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Disney's folly cost $1.5 million
A risky bet
No one had ever made a feature-length animated film, and Roy Disney tried to talk his brother out of it, certain it would bankrupt the studio. The money came from a series of loans from Bank of America. Walt's rule was no compromise on money, talent, or time, because audiences might or might not go for a cartoon feature but would certainly not buy a bad one.
How it was made
At its peak the project employed 750 artists, who produced 2 million sketches and 250,000 finished drawings and cels. The budget works out to about $35 million in today's money. Actors were hired to play every role in full costume and filmed so the animators could study natural motion. The actress playing Snow White wore a hair helmet, since the drawn character's proportions differed from a real woman's.
The payoff
The film premiered in Hollywood on December 21, 1937, and became the highest-grossing film ever made to that point, with $8 million in rental revenue on the $1.5 million cost. The Academy created a special award for it because the category was so new: one full-size Oscar with seven small ones below it. Walt went on to win 26 Academy Awards, and the next highest total is 13.
Why film actors before animating them?
Live-action reference let animators study weight, balance, and timing in real movement. Disney animators drew from the footage as a guide and exaggerated the motion. The rotoscope, which Max Fleischer patented in 1917, traced footage frame by frame. The reference footage also helped artists draw believable clothing and gestures.
Why did Hollywood doubt a feature-length cartoon?
Cartoons in the 1920s and 1930s ran about seven minutes and played before the main feature. Exhibitors doubted that audiences would sit through well over an hour of drawings. Bright color animation was also thought to strain the eyes. Snow White runs about 83 minutes.
How did the Academy honor Snow White?
At the 1939 ceremony, the Academy gave Walt an honorary award for the film. It took the form of one full-size statuette and seven miniature ones. Child actress Shirley Temple presented it. The film had no competitive category to enter.
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