DISNEY BUYS DREAM QUEST : ANIMATION GIANT ACQUIRES SIMI-BASED FIRM KNOWN FOR UNIQUE SPECIAL EFFECTS.Byline: Deborah Adamson and Dawn Yoshitake Daily News Staff Writers Dream Quest Images Inc., an Oscar-winning visual effects studio in Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. that grew out of a garage, was purchased by entertainment giant Walt Disney Noun 1. Walt Disney - United States film maker who pioneered animated cartoons and created such characters as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck; founded Disneyland (1901-1966) Disney, Walter Elias Disney Co., company officials announced Thursday. The move strengthens Disney's in-house visual effects operations. Dream Quest, considered one of the best in its field, has won Academy Awards for its work in ``Total Recall'' and ``The Abyss'' plus an Oscar nomination for ``The Mask.'' Burbank-based Disney plans to expand its new subsidiary, and perhaps relocate it to the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . The film division will stay in Santa Monica Santa Monica (săn`tə mŏn`ĭkə), city (1990 pop. 86,905), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1886. Tourism and retailing are important, and the city has motion-picture, biotechnology, and software industries. . Dream Quest operations will not be changed, with co-founders Hoyt Yeatman and Frank Iguchi still running the company. Yeatman and Iguchi were unavailable for comment Thursday. Disney officials said the purchase is a strategic move for the company. ``This is a rapidly growing field and we are expanding in this area,'' said Ken Green, a Disney spokesman. ``We already have special effects special effects, in motion pictures, cinematographic techniques that create illusions in the audience's minds as well as the illusions created using these techniques. , but this organization is considered as somewhat pioneers in this area.'' Founded in 1979, Dream Quest began with six employees working out of a garage. Yeatman was the creative mind behind the business, while Iguchi's strength was in technology. Today, the company has 120 employees. Keith Shartle, a Dream Quest executive who's now "Who's Now" was a daily series aired during SportsCenter throughout July 2007, in which viewers helped ESPN determine the ultimate sports star by considering both on-field success and off-field buzz. senior vice president of the newly merged company, is happy to join the house that Mickey Mouse Mickey Mouse Famous character of Walt Disney's animated cartoons. He was introduced in Steamboat Willie (1928), the first animated cartoon with sound. Mickey was created by Disney, who also provided his high-pitched voice, and was usually drawn by the studio's head animator, built. ``They have wonderful projects,'' he said. ``We are really thrilled to be a part of them.'' Both companies won't disclose the purchase price. Green said it was ``not a material amount.'' Even if the acquisition was small, ``it would add a unique capability that they didn't necessarily have in-house,'' said James Goss James Goss (1974 -) was a senior content producer for the BBC and in charge of the BBC's official Doctor Who website. Originally the site was part of the Cult TV website. , an analyst at Duff & Phelps Investment Research in Chicago. ``Disney's expertise is in cel-by-cel (rendition in) full-length features.'' Bill Taylor, co-owner of Illusion Arts, a special effects company in Van Nuys, said Disney is getting one of the best companies in the business. ``It's a good opportunity for Disney to acquire a lot of cutting-edge technology and expertise,'' he said. ``Their visual effects department will get bigger instantly.'' In return, Dream Quest will have access to Disney's deep pockets - crucial in an industry in which expensive technological changes occur frequently. But Taylor, who's known Hoyt Yeatman as a film student at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX , said he was surprised that the independent-minded entrepreneur agreed to be part of the Burbank conglomerate. ``The dream of Dream Quest was to have a company where they could forge their own destiny,'' Taylor said. ``Disney must have given them the same kind of autonomy.'' CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (Color) Dream Quest Images, a Simi special effects f irm started in a garage, did work in ``The Mask.'' |
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