Dave Hand on Staging (I)

On October 13th, 1938, as the Disney studios on Hyperion Avenue was working on Pinocchio, Fantasia and Bambi, Snow White's Supervising Director Dave Hand (the "number two creative" at the studio, whom I introduced elsewhere on this blog) held a class on "Staging as Applied to Presentation of Story and Gag Ideas."

This document, found in the 6/20/39 revision of the "Story Department Reference Material," gives us a wonderful insight into Hand's experiences after Snow White. Especially his comparison to a magician's way of guiding the eye is interesting. I remember my old mentor Børge Ring teaching me similar analogies - not surprising, as he worked closely with Hand in 1950.

The second half follows tomorrow...