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I want people to graduate from there really able to do things. I don't want a lot of theorists. I want to have a school that turns out people that know all the facts of filmaking, I want them to be capable of doing anything needed to make a film - photograph it, direct it, design it, animate it, record it, whatever. That's what I want. Heck, I've hired theorists, and they don't have any knowledge I can use. I want to have everyone in that school come out capable of going in and doing a job. These dilettantes who come out with pseudo-knowledge, they give me a pain. I want it so if an actor is needed, they can get an actor right out of school. If a musician is needed, they can go to the music department and find a musicians who can compose music. **On CALarts (California Institute of the Arts)

Walt Disney#99

EducationFilmSkillsTraining

About this quote

What does it mean?
Disney wants CALarts to produce capable practitioners, not theorists. He values skills like animation and directing over pseudo-knowledge.
In plain terms
Education should focus on practical skills that get people hired.
What can you take from it?
Focus education on practical job skills.

Where it applies

  • school planning
  • hiring
  • curriculum design

Putting it to work

  • teach practical skills
  • hire capable staff
  • avoid theory

Questions to consider

  • Do you prefer theory or practice?
  • What skills are most useful?

Another view

Theory often provides necessary context for practice.

More from Walt Disney

  1. I try to build a full personality for each of our cartoon characters - to make them personalities.

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  2. I was doing Sorcerer's Apprentice with Mickey Mouse and I happened to have dinner on night with Leopold Stokowski. And Stokowski said, 'Oh, I'd love to conduct…

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  3. I take great pride in the artistic development of cartoons. Our characters are made to go through emotions which a few short years ago would have seemed imposs…

    Permalink to quote #97

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