[Alex E]

Re: Lincoln gets outsourced?

(edit: I thought) the whole figure was outsourced.

And "Doesn't matter if you have talent."?
While his bio said nothing about sculpting, if he couldn't do the job, they wouldn't have hired him.

[disneylandfan95]

Re: Lincoln gets outsourced?

I believe that the entire figure was bulit in WDI. At the D23 expo, I heard one of the workers in the Parks and Resorts Pavillion saying that although the last few AAs have been outsourced, Lincoln was entirely built inside WDI.

[FI183]

Re: Lincoln gets outsourced?

OMG I saw that guy at the expo! I really cannot believe whats happening! I am so angry I can barely type! This is just not right! How can these people be in charge! This is not Disney! It's not what it should be! It's not fair!

[disneylandfan95]

Re: Lincoln gets outsourced?

OMG I saw that guy at the expo! I really cannot believe whats happening! I am so angry I can barely type! This is just not right! How can these people be in charge! This is not Disney! It's not what it should be! It's not fair!

Yeah but I think that Lincoln firgure is built In House. Didn't Al mention it when he reported the news of the show coming back?? Maybe I am going crazy but I was SURE the figure wasn't outsourced.

[stevo505]

Re: Lincoln gets outsourced?

I don't care as long as it looks good and moves well. Let's just hope Lincoln's head doesn't fall off.

[MarkTwain]

Re: Lincoln gets outsourced?

And MarkTwain, you're right... This is a Rasulo thing!

Hey... that's me! (bows)

I'm not sure about Tim, but I can contribute a few facts about Valeries departure.

So the new Lincoln head for "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" was outsourced. It was something that the core team did not want, however when R&D is giving you X amount of millions of dollars on a new AA head, they feel they have say over who sculpts.... Enter Mark McConville, a street performer from Universal Studios Hollywood... You know, those people who sit up in the windows on New York Street and act like they're New Yorkers and yell at the people below.

You might ask, what's that have to do with sculpting? Well, turns out he's friends with one of the guys at R&D. Some have said he's friends with Phil Jackson at R&D. If that's true, then Phil brought him in to sculpt Lincoln...

at :57 you can see Mark sculpting Lincoln...

YouTube - Making the US Presidents, D23 Expo 2009

Also, at D23, this new "sculptor" seemed to have another role... as PUSH the talking Trash Can.

Here he is performing "PUSH" YouTube - Toddler vs Talking Trashcan at Disney D23
You can see him clearly at :29

On his myspace page, he bio reads: Mark McConville is an actor/improviser/musician based in Los Angeles, California. He honed his skills in Madison, Wisconsin, with the legendary and sadly defunct ComedySportz Madison in the late 90's. Currently, Mark is performing in several different improv and comedy groups in LA- Opening Night at IO West, ComedySportz LA, Mix at National Comedy Theater, Disney Entertainment Productions and more. Mark is also a contributor to Superego, America's premier absurdist podcast.

Weird, no mention of sculptor.

This is how WDI is now run. If you know somebody, you're in. Doesn't matter if you have talent. Doesn't matter if you've been there for 30 years. Doesn't matter if you knew John Hench and know Blaine Gibson...

And MarkTwain, you're right... This is a Rasulo thing! However, it's also an Iger thing. Bob doesn't care about the parks, he's too busy building his empire. The fact that Disney has a legacy and a following only annoys him further. And Rasulo doesn't care what happens in the parks, he's just wanting to make a few bucks. I have a friend who met him in the early 80's when he first came to Disneyland. She asked him what his favorite attraction was. His reply was "Disneyland's a cash cow, you milk her 'til she's dry."

So for Jay, it doesn't matter if he destroys everything in the process, he'll continue to push people out until WDI is built of people who are only looking at projects from a money point of view... No passion, no pride, no legacy.

Walt's name should be removed immediately from WDI's front door.

