Exclusive Interview with Director Brian Volk Weiss from Disney’s Behind the Attraction Season 2
We’re delighted to be joined by Brian Volk-Weiss, the director and executive producer of the highly acclaimed series “Behind the Attraction,” exclusively available on Disney Plus. As we eagerly anticipate the launch of its second season on November 1, Disney enthusiasts and fans of imaginative storytelling will have the chance to delve deeper into the captivating world of theme park attractions.
From the enchanting Pirates of the Caribbean to the thrilling Big Thunder Mountain, the adventurous Indiana Jones, the futuristic Epcot, and the culinary and nighttime spectacles that make Disney parks so special – “Behind the Attraction” offers an exclusive peek behind the curtain. Today, Brian graciously joins us to provide insight into what viewers can expect from the upcoming season and share his experiences in uncovering the magic behind these beloved Disney experiences.
Related: Five New ‘Behind the Attraction’ Episodes Are Coming to Disney+
Chip & Company: So behind the attraction on Disney plus, for people who love season one, we know it’s an in depth look at the history of Disney parks, it dives into the magic and the creativity. What is the most surprising or delightful discovery that you uncovered? While you were working on this show? How did it deepen your appreciation for the Disney park experience?
Brian Volk-Weiss: If we’re talking about season two, I mean, the like the funniest, craziest thing I learned was, you know, I’d known who figment was, you know, pretty much most of my life. And, you know, to learn that it was some random line in a Magnum PI episode about a goat. And by the way, that was like an offhand comment, right?
He made right literally, oh, by the way, it’s like, what? What are you talking about? You know, the, I’ll tell you another thing. Like this may sound like such a small, obvious stupid story. But like, sometimes in life, you do something a billion times without noticing something.
And someone says to you, oh, by the way, I had done Thunder Mountain in Anaheim, conservatively, 50 times. I had done it at Disney World, probably 20 times. Never, ever noticed the ride tracks were mirrored mirror images of one another. And I remember when we were in Anaheim, somebody was like, Oh, by the way, you know, I know you’re going to Disney World tomorrow.
Make sure you notice this is going to be on there. The thing that’s on the right is going to be on the left. And again, this is an attraction I have written dozens of times never noticed that. So on the one hand, you learn the Magnum PI thing and your mind is blown. But then on the other hand, something I should have noticed on my own but I’m a big dumb idiot. I didn’t notice they’re of equal value emotionally.
Related: Walt Disney Imagineering Share Behind the Scenes Photos of Progress at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Chip & Company: So, behind the attraction, sophomore season, this show is beloved by so many Disney fans around the world. What is the thing that you are the most excited about? About this second season of this hit show?
Brian Volk-Weiss: People seeing Bob Gurr’s tattoo. By the way, that was another thing where it was like he were like sitting there. He’s getting hair and makeup done. He’s like, Oh, you want to see something? He’s like, (opens shirt) what is that? He’s 92… Yeah, so no, no no, I love that. I mean, again, it’s there’s so many, like, there’s so many of these little things. I mean, my favorite thing other than I guess figment. My favorite thing would have to be my favorite attraction is Indiana Jones.
I was doing the third shift tour. This is like two in the morning. Walking the track. You know, we’re the whole crews there. We’re all there with Tony Baxter. And Tony Baxter is like you see that slit up there? Like that long, narrow slot? I’m like, yeah, he’s like, You know what that is? I go no, he’s like, when we originally built the attraction there use we wanted there to be debris falling. So the problem was, how do you do that without potentially hurting a guest.
We found this company that made this like space age ice machine, like they literally make stuff for NASA. And they added brown food coloring to the water. And it would literally drop sheets of ice and like, rock shapes of ice, that obviously even if they hit something and shattered that wouldn’t hurt the guests. And it was this unbelievable effect. But the problem was the ice machine broke down too much. So they stopped using it. So to be there, like walking the track at two in the morning with Tony Baxter and just having your mind blown about your favorite attraction.
That was definitely the highlight of season season two for me. And then the other thing I have to say, it’s not as like nuanced. I’ve heard about Disney Sea, for 20 years. I’d never been there. I feel like I’m cheating on Disneyland. That’s my favorite park. … go to Disney Sea? Like, I feel like they purposely try and keep it a secret like because it is literally I walked in, I begin I have been reading about this place my whole life. I’ve seen a billion videos on YouTube.
