What do you think about Jim Hill?

[karlsen]

I have read a lot of articles over some time now on the Jim Hill Media website and I have usualy loved to read them.

But lately I have found some odd things that keep apairing. It might be just me, since I am from Norway and I am used to many diffrent things then Americans and that is why I am asking here.

All his articles does always include quotes from "Said one Disney studio official (who asked not to be named)". I can understand that lots of them needs to be unknown because this is info that they should not give out but over some time he has had no named sources at all that I can remember.

Then there are the quotes itself. They always include his name in them. An example that has been used several times are: "Absolutely no one saw this coming, Jim." Is it normal in America to always include the name of those you speak to in your sentences?

I do not doubt that this guy knows a lot, that I can see. He may also have several contacts within the Disney corperation, I am wondering about if he is just making some parts up to make a little greater articles?

What do you think?

[Maerj]

I agree with you...he does know SOME things, but there is a pattern to the information he releases.

For example, check out how many times he's gotten emails from disgruntled Disney employees. Every email is written in a similar manner, almost as though they were written by the same person. I think that's because they are, they are written by him in my opinion.

My biggest complaint is the lack of credentials. Just who is this guy? No one has ever been able to answer this simple question. Also, if you are not online, you have never heard of him. His influence seems to only be on the internet and anyone can start a website these days. So, until I get further information, I will still occaisonally read his articles, but I take them all with a grain of salt.

[swray1024]

I used to read some of his articles, but have lost the website. Can someone post what it is, so I can take a look again? Thanks...Seemed that it had some good info in it, but there definitely were patterns that I seemed to notice.

[Escapay]

http://www.jimhillmedia.com

[2099net]

Jim Hills all right. And there's no smoke without fire.

But never believe anything self-published on the internet 100%.

[DDMAN26]

It's a decent website. I like it when he sticks more to the Disney side of the things. One thing I noticed when an unnamed Disney artist, exec sends him an e-mail the phrase "See Jim you have to understand" will appear in some form.

[karlsen]

It's a decent website. I like it when he sticks more to the Disney side of the things. One thing I noticed when an unnamed Disney artist, exec sends him an e-mail the phrase "See Jim you have to understand" will appear in some form.

So you do belive what he writes, and then that all Disney artists and exec use that same term every time?

I have also noticed that he was realy exited when Leonard Maltin wrote him an email once. Maltin was comenting on the rumors that Jim Hill was talking about when he wrote that a "studio insider" had told him that the delay of the treasures was all about erasing Roy from it.

Maltin wrote that this was not true at all, and that the delay was all about the vendor problem.

If Jim was such an insider to Disney I should not think that Maltin would be such a stranger to him. The most fun part was even that Maltin did not email him directly, but thru another. Maybee that was so Jim should not get his email address?

[Kram Nebuer]

It is from Jim Hill that I learned about Project Gemini and other stuff, but otherwise I don't go to his site anymore. At random times the webpage reloads by itself. Also I must've sent him 5 e-mails with Disney related questions for his reader questions column. Now I understand he could be very busy, but still he didn't answer a single one of them ! That's why you see my presence at this wonderful forum!

[Athena]

If Jim was such an insider to Disney I should not think that Maltin would be such a stranger to him. The most fun part was even that Maltin did not email him directly, but thru another. Maybee that was so Jim should not get his email address?

I think that you can be an insider without knowing everyone in the industry... or on the flipside, you can be completely outside the industry and have "known" people contact you for no apparent reason... the site I run is only a hobby site, but I've had voice actors and other crew emailing me asking for corrections in the information on the site... people that this lowly little animation student would never have had contact with otherwise.

At any rate, like someone has already said, never take anything you see on the Internet as absolute truth... even something you see on a corporate site or even SaveDisney.com (which I proudly support)... everyone has an agenda and that means you may not be seeing the entire story no matter how good or bad their intentions might be.

[swray1024]

Thanks for the website. I look forward to some reading!

[DDMAN26]

Karlsen wrote:

"So you do belive what he writes, and then that all Disney artists and exec use that same term every time?"

Not necessarily I just happened to notice the phrase in a few of his recent articles when he posted them. I probably didn't have time to edit because I'm posting at work.

[Jack]

Jim Hills all right. And there's no smoke without fire.

But never believe anything self-published on the internet 100%.

Ditto. That's exactly what I feel.

[MickeyMouseboy]

::Cough:: LOSER ::Cough::

[Jack]

::Cough:: LOSER ::Cough::

Who's more of a loser: the loser, or the loser who calls the loser a loser?

[karlsen]

and the topic whent of topic.

Please just respond in good maners to the question, please

[MickeyMouseboy]

::Cough:: LOSER ::Cough::

Who's more of a loser: the loser, or the loser who calls the loser a loser?

The Loser who's doesnt know he's a loser and the loser that calls a loser to the loser who called him a loser

[Jules]

As for my own gripes on Jim Hill's website ...

What happened to articles about movies and animation?

All he talks about now is theme park rides! It's bloody boring! I don't want to read that stuff. I want to read on the Disney films. What happened to the regular 'Toon Tuesday' article? At best, we sometimes get a smidgeon of news from Pixar.

But Walt Disney Animation Studios are never mentioned.

[PrincePhillipFan]

What happened to articles about movies and animation? All he talks about now is theme park rides! It's bloody boring! I don't want to read that stuff. I want to read on the Disney films.

I guess it's all just a matter of opinion. Personally, I love reading the articules on the Disney theme parks, Universal, or Sea World since I frequently visit Orlando on vacation. Disney World to me is more than just a theme park, as it more is an experience that I love to visit, since it still to me is head and shoulders about any other park in terms of its theming and attraction experiences. It's hard to beat and find attractions as amazing in experience and detail as like Pirates Of The Caribbean or the Haunted Mansion. So any article about anything new happening at the "World" interests me plenty.

However, I agree with you too that it seems like he's taking up way too much time on discussing the theme parks. It seems like it's been forever since he discussed anything on the animated features or recent Disney movie releases. I was really surprised that when Enchanted was released, he made no article or even any mention of the movie's success or behind the scenes stories. And his recent Ollie Johnston "tribute" really turned me off in a bad way. I wish he would even out what he writes rather than focus on one or the other. If it wasn't for Floyd Norman's terrific articles, there'd be hardly any mention of Disney animation or movies recently.

[Jules]

I guess my feelings are rooted in the fact that I've never visited a theme park, hence I don't care for the articles. How selfish!

You hit the jackpot on mentioning Floyd Norman, because it's true - he's the one who keeps the website alive (in terms of Disney movie content, at least) And now, Floyd has his own blog too!

http://web.mac.com/floydnorman/Site_2/Blog/Blog.html

[PrincePhillipFan]

I guess my feelings are rooted in the fact that I've never visited a theme park, hence I don't care for the articles. How selfish!

I'm a huge Disney theme park fan, especially with the older classic Walt-era rides like Pirates Of The Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, and the Fantasyland dark rides. I think unless you've actually been to a Disney theme park, you don't realize just how impressive and immersive they can be. Like you're actually stepping into one of the Disney films or in a realistic environment like an 17th century Caribbean town or a haunted Victorian mansion. Another big reason why I love attractions like the Haunted Mansion and Pirates so much is that there are so many great gags and character designs created by great former animators/turned Imagineers like Marc Davis. Sorry, now I feel like I'm just rambling needlessly.

Thanks for posting the link to Floyd Norman's blog! I had no idea that he had one and figured he only did articles on Jim Hill. I especially love reading his stories about what it was like to work on the films like Sleeping Beauty, The Sword In The Stone, and The Jungle Book.

To me though, lately, Jim has just been really cynical and rude on the site, and I've noticed it growing only bigger over time. Especially through his articles on Pixar and wasting his "tribute" on Ollie Johnston by bashing what others might say about it instead of talking about the great man himself. I think the only reason I go to the site anymore is just to read Floyd Norman's articles or Ron Schneider's columns on the Golden Horseshoe.