Notably Disney

Composer Pinar Toprak has brought one of the mightiest Marvel heroes to electrifying light with her score for 2019’s $1 billion hit Captain Marvel, and last year illuminated a rainstorm with dazzling soulfulness and jazz with composing the vibrant Disney animated short Us Again. She’s a truly versatile composer who is making her mark on Hollywood and beyond, including for the forthcoming Sandra Bullock film The Lost City and current television series Stargirl. On this episode of Notably Disney, host Brett Nachman interviews Pinar Toprak to learn more about her musical trajectory and work for The Walt Disney Company.

Follow Pinar on Instagram (@pinartoprakcomposer) and Twitter (@pinartoprak). Check out Pinar's website to learn more about her composing credits.

Feel free to follow Brett on Twitter (@bnachmanreports), subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected]

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of every month.

This is a special episode of Notably Disney with the filmmakers behind Howard!

Joining me on Notably Disney is the team behind the spectacular, raw, and evocative documentary about one of the most beloved lyricists and an instrumental figure in Disney music and animation history. Howard, which just debuted on Disney+ after its initial premiere in 2018, focuses on the life of the late Howard Ashman, responsible for some of our favorite Disney ditties. I welcome on Don Hahn, Howard’s director, producer, and writer, and Lori Korngiebel, also a producer on Howard, to discuss the making of the magnificent documentary. Some of Don and Lori's previous projects include Waking Sleeping Beauty and Maleficent. Don was a producer on Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, as well as has authored many books, including Yesterday's Tomorrow: Disney's Magical Mid-Century and The Alchemy of Animation: Making an Animated Film in the Modern Age. Lori has been involved in a number of films over the past two decades, including as a post-production supervisor on John Carter, The Finest Hours and Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

Follow Don Hahn on Twitter (@DonHahn), Instagram (@don.hahn), and his website (DonHahn.com). Lean more about Lori Korngiebl on her IMDB page.

Check out more about Howard on the film's website. Watch it now on Disney+!

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter @bnachmanreports, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected]

New episodes of Notably Disney typically debut on the first and third Tuesday each month.

Author and podcaster Aaron Wallace, host of On Main Street with Aaron Wallace (formerly known as Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod), joins me as we continue exploring Epcot with the Epcot Essentials series. On this episode, we highlight many of the books that have given great context to the history, evolution and behind-the-scenes perspectives of the community-turned-theme park. Aaron represents a valuable voice in this conversation as both a Disney expert and author on Epcot himself, having written The Thinking Fan's Guide to Walt Disney World: Epcot!

Among the books we discuss are the titles below.

• Walt Disney's Epcot Center (Richard Beard)
• The Epcot Explorer's Encyclopedia (R.A. Pedersen)
• Walt Disney and the Promise of Progress City (Sam Gennawey)
• Project Future: The Inside Story Behind the Creation of Walt Disney World (Chad Emerson)
• Since the World Began (Jeff Kurtti)
• Building a Dream: The Art of Disney Architecture (Beth Dunlop)
• Realityland (David Koenig)
• Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Look at Making the Magic Real
• Marking the Millennium: The Celebration of a Lifetime at the Walt Disney World Resort
• The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot

Get in contact with Aaron Wallace by following him on Twitter (@aaronwallace), Instagram (@aaronhwallace), and on his website www.aaronwallaceonline.com.

His books, including The Thinking Fan's Guide to Walt Disney World: Epcot, can be ordered on his website and Amazon

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter @bnachmanreports, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected]

New episodes of Notably Disney typically debut on the first and third Tuesday each month; in October 2019, new episodes premiere each Tuesday!

Author Christopher Merritt has been a Disney Imagineer since 1996, and most recently co-wrote Marc Davis in His Own Words: Imagineering the Disney Theme Parks with Pete Docter (Director, Monsters, Inc., Up, Inside Out). On this episode of Notably Disney, Chris discusses with Brett Nachman the process of developing a massive, two-volume set of books about Marc's life once he became a Disney Imagineer. Within this fantastic tome is hundreds of drawings, paintings and other pieces of art composed by Marc during his two-decade career with Walt Disney Imagineering. Each chapter covers a different attraction or concept, such as Pirates of the Caribbean and it's a small world. Chris shares the special relationship he shared with Marc and the mentorship he received from him as a budding animator. Also significantly, Chris talks about the major undertaking of translating decades of work into a one-of-a-kind book, and how it took a team of folks from Disney and beyond to gather the amazing material featured in the final product.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter @bnachmanreports, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback at [email protected]

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

On May 25, 2024 the world lost a legendary songwriter emblematic of the term Disney Legend. Richard M. Sherman, who, with his brother Robert, wrote some of the most beloved songs of the 20th century and into the 21st century, too, passed away at the age of 95. It’s almost impossible to sum up Richard’s life and legacy in the span of a few sentences, or even over this conversation, though I want to create space to honor a man whose music and spirit will continue to illuminate our lives for generations to come. On this episode of Notably Disney, host Brett Nachman is joined by two individuals who knew, wrote about, and worked with Richard over the years. Author Jeff Kurtti is a celebrated Disney author who has written several dozen books about various facets of Disney. Central to this dialogue, he is the co-producer of The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story documentary and an editor on the Walt’s Time: From Before to Beyond book about the Sherman Brothers. Author Jim Fanning is an accomplished Disney author of many books, including the recent Drawing 100 Years of Disney Wonder, and has over the years crafted many articles, videos, and other pieces of writing about the Sherman Brothers’ work. Jeff and Jim share their memories of Richard Sherman, including some incredible anecdotes and facts that illustrate the songwriter's creativity and kindness.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Twitter/X @bnachmanreports, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected]

New episodes of the podcast debut on the first and third Tuesday of every month.