Leslie Iwerks Explores Disney's Themed Entertainment in New Documentary
Leslie Iwerks' new documentary 'Disney Worldbuilders' explores the intersection of creativity and Disney's theme parks. As a documentarian, Iwerks has a personal connection to the Walt Disney Company, with her grandfather Ub Iwerks co-creating Mickey Mouse and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit with Walt Disney.
The film chronicles a handful of executives and creative elites as they watch their on-screen worlds come to life in physical space within Disney's parks. These individuals include Pete Docter, Jon Favreau, Jennifer Lee, Jared Bush, Kevin Feige, and James Cameron.
Iwerks notes that the idea for 'Worldbuilders' came from her research for 'Disneyland Handcrafted,' where she stumbled upon a photo of Walt Disney riding one of his own rides at Disneyland with children. She wanted to know what it felt like for modern-day storytellers to see their creations in physical space.
Iwerks spent several months filming the documentary, visiting various parks and interviewing the featured individuals. She aimed to capture the creative process behind bringing these worlds to life and the passion that drives these storytellers.