Disney’s Multiplane Camera: A Pioneering Innovation in Film Technology

The Walt Disney Family Museum, located in the Presidio of San Francisco, is a treasure trove of rare artifacts and memorabilia from the life and career of Walt Disney. Among these treasures is the Multiplane Camera, a revolutionary piece of film technology that played a crucial role in animation history. The camera was invented in 1937 by Disney’s Bill Garity and allowed animators to isolate different elements of a scene by background, mid-ground, and foreground, creating more depth and complexity in their work.

Before the invention of the Multiplane Camera, animation was limited to two dimensions. This groundbreaking device was used in every Disney feature film up until “The Little Mermaid” in 1989, maintaining its status as the pinnacle of animation technology for over five decades. One of the most impressive uses of the Multiplane Camera was in the opening sequence of the 1940 film “Pinocchio.” This shot involved intricate details like the chiming of a bell, birds in flight, and children flowing out of a village school. The camera required multiple operators, with one person climbing a ladder attached to the rig to control it from above.

The placement of the Multiplane Camera at The Walt Disney Family Museum required careful planning, as the museum had to adjust its layout to accommodate the large device. Visitors to