I have all the books ever written about it, like, I have books written about it that are in Japanese, they’re not even in English. I got them because I love it so much. And I love Disney so much. And I find all this stuff so interesting. We walk in, and I’m looking around the first time less than five minutes in the park, I involuntarily subconsciously said to myself, this is what Walt was building. He could have seen this. He would have been blown away.
Chip & Company: So Brian, “The Movies That Made Us”, “The Toys That Made Us” now “Behind the Attraction.” What draws you to these nostalgic and cultural touch points? And anything else on the horizon? Maybe Season Three of Behind The Attraction? Are there any other cultural touch points, that you’re going to focus on? What brings you to these pop culture icons repeatedly in your work as a documentarian?
Brian Volk-Weiss: To me they’re not pop culture icons, they’re my hobbies. Like, these are just my hobbies. If you came to my house, and you saw my toy collection, you know, 10% of my 4000 piece collection is Disney. Other than Star Wars, Star Trek, and maybe Batman, the biggest part of my collection is Disney.
So that’s so if you watch toys or movies that made us for the most part, and the toys that made us those are all my favorite toys, movies that made us there’s a couple I’m not a big horror guy. So I always want to be honest, other than the horror films, those are all like, those are the movies. I had the posters on my wall when I was a kid. Like those are the props I buy at auctions, you know. And it was the same thing with behind the attraction where as I like to say I’m a Disney nutcase.
I’ve gone way too many times, and just being allowed to make the show is the craziest thing in the world for someone like me, and Season Three will or will not happen based on how many people watch season two, it’s, it has nothing to do with me anymore. It … well anymore. So based on the crew that I work with, and myself, we’re out, we left everything on the field, I pray to God we got it right. And enough people watch and enough people tell their friends to watch. And then it’s out of my hands. Well, hopefully that records are good.
And they let us make another season.
Chip & Company: From a Disney fan standpoint, from a true admirer and a fan of the show. You know we I can say this, this show has resonated with historians, Park enthusiasts, people who just want to get the inside and the skinny on their favorite attractions. So I loved season one, I’ve had the opportunity to see and preview season two, November 1, get ready. All of the episodes will be dropping… Is it going to be weekly? Or will they all drop simultaneously? So we’re gonna get all of them at the same time.
Brian Volk-Weiss: Simultaneous.
Chip & Company: Nice! Binge away, ladies and gentlemen, and then binge again. And then watch it a third time for good measure. Brian, very quickly before we get out of here, for aspiring documentarians for aspiring historians, what advice would you give them as filmmakers looking to tell compelling stories that are fun; that are that are their thing? You have had a lot of success with this. You work with some great comedians that you tell stories that you love. What advice would you give to kids and to teenagers that are just getting into this field to kind of propel them forward?
Brian Volk-Weiss: So I get asked this a lot and I boiled it down to two answers. Number one, do it. Do it. You’re so lucky anyone who’s hearing this now can spend $200 and have a camera that would have been science fiction when I As a kid. You don’t need fancy microphones. You don’t need fancy cameras, do it. Shoot and film, take some lessons, learn how to edit, which is the transition into the second part of my answer.
And I learned this, I took it, don’t laugh. I took a jewelry making class in college. And it was taught by this very famous jewelry maker like she had her work in MOMA and the Met and whatever. And she taught me one of the most valuable lessons anyone’s ever taught me. “Refine, refine, refine,” she said, when she made something it looked like garbage, like the first time, anyone else could have made the same thing.
But she just kept working at it just kept working at it just kept working at it. And then people were like, “this is genius.” So that’s what I always say, go and do it. But don’t show it to people. Until you know it’s good. And how do you know it’s good? People are always like, I showed it to my friends and they loved it. Well, they’re your friends. That’s what they say. Find your enemies… see if they like it.
Chip & Company: One more time. Brian Volk Weiss, executive producer, director of Behind the Attraction, November 1, On Disney+, trust me, you’re going to absolutely love Season Two. It is everything that we wanted and more. Brian, congratulations on your success. Thank you for joining us here at Chip & Company. We hope to have you back sometime soon. We’d love to talk about all the things in the toys that made us. Thank you.
Brian Volk-Weiss:Anytime Marc, I think we have a lot in common.
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