The Corporate Authorship

Often times we think of an author as just that AN author. But, what about when the author gives his work to others for assistance. Disney is a perfect example of that. About nine years after his construction of "Disney," he stopped completing all of the drawings himself and took a supervisor role in the work. Once "Disney" became more of an enterprise and the company transformed into an organization of divisions, Walt still had involvement in all of the stages of production. During these two notable shifts in the company's progress, Disney's authorship as the man shifted into Disney's authorship as the company. In the reading, a poignant metaphor emerges about corporate authorship. Disney the man is likened to Santa, and the company is compared to Santa's workshop. Elves sustain the labor, while Santa oversees. The essential elements of corporate authorship becomes vision, supervision, and accountability. Ultimately, Walt, like Santa, envisioned the "look" of Disney, ensured its production, and took responsibility for its outcome. In a time when the development of the child as a social, intellectual, and moral being and the influence of parents consequential were at a height, Walt created and distributed cartoons and films that portrayed those anxieties. Furthermore, when film was under fire about its lifelong influence over young impressible minds, Walt altered the work and defended the work as needed. Though his role is vital in the success of the corporation, Walt was not the only author. Disney, the entity, or Santa's workshop, was ultimately the author of the work as it became a force of its own.