SCN Insider: The Cameras Used on Disney's Upcoming Christmas Special

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Content director Mark J. Pescatore was at the Magic Kingdom when portions of this year's parade footage was shot.

Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro
Julianne Hough (left) and Alfonso Ribeiro take a break between filming segments on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom. (Image credit: Mark J. Pescatore)

'Twas the month before Christmas, and all through the Mouse House—also known as the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL—there were a lot of creatures stirring. It was time to shoot portions of Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade and a special that will air on Dec. 25 on ABC and Disney+ (and Hulu the next day). 

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My family happened to be in the park on Nov. 9, so I skipped Space Mountain and went into reporter mode on Main Street. And while many park guests were enamored with what co-host Julianne Hough (who will also be hosting The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular set for Sunday, Dec. 1 with Alfonso RIbeiro also on Hulu and Disney+) was wearing, I was talking to members of the crew about their gear.

Camera for Magic Kingdom parade shoot

This is one of the cameras that was used to shoot the holiday special. (Image credit: Mark J. Pescatore)

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According to the crew members who spoke with me briefly (they were in the middle of production, after all), it was a 10-camera shoot. The cameras were a mix of Sony VENICE and VENICE 2 digital cinema cameras equipped Fujinon and Canon lenses. I was also seeing Sachtler tripods and some OConnor heads. The crew was also a blend of employees and freelancers.

Cameraman behind talent

This camera was positioned behind the talent to shoot the parade as it wound its way up Main Street. (Image credit: Mark J. Pescatore)

Talent Lighting on Main Street

Decorations by Disney, lighting by ARRI. Large lights were setup on the Main Street sidewalk to light hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro. (Image credit: Mark J. Pescatore)

One camera was mounted on a crane to provide a birds-eye view of the parade. Others were positioned on the route to provide coverage of the parade as well as Hough and co-host Alfonso Ribeiro, who were positioned below a large Christmas tree in the Town Square area of Main Street (a popular spot for photographs). While the duo was shot in the early afternoon, two large ARRI lots were positioned to provide more consistent lighting throughout their segments.

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By the way, the parade itself included appearances by Mickey and Minnie Mouse, plus a variety of other well-known Disney animated and live action characters. Yes, that included several Disney Princesses. The parade concluded with an appearance by Santa Claus and his wife. Check out a short segment of the hosts in action below.

Disney Parade 2024 - YouTube Disney Parade 2024 - YouTube
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Mark J. Pescatore
Mark J. Pescatore
Content Director

Mark J. Pescatore, Ph.D., is the content director of Systems Contractor News. He has been writing about Pro AV industry for more than 25 years. Previously, he spent more than eight years as the editor of Government Video magazine. During his career, he's produced and hosted two podcasts focused on the professional video marketplace, taught more than a dozen college communication courses, co-authored the book Working with HDV, and co-edited two editions of The Guide to Digital Television.