LOS ANGELES - The Walt Disney Co. is restructuring its studio division to emphasize blockbuster franchise films over more adult fare, a move that will mean slashing 650 jobs worldwide, the company announced Tuesday.
Among those who will lose their jobs is Disney's longtime head of live-action production, Nina Jacobsen.
The restructuring will cut Disney's output from about 18 films a year to about a dozen. Of those, about 10 will be released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner, a proven family-friendly brand that includes the successful "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise.
Disney's Touchstone label, which is responsible for more esoteric fare by artists like Joel and Ethan Coen of "Fargo" fame, will be cut back to only two or three releases a year. Recent Touchstone films have included the box-office flops "The Alamo" and "The Ladykillers."
The shift, the company explained, will allow Disney films to bolster the resources of other divisions. A hit like "Pirates of the Caribbean," for example, can spawn video games, action figures, cable TV shows and, in the case of "Pirates," give new life to an old Disney theme park attraction.
"When we do it well, the lift it gives to the entire company is so significant," Dick Cook, chairman of Walt Disney Studios told The Associated Press.
Disney also is consolidating its domestic and international marketing, distribution and home video efforts, the company said.
The shift to more Disney-branded films has been expected for some time, as have staff cutbacks resulting from a reduction in the total number of films.
Surprising, though, was the loss of Jacobsen, who has been head of live-action production for more than a decade.
"Sometimes these things just happen," Cook said. "She is a fantastic executive, very talented, great taste, very smart. She is so capable, she did so many wonderful things at Disney that will be legacies that will last for years to come."
Disney veteran Oren Aviv, president of marketing and chief creative officer of The Walt Disney Studios, was promoted to president of production. He will oversee the live-action development and film production.
Disney CEO Robert Iger had indicated previously that the company planned to pay greater attention to its Walt Disney Pictures brand.
"It becomes a much better investment for us when we make a Disney-branded film," Iger said in September. "We're not going to go out of the non-Disney-branded live-action business, but there has been a dramatic shift."
David Miller, managing director of the brokerage firm Sanders Morris Harris Group, said earlier this month that Wall Street sees the move toward more Disney-branded films as necessary if the entertainment giant wants to realize double-digit growth.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Finding Summer Jobs
Finding Summer Jobs
When school lets out for the summer, young people all over the country start looking for work. With so many people in the market, the competition for jobs is keen. Here are some suggestions that should improve your chances.
When to Start
To give yourself the best chance for jobs in private industry, start looking in the late winter or early spring. Large businesses usually have personnel offices that will take your application early. Check back with them regularly on your job prospects.
Often, you can get priority for their summer jobs by working part-time or Saturdays during the school year.
Small firms may not take applications until they are about ready to hire, but checking early will let employers know you are interested and you'll get a better idea of your prospects and the best time to apply.
Be Prepared
A useful exercise to help you plan your job search is to write down what you think you have to offer an employer — any work or volunteer experience, plus what you have learned in or out of school that may be useful on a job.
For example, being good at a craft, working around cars or machines, or helping children or working with people of all ages, ought to be listed.
Ask a teacher or counselor at school about jobs in your area, and how you can put your skills and talents to work. Your school may be able to suggest fields that are right for you.
Keep a written record on hand for job interviews — include your work experiences, names and addresses of previous employers and organizations you've done volunteer work for, and a few personal references. Teachers and adult friends are good reference choices; don't list relatives. Always ask permission first before using anyone as a reference.
Places to Check
Tell everyone you know — friends, relatives, neighborhood employers — that you want summer work, and ask if they know of any openings or will let you know if they learn of any.
Read newspaper want ads. Watch bulletin boards and factory and store windows for help-wanted signs. Check with places that usually hire summer workers — camps, resorts, playgrounds, amusement parks, plant nurseries and farms, and ice cream and soft drink companies.
Another possibility is to "fill in" for a regular employee who is on vacation. Ask at such places as business offices, stores, factories, theaters, hotels, motels and hospitals.
Start early. It may give you priority over other applicants. If your job search isn't successful at first, check back with employers two or three weeks after school is out; there may be vacancies because someone quit or didn't work out.
State government also hires summer workers, with the individual agencies deciding, in most cases, how many and when. Check with the particular agency you're interested in.
There are only a limited number of summer positions available with the federal government. Application deadlines for these positions vary from agency to agency, and applications should be sent directly to the appropriate agency. For federal job listings and further information, write the U.S. Office of Personnel Management at 175 W. Jackson Blvd., Room 519, Chicago, IL 60604.
Job Interviews
Do some advance homework on the company you're interviewing with. Ask the personnel or business office for printed material, consult an employee who works there, or check with your public library. Knowing about the company's history and jobs may help you decide what to say about yourself, and it may give a prospective employer a more favorable impression of you.
