By the end of the 1930s, the Walt Disney Studio employed over 1,000 people and had completely outgrown its facilities on Hyperion Avenue in North Los Angeles. In 1939 the company purchased a large tract of land in Burbank and began to construct a new, state-of-the-art studio, while also moving some of its existing buildings from Hyperion to the new location. News of Disney’s move spurred real estate and commercial development, as other businesses sought to align themselves with one of the country’s favorite filmmakers. Drawing on extensive primary research in local historical societies and newspapers, in labor history archives, and in contemporary business and technical magazines, I will analyze the design and construction of the new studio, the implications for animation production at Disney, and the impact of the new facility on Burbank itself.
Disney’s move to Burbank was not just about expansion, but about reorganization. The physical organization of the new studio reinforced the hierarchical labor processes at Disney, with separate buildings dedicated to animation, ink and paint, camera photography, and administration. The plant’s design and amenities drew comparisons with college campuses, reinforcing the image of the studio as a place for enjoyment as well as work.
While it created an almost fantasy environment for production, the design of the new studio also exemplified the increasingly corporate structure of the company. Though the new buildings sported the most modern conveniences, they increased the distance between various groups of employees and between employees and Walt Disney himself. Employees cited the physical division of work within the studio as one of the reasons for the 1941 strike that tarnished Walt Disney’s image. This paper explores Disney's new Burbank studio, not only as an architectural feat and production environment, but as a symbol of changing perceptions of animation among the public.