I'm sorry but as detailed as this anonymous poster is in his information, there are things he says that I have trouble believing. Much of it, I'm willing to bet, is true... that Valerie and Tim did not simply decide to retire, for instance, and it's been known that WDI has been outsourcing their AAs for a while now. But they have always outsourced to established, respected companies specializing in AAs, not random street performers. Abe Lincoln is, according to Al Lutz, one of the most advanced animatronics ever made, with a large part of this because of his extremely intricate facial mechanisms - apparently important enough to be a showpiece at the D23 expo. So is it really likely that they left his creation to some guy that can't even list sculpting on his resume???

And Jay Rasulo saying "Disneyland's a cash cow, you milk her 'til she's dry"... really? He may not be a Disneyland guy, but he at least has the sense to pretend he is to random guests... especially when the question is what his favorite attraction is!

I would take this one with a grain of salt.

[ttrocc7007]

Re: Lincoln gets outsourced?

I recall seeing a post, pehaps at another Disneyland fan site that had a link to the firm that made the updated animatronic figures (they haven't actually been audio animatronic in many years) for POTC As I recall, the same company did similar work for other companies, includiing the big King Kong for Universal. That post had a link to the company where they had sample clips of some of their work, one of which was the pirate auctioneer going through his paces without his wardrobe. It was kinda scarey! I bet dark Beer knows the firm I'm talking about. He's as knowledgable as one can be. I have no doubt the ol' Honest Abe has been outsourced.

[stevo505]

Re: Lincoln gets outsourced?

I recall seeing a post, pehaps at another Disneyland fan site that had a link to the firm that made the updated animatronic figures (they haven't actually been audio animatronic in many years) for POTC As I recall, the same company did similar work for other companies, includiing the big King Kong for Universal. That post had a link to the company where they had sample clips of some of their work, one of which was the pirate auctioneer going through his paces without his wardrobe. It was kinda scarey! I bet dark Beer knows the firm I'm talking about. He's as knowledgable as one can be. I have no doubt the ol' Honest Abe has been outsourced.

Garner Holt? They recently did the new Fantasmic! dragon and the new King Kong at Universal.

[Nautilus]

Re: Lincoln gets outsourced?

No, it wasn't outsourced outside of WDI. It was done by a different sculptor other than the current (or former) WDI US president sculptor, Valerie Edwards.

[Nautilus]

Re: Lincoln gets outsourced?

As for the "craziness" going on at WDI, don't believe everything you read because you're only reading part of the story. Remember, the "Disney version" is the one you see the most and isn't true all the time. WDI isn't "collapsing" as it appears on the intenet.

[SnorkletsMom]

Re: Lincoln gets outsourced?

I knew the dragon was outsourced. I don't know if that is related to, or the cause of, the problems they had. But outsourcing is, unfortunately, standard for most companies.

As for nepotism...in the entertainment industry? REEEAAAALLLYYYY??? :-)
Of course it's who you know. But an actor who is hired to be a sculptor and can't sculpt will soon find himself out of work, nepotism or not.

I have no problem believing Rasulo sees DL as a cash cow. But I don't believe he'd finish the thought in the manner stated above. At least not out loud.

[color]

Re: Lincoln gets outsourced?

Everyone needs to calm down - WDI is just fine.

But, it should also be noted that Mermaid's animatronic (with the exception of Ariel) will be produced by Garner Holt. Yes, the same people who built the new Fantasmic! dragon. Why? They had the lowest bid.

[ttrocc7007]

Re: Lincoln gets outsourced?

Garner Holt? .

I took a look at their site, it looks familiar but the fim clips are no longer there.

[The Forbidden Eye]

Re: Lincoln gets outsourced?

I don't care as long as it looks good and moves well. Let's just hope Lincoln's head doesn't fall off.

ROFL :lol:

Hopefully it doens't happen, or we will soon doubt WDI's ability to make AA's.

I could imagine the head falling off and a John Wilkes Booth Actor comes on stage and says "Sic Semper Tyrannis!" and runs off.