Practice interviews with a family member or friend — especially one who has been successful in getting jobs and will tell you frankly how you did in your "trial run."
Take along your work record and names of references.
Dress conservatively — in a dress or dress pants and a blouse, or in trousers and a neat shirt. Do not wear "fad" or flamboyant clothes for most jobs.
Report for your interview on time — and alone.
Answer the employer's questions honestly and briefly. Don't talk about personal matters unless you are asked. Do tell about your qualifications completely — without exaggeration. Your job is to show why the company should hire you instead of another applicant.
If your first interview does not lead to a job offer, don't be discouraged. Few people get the first job they apply for — and often not the second or third, either.
Think about each interview afterwards and decide what you did that made a good impression — and what you might do better. Then try again. (And don't knock yourself for every mistake you may have made in the interview — you'll do better with practice.)
Volunteer Work
If you don't find a job in the summer you still can do something useful with your time — and use the experience to make you a more attractive job applicant in the future.
You can work as a volunteer at a hospital, nursing home, youth center, playground, or in other community services, for example. Helping other people can be personally rewarding, while giving you more experience for a paid job in the future.
When school lets out for the summer, young people all over the country start looking for work. With so many people in the market, the competition for jobs is keen. Here are some suggestions that should improve your chances.
When to Start
To give yourself the best chance for jobs in private industry, start looking in the late winter or early spring. Large businesses usually have personnel offices that will take your application early. Check back with them regularly on your job prospects.
Often, you can get priority for their summer jobs by working part-time or Saturdays during the school year.
Small firms may not take applications until they are about ready to hire, but checking early will let employers know you are interested and you'll get a better idea of your prospects and the best time to apply.
Be Prepared
A useful exercise to help you plan your job search is to write down what you think you have to offer an employer — any work or volunteer experience, plus what you have learned in or out of school that may be useful on a job.
For example, being good at a craft, working around cars or machines, or helping children or working with people of all ages, ought to be listed.
Ask a teacher or counselor at school about jobs in your area, and how you can put your skills and talents to work. Your school may be able to suggest fields that are right for you.
Keep a written record on hand for job interviews — include your work experiences, names and addresses of previous employers and organizations you've done volunteer work for, and a few personal references. Teachers and adult friends are good reference choices; don't list relatives. Always ask permission first before using anyone as a reference.
Places to Check
Tell everyone you know — friends, relatives, neighborhood employers — that you want summer work, and ask if they know of any openings or will let you know if they learn of any.
Read newspaper want ads. Watch bulletin boards and factory and store windows for help-wanted signs. Check with places that usually hire summer workers — camps, resorts, playgrounds, amusement parks, plant nurseries and farms, and ice cream and soft drink companies.
Another possibility is to "fill in" for a regular employee who is on vacation. Ask at such places as business offices, stores, factories, theaters, hotels, motels and hospitals.
Start early. It may give you priority over other applicants. If your job search isn't successful at first, check back with employers two or three weeks after school is out; there may be vacancies because someone quit or didn't work out.
State government also hires summer workers, with the individual agencies deciding, in most cases, how many and when. Check with the particular agency you're interested in.
There are only a limited number of summer positions available with the federal government. Application deadlines for these positions vary from agency to agency, and applications should be sent directly to the appropriate agency. For federal job listings and further information, write the U.S. Office of Personnel Management at 175 W. Jackson Blvd., Room 519, Chicago, IL 60604.
Job Interviews
Do some advance homework on the company you're interviewing with. Ask the personnel or business office for printed material, consult an employee who works there, or check with your public library. Knowing about the company's history and jobs may help you decide what to say about yourself, and it may give a prospective employer a more favorable impression of you.
Practice interviews with a family member or friend — especially one who has been successful in getting jobs and will tell you frankly how you did in your "trial run."
Take along your work record and names of references.
Dress conservatively — in a dress or dress pants and a blouse, or in trousers and a neat shirt. Do not wear "fad" or flamboyant clothes for most jobs.
Report for your interview on time — and alone.
Answer the employer's questions honestly and briefly. Don't talk about personal matters unless you are asked. Do tell about your qualifications completely — without exaggeration. Your job is to show why the company should hire you instead of another applicant.
If your first interview does not lead to a job offer, don't be discouraged. Few people get the first job they apply for — and often not the second or third, either.
Think about each interview afterwards and decide what you did that made a good impression — and what you might do better. Then try again. (And don't knock yourself for every mistake you may have made in the interview — you'll do better with practice.)
Volunteer Work
If you don't find a job in the summer you still can do something useful with your time — and use the experience to make you a more attractive job applicant in the future.
You can work as a volunteer at a hospital, nursing home, youth center, playground, or in other community services, for example. Helping other people can be personally rewarding, while giving you more experience for a paid job in the future.
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