About
"Walt Disney was a man who knew what he wanted and pointed the way he wanted it to be. Some producer told him 'But I've never done this before, Walt.' He said, 'Well, now's the time to find out if you can.' And it was. If you didn't find out, you'd find out that you didn't have a job!"
In his hour-long interview, Peter Ellenshaw (1913-2007) describes his long association with the Walt Disney Studios where he became a preeminent matte artist. He discusses the craft of the matte artist and how a matte is incorporated into a film. He talks about Disney's foray into television with the Disneyland series, and mentions his work on such segments of the show as Davy Crockett. B-roll consists of Ellenshaw voicing-over descriptions of mattes done for various projects, as well as a few photos from his Disney years. In a thirty-minute interview conducted with his son, Harrison Ellenshaw, Harrison talks about his father as well as the work that he has done as a special effects artist in his own right, which includes the feature film Star Wars. Karen Herman conducted the interview on September 11, 2003 in Santa Barbara, CA.
Highlights
Peter Ellenshaw on helping to create Disneyland and drawing the famous map of the park
Peter Ellenshaw on working as a matte artist for the Disney feature film "Treasure Island"
Peter Ellenshaw on working on the feature "Mary Poppins"
Peter Ellenshaw on working as a matte artist on Davy Crockett
Harrison Ellenshaw on the opening of Disneyland
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on his early interest in film; on his mentor; on getting his start as a matte artist on features in England
On coming to America and working on the Disney feature film "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea"; on helping to create Disneyland with Walt Disney; on the Disney style
Chapter 2
On working on Davy Crockett; on the craft of matte painting; on working on the feature "Mary Poppins"
On his then-current work; on his painting style; on advice to aspiring painters and how he'd like to be remembered
Chapter 3
On B-roll photographs from his career- in front of his map of Disneyland; matte painting of New Orleans for Davy Crockett; in his Disney studio with Walt Disney; with Walt Disney, Buddy Ebsen and Fess Parker; Walt Disney with Davy Crockett painting; in Monument Valley; a cyclorama camera; matte painting for the feature film "Spartacus"; caricature of Peter Ellenshaw
On his early life and influences; on his early memories of television; on the opening of Disneyland
On his father's work on Davy Crockett; on his father's work on Zorro; on following in his father's footsteps and becoming a matte artist
Chapter 4
On following in his father's footsteps; on his feature film career; on working with George Lucas on "Star Wars"
On working on Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys; on how visual effects have changed since he started; on his father's legacy and advice to aspiring visual effects professional
Shows
Davy Crockett
Peter Ellenshaw on working as a matte artist on Davy Crockett
Harrison Ellenshaw on his father working on Davy Crockett
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Harrison Ellenshaw on working on Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Xena: Warrior Princess
Harrison Ellenshaw on working on Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Zorro
Harrison Ellenshaw on his father working on Zorro
Topics
Advice
Peter Ellenshaw on advice to aspiring artists
Harrison Ellenshaw on advice for aspiring visual effects professionals
Creative Influences and Inspiration
Peter Ellenshaw on his early interest in film and his mentor
Harrison Ellenshaw on following in his father's footsteps as a matte artist
Harrison Ellenshaw on following in his father's footsteps and becoming a matte artist
Harrison Ellenshaw on comparing his and his father's work and his father's legacy
Television Industry
Peter Ellenshaw on advice to aspiring artists
Peter Ellenshaw on how effects have changed since he started in the business
Harrison Ellenshaw on how visual effects have changed since he began working
Harrison Ellenshaw on advice for aspiring visual effects professionals
Professions
Art Director/Set Decorator
Peter Ellenshaw on the craft of matte painting
Peter Ellenshaw on his style and the tools he used
Peter Ellenshaw on advice to aspiring artists
Harrison Ellenshaw on his father's style and the way he worked
Harrison Ellenshaw on advice for aspiring visual effects professionals
Designers
Peter Ellenshaw on his early duties at a studio and learning his painting technique
Peter Ellenshaw on the craft of matte painting
Peter Ellenshaw on his style and the tools he used
Peter Ellenshaw on advice to aspiring artists
Harrison Ellenshaw on his father's style and the way he worked
Harrison Ellenshaw on advice for aspiring visual effects professionals
Genres
Adventure/Espionage Series
Harrison Ellenshaw on his father working on Zorro
Western Series
Peter Ellenshaw on working as a matte artist on Davy Crockett
Harrison Ellenshaw on his father working on Davy Crockett
People
Walt Disney
Peter Ellenshaw on Walt Disney's involvement in the day-to-day operations of the studio
Peter Ellenshaw on Walt Disney's involvement in his matte painting
Peter Ellenshaw on the death of Walt Disney and its effect on the studio
Harrison Ellenshaw on the opening of Disneyland
Peter Ellenshaw
Harrison Ellenshaw on his childhood memories of his father's career
Harrison Ellenshaw on his father's style and the way he worked
Harrison Ellenshaw on the opening of Disneyland
Harrison Ellenshaw on his father working on Davy Crockett
Harrison Ellenshaw on his father working on Zorro
Harrison Ellenshaw on following in his father's footsteps as a matte artist
Harrison Ellenshaw on following in his father's footsteps and becoming a matte artist
Harrison Ellenshaw on comparing his and his father's work and his father's legacy
Harrison Ellenshaw on his father's work on the feature "Spartacus"
George Lucas
Harrison Ellenshaw on working with George Lucas on "Star Wars"
Fess Parker
Peter Ellenshaw on working as a matte artist on Davy Crockett