The Multiplane Camera Adventure

We love animation, we always have. We grew up reading comic books and watching cartoons. As we got older and learned how our favorite cartoons were made we found out that it was so much more than just doodles on paper and then filmed. Especially when you jump into the animation history of Walt Disney. Mr. Disney was not satisfied with doing the same as everyone else, he wanted to push the envelope, leave a lasting impression. So when it came time to make his first animated motion picture, Snow White, he used something no one else was using...A Multiplane Camera. The first multiplane camera was created in 1933 by Walt Disney Studios director/animator Ub Iwerks, and he created it with parts of an old car.

​The one used for Snow White was created in 1937 and could take up to seven layers of artwork, oils painted on glass. The camera uses those layers of flat artwork and with a camera shooting down it creates a three-dimensional image. And like magic you have a hit movie and Oscar for your shelf. 

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We saw our first Multiplane Camera at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco CA. It was impressive, almost like seeing a unicorn. The museum is also where we learned the history of Walt's animation process. It was also at the WDFM that we learned there are only three Multiplane Cameras left in existence. So of course we set out on the adventure to see them all!

The Multiplane Camera at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco

The first Multiplane Camera is located in the Gift Shop at the Walt Disney Family Museum. It's on display for all to see and it's beautiful. You don't have to pay admission to the museum to see this one, it's free. We would totally suggest visiting the museum however. It's a Disney lovers dream! 

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The Multiplane Camera at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank 

​The second Multiplane Camera is located at the Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank CA. Now this is a closed location as it is a working studio but we saved our Disney Movie Reward points, 25,000 of them, and did the tour. It was well worth it! We got to see this beauty located in the Frank. G Wells building, it's just around the corner from the Walt Disney Archives. I believe D23 members get occasional tours as well, so it's worth checking into. 

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The Multiplane Camera at Walt Disney Studios in Disneyland Paris

​The final Multiplane Camera is located at the Animation Building Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris. To see this one, if you live in California like we do, takes a plane ride, a train ride and admission to the park...but you not only get to see the third Multiplane Camera, you can ride some amazing rides that are exclusive to Disneyland Paris. 

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Walking into the Walt Disney Studio Park in Disneyland Paris, not to ride the rides, but to find the last camera was like coming to the end of a quest. We were excited to know it was so close. Excited to head directly to the camera and view it in all it's glory. But at the same time a little sad to know that once we found it, the adventure was over. So of course we did ride the rides to comfort our hearts. 

Almost 7000 miles later we feel extremely fortunate to have visited and had time to spend with the last remaining multiplane cameras in existence. The fact that they played such an amazing part of Disney animation history makes them priceless on their own. The fact that they helped bring millions of smiles over the years just adds to that magic. Thank you to all the Imaginears that helped pioneer, cultivate and create the animation process over the year and for providing us an epic adventure to embark upon. 

Now off to the next adventure!