We at ABIL Solutions are all about fantasy and magic—working to turn routine business plans and presentations into things enchanting and wonderful through our own brand of Creative Anarchy. So, it’s only natural that, when we think about St. Patrick’s Day, our thoughts turn to someone who had a special connection not only to that particular holiday, but also to the lore and myth attached to the Emerald Isle itself. We’re talking about Walt Disney and a then little-known film he released in 1959
The blending of film and folklore
There was always a special connection between Walt Disney’s family and Ireland though the original European branch of the family lived in other lands as well. But in 1834, Walt’s great-grandfather left Ireland for America with his family, bringing the legends of Leprechauns and other Irish folk tales along on the trip! When Walt Disney later founded Disney Studios in Southern California, he vowed that he would bring those stories to life in one of his films. In the late 1940s, the initial concept developed that would eventually become an endearing—though previously rarely seen—picture in the long line of Disney classic films.
This film would certainly draw inspiration from the general mythology of Irish fairies and “wee folk.” The main thrust of the story came from two books by Irish-born author Herminie Templeton Kavanagh: Darby O’Gill and the Good People and Ashes of Old Wishes and Other Darby O’Gill Tales. These would supply Walt with the authentic Old World feel, and he would employ his vast creative force of movie magicians to make the tale come alive. By this time Disney, who was known early on for his amazing advances in the art of animation, was also famous for making many ground-breaking live-action films like the visual effects epic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and the sentimental favorite Old Yeller. He was about to take on an even bigger effects project with his new film, now called Darby O’Gill and the Little People.
Productions on a grand scale!
While Darby O’Gill and the Little People looked like it was filmed on location, the truth is far different. The film was almost entirely shot at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank in Southern California; with special effects and “matte paintings” recreating the vistas of the Irish countryside. A young Sean Connery (about two years before he became James Bond) and Janet Munro (who would later reappear in Disney’s Swiss Family Robinson) would handle the love interests, veteran actor Albert Sharpe would portray Darby O’Gill, and Jimmy O’Dea would turn in a marvelous performance as Brian, the King of the Leprechauns.
With CGI effects still the stuff of dreams, Walt had his technicians use every camera trick in the book to pull off his vision of Irish blarney and whimsy. Tried and true methods were mixed with newer advancements as the Disney Imagineers carefully planned each shot and storyboarded each effect. Much use was made of a very simple technique called “forced perspective” that had been in use in the theater and early films for years. This was a procedure where objects closer to the audience would appear larger or normal sized, while objects farther away were seen as smaller. When shot with special camera lenses (and lit with care), this technique could seamlessly blend sections of the frame in uniform sharp focus to make men appear as giants or even tiny Leprechauns. But Walt took the process to the next level, having his wizards blend many sections together so that a huge Darby O’Gill could interact freely with the “wee ones” in the same picture frame. The process had never been done on such a grand scale, and the effect for the viewer was nothing short of magical!
While forced perspective was used to create a sense of wonder, other camera tricks were employed on the film to create other marvels. Two of these were of the more frightening variety, presenting a ghostly hearse with spectral horses and the fearsome image of the legendary Irish demon, the Banshee! Many a childhood nightmare was brought on by the Banshee’s climatic appearance in this film, and it is a testament to the effects artists that these visuals still convince today!
The man who invented media crossover promotion
From a business standpoint, Walt Disney was constantly on the lookout for new ways to promote his products using every conceivable venue. While it would be wrong to say that Disney invented merchandising, it is clear that Walt elevated the idea of selling licenses for toys, foods, records and books to a higher plane—as anyone who has raised a child in the last hundred years can attest! While other movie studios had been making short promotional films for years, Walt would again raise the bar when he started his long-running weekly TV series. In 1954, he honed his cross-promotional skills when his three-part mini-series telling of the story of Davy Crockett became TV’s first genuine phenomenon, as well as his Emmy Award-winning behind-the-scenes episode that showed the making of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. This was totally retooling cross-business promotions in a bold and amusing style, and as a business/artist, Walt continually reinvented every medium he employed!
But, for Darby O’Gill and the Little People, Walt pulled out all the stops. He created an episode called—fancifully enough—“I captured the King of the Leprechauns” in which he was convinced by actor Pat O’Brien that King Brian of the Leprechauns was actually living in Ireland, and that Walt should track him down for an interview. The episode would find Walt and Darby O’Gill actor Albert Sharpe visiting “Ireland” (actually the sets from the film on the Disney soundstages) to “interview” King Brian. Using the same eye-popping forced perspective technique, Disney and Sharpe would try to convince King Brian to come to Hollywood and would also show clips from the feature film to excite TV audiences into buying a ticket to see it on the big screen.
Keep in mind, that this visionary approach to promoting the business of making and selling Disney films, came long before the popularity of present day “Making of” features so prominent on DVDs and the Internet. Remember, it is that rare company that blazes new trails that succeeds, and this descendant of Irish immigrants was the one who wrote the book on mixing illusion and business into a successful blend that is still amazing millions to this day.
Learning from past branding for an exciting future!
So, it doesn’t matter if you are a large company or a smaller start-up—or even if you are Irish at all! Take the time during your enjoyment of Irish Stew or corned beef and cabbage this St. Patty’s Day to remember this one man who totally reimagined how to promote his business and turned his dreams into one of the most successful branded franchises in entertainment history.
Then, consider how ABIL Solutions might be able to help you with your websites, blogs, training manuals, or promotional and educational videos. We draw our inspiration from the past as well as the future—and count Walt Disney and his band of Imagineers as a primary source for inspiration! Happy St. Patrick’s Day from all of us at ABIL Solutions!