Estimated reading time — 14 minutes

While I was getting my Bachelor of Fine Arts back at Woodbury University in 2006, I and a few of my classmates got the opportunity of interning at Disney Animation Studios for about 6 months. In that time I got to speak to a lot of heavily talented animators, even meeting some of Disney’s veterans. As well, I got to see how the animation workflow usually works throughout the studio, from storyboarders to inkers to cleanup, every step of the process just as integral and important as the last. Everybody’s job is important, and that felt very special to me for some reason.

But, just as much as I saw the good and positive side of being an artist at Disney, I saw the negative and ugly underbelly of the work environment, almost more so than the good. When you work at Disney, every move you make is monitored. Every pen stroke, every bucket fill, every frame. All of it. Now, who’s monitoring you ask? Well, from what I can remember, pretty frequently a group of men in all black business attire and gloves would walk throughout the rooms, watching the workers’ screens and breathing down their necks. If even a simple mistake was made, they would immediately point it out, almost mechanically. People would be talking, but would go dead silent as soon as they entered. Whenever I asked about them, the animators would just say it was better not to question them, though one particular animator did pull me to the side once.

He was an animation veteran in his 40s with short messy grey hair and a puffy beard. When I had asked him about the suited men, he ducked down and beckoned me. I followed, leaning down to meet his eyes. He was a generally nice and welcoming guy to be around, but his eyes seemed to change now, darker and more serious. He told me that they had been Disney’s ‘agents’, designed to keep the workers in line as well as pick off any “outliers”. When I replied by asking what he meant, he simply leaned in to whisper in my ear. “People that knew too much.” He leaned back, sitting upright with a smile, like a switch had been flipped as he thanked me for talking to him and turned his attention back to animating. After that, he would still talk to me normally but occasionally zone out, giving me a knowing glance.

Even with these men picking off these supposed “outliers”, I still heard plenty of rumors about some strange happenings at Disney properties. Stuff like missing equipment, supernatural occurrences and the like. While most of these stories seem to have come from Disney’s parks, I remember hearing one that involved the animation studios directly.

Disney has always wanted to expand further past their original studio, and in some ways they have, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t had a long list of failures. By 2006, almost all of Disney’s international studios had been shut down, with the most recent as of writing this being Disney Animation Australia. Even then, Disney was still hoping to have multiple animation studios across the world, but in their minds they had to start small. So, Disney had made a plan called the “Disney Animation Expansion Project”. The project would entail opening animation studios all across America from coast to coast, spreading Disney’s influence and possibly being able to hire more workers as well as having more animation projects be worked on at a time. With this in mind, Disney was very careful about where they would start their first interstate studio.

Eventually they settled on Salt Lake City, Utah, only being a state away from their home state of California. The plan would be slowly expanding eastward with more animation studios to be hopefully built throughout the 2000s and even into the 2010s. However, they knew they could possibly have controversy with people accusing them of trying to build a full monopoly on the animation industry. So, to make people more open to the idea, they decided that the first animation project to be made by the studio would be something Mickey Mouse related. Some believed it would be a short film to play at theaters, others believed it was a feature length film.

With that, they hired a small group of about 15 animators and opened not long after. Though, this wasn’t without its downside, as Disney Animation France had been closed to make way for the plan, leaving many workers jobless. Still, the future of Disney’s newest project was looking bright, and production was slated to go smoothly. Though, on the first day of the studio being open, the director for the Mickey Mouse project had been supposedly missing in action, the workers being told to email him about any inquiries or complaints about the project. However, it was only a month or so later that the studio was mysteriously closed and demolished. Nobody knew what happened, and any traces of the Mickey Mouse project were likely wiped from existence. The story had become a kind of workplace tale for Disney Animation Studios, being told to new hires as a ghost story to scare them. Other fantastical elements were being thrown in, like a supposed killer running rampant through the studio picking off workers one by one, or even the aforementioned agents possibly getting rid of the people working there and erasing the studio from history. I was of course skeptical of all of it. How could a studio open to such heavy recognition, only for all evidence of it even existing to vanish out of thin air? Not to mention the lost money Disney would have from being so reckless.

Still, I kept the story in the back of my mind, occasionally ruminating over it until my internship with Disney was almost complete. It was my third to last day as I was giving a once over of all the halls and corridors I had roamed so frequently, until I saw something out of place. An archival room that had always been locked was wide open with the light left on. I looked around, making sure nobody was there to catch me before slowly stepping in. The air was brisk with the smell of aged paper and empty inkwells, all frozen in time. I looked through the folders, seeing a bunch of old sketches that had to be decades old. As I opened one filing cabinet however, something uncharacteristically modern to me stuck out like a sore thumb. A flash drive sat above a stack of folders, glistening in the dingy yellow light. I lifted it closer to the light to see it better. It was black with tape wrapped around it. The tape had the word “SHOWBIZ” written in messy sharpie. I once again looked behind me to make sure no one saw me before slowly pocketing it and walking out as if nothing happened.

Thankfully, I wasn’t caught by agents or otherwise, and ended my internship at Disney a few days later. When I got home that night, I put the flash drive in my computer. All that was inside was a text file with the same name and an image named “THAT’S.” I pretty easily put it together that it was saying “THAT’S SHOWBIZ.”, a kinda weird phrase but I didn’t think much of it. As soon as I opened the text file and slowly read it though, I realized something. Not only was this connected to the lost Utah studio, but these were the transcripts of the very work emails made directly to the director during the time it was open. I read further and further, the story they told becoming more and more disturbing until I reached the very end, feeling a thick sickness in my stomach. There was no way this was real right? This had to be some kind of hoax, maybe a prank done by one of the animators, knowing someone would go snooping around and find it. Though, it wasn’t until I saw the image labeled “THAT’S” that my heart sank further into my stomach, stirring bile. It was real…it had to be.

I quickly pulled the flash drive from my computer and threw it into my drawer, slamming it shut. I never wanted to look at what I saw ever again, but…it admittedly started eating at me. I couldn’t stop thinking about it after that. It was like Pandora’s box sitting idly in my drawer, waiting for me to turn the key and release its horrors. I felt like I couldn’t tell anyone. Who would believe me? And even if I did tell, what would happen after? I’m sure Disney has me in their database, and they could track me down pretty damn easily with their agents. I have no doubt they would just kill me, or worse. But…I couldn’t shake it. I had to tell someone. So, regrettably…that’s what I’m doing. If you never hear from me again or this post gets taken down, you’ll know why. I just can’t keep this to myself anymore. People need to know the truth.

Here’s the transcripts.

—————————————————————————————————

[From: richardjohnson273]
Alright sir. I promise whatever your vision is, I will see to it that it’s fully realized.

[From: serahardin111]
I guess it’s fine if you won’t be here, I just hope you’ll actually respond to these.

[From: bryangerald042]
Kinda lame you’re not gonna be here for a while, but I guess we’ll manage.

[From: victorhenwitz330]
Are you seriously not gonna be here for the next month? Surely this project is more important to you, right? I just find it hard to believe, is all.

[From: ariaspence586]
Well, I can’t wait to meet you when you arrive next month sir! First full project I’m working on, I’m so excited!

[From: serahardin111]
Hey boss. Can you talk to Victor for me please? He’s being a douche.

[From: victorhenwitz330]
Sir, Can I speak with you about Sera? As a storyboard artist, her job is detrimental for this project. Despite this, she has displayed a severe lack of care and will argue with me if I point out her laziness. I implore you to please speak with her to correct this behavior.

[From: ariaspence586]
I don’t know who I should be telling about this but there seems to have been an accident in the bathroom? When I went in there today there was a puddle of thick black sludge on the floor. It reeked of sewage. I almost threw up! I told a janitor about it and he cleaned it up. So weird though…

[From: richardjohnson273]
While I was working in my office today the PA system seemed to malfunction. There was a strong static before suddenly blasting the Steamboat Willie whistle at full volume. I reached to unplug it but it suddenly stopped before I did. I checked my computer to see if I had anything open that could’ve played it but I found nothing?

[From: bryangerald042]
Hey, just checking but…we’re only an animation studio right? With no affiliation to the parks? I thought I saw someone walking down the central hall with a Mickey mascot head while heading back to my desk after lunch. I chased after them before they seemed to enter a door. When I caught up they were gone, but the weirder thing is the door was gone too. I swear there was a door there before.

[From: victorhenwitz330]
Hello Sir. I am emailing you because the behavior that Sera has exhibited has become absolutely unacceptable. I found my desk covered in pencil scribbled Mickey Mouse symbols athis afternoon, along with some post-it notes that were haphazardly stuck along my cubicle walls. “MELTING EYES WATCH INTENTLY, WITH BROKEN WRISTS WEAVING MY WORLD.” What in god’s name was she thinking with this? When I confronted her she vehemently denied having anything to do with it, even calling me a quote unquote “Sh*thead”. I can’t simply stand for this. I’m taking this up with HR.

[From: serahardin111]
Boss, I know Victor has probably already emailed you about this but I’m telling you I didn’t do anything with his desk. Honestly, it’s really creepy. He’s being so pushy about it though and it’s starting to really get on my nerves. “RUSTED COGS SHALL WORK THE MACHINE UNTIL THEY BREAK” ? I don’t even think I could come up with something like that.

[From: richardjohnson273]
My PA system keeps going off now. It keeps playing that whistle. People keep coming to me to complain about it and I keep telling them that I have nothing to do with it. Do you think you could have a technician come by to fix it?

[From: richardjohnson273]
You know, if I’m gonna be pulling your weight for the next month, the least you could do is respond to my emails. It’s completely unprofessional to not communicate with your Assistant Director, even if you’re busy.

[From: ariaspence586]
Hello, sir! Hope you’re doing well. Kinda weird technological mishap today. One of our sound designers put some of the music we’ll be using in our database, but one of the sounds was labeled “HOUSE.wav” and the audio was just Mickey’s laugh but kind of slowed down and distorted. I didn’t think they would do something like that so I asked her and she said she hadn’t uploaded that file? I think you should have someone come in and check our computers. I hope we don’t have a virus on our hands!

[From: richardjohnson273]
Alright, so I got a technician to come in to check out the PA system today. Said there’s absolutely nothing wrong. No false signals, no weird wire connections, nothing. Maybe it resolved itself? I’m not sure. Someone’s coming next week to check out the computers as well cause I’ve been hearing about some technical difficulties.

[From: H0U53M0U53]
WOW WOW MISTER DIRECTOR SIR YOU DO VERY WELL VERY CREATIVE VERY INTRICATE AND PRETTY QUITE THE VISIONARY YOU YOU ARE HOPE TO SEE YOUR CREATIONS IN A SOON TIME YES

[From: H0U53M0U53]
PORTFOLIO

[From: victorhenwitz330]
Sir, I think I’m at my wits end with Sera. When I came into work today I saw that my computer was already open to hotmail and was signed into an email called “H0U53M0U53”, like that Disney Channel show? Does she think this is funny? And once again she’s denying every bit of it. I’ve spoken to Richard on multiple occasions about this but he thinks I’m delusional. Unbelievable.

[From: bryangerald042]
Something kinda weird happened today. Or at least weirder than usual for this place. When I was heading to the break room I found this Mickey head lying on the table inside. It looked like some kinda prototype, unlike any suit I’ve seen before. It had these little beaded eyes and a thin lipped smile that almost stretched up to its ears. I got Richard to come check it out, but when we came back it was gone. I think that’s what that weird guy I saw a few days ago was wearing. Means he’s still out there.

[From: ariaspence586]
Hey sir…I think the plumbing situation here is getting worse. There’s a leak from the ceiling in the office area, and it’s that same stuff that was on the bathroom floor before. It makes it smell awful but we just set up some candles and air fresheners, so we’re hoping that at least masks the smell. We really need a plumber though…I asked HR about it and they said they’re gonna look into it.

[From: H0U53M0U53]
I HOPE THE LOVELY CO COGS LOVE MY GIFTS I’M SO TALENTED THEY’RE SO SO SO SO LUCKY TO HAVE ME AS THEIR WONDERFUL FRIEND

[From: victorhenwitz330]
So do you remember that H0U53M0U53 email, sir? Well I checked my emails today and they had sent something to me. It was a portrait photo of Walt Disney…without his head. Not in a gory way, just kind of edited out. The file was named “FATHERSDAY.jpeg” . I asked Sera about it and showed it to her. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so silently confused and terrified. I apologized for the way I treated her and she forgave me. I feel like such a prick. I’m still going to tell HR about this though.

[From: victorhenwitz330]
The HR department is gone.

[From: victorhenwitz330]
No the staff didn’t leave the door is just fucking gone.

[From: bryangerald042]
I swear, every time I leave my desk to walk around or just do anything I see that Mickey Mouse guy. Either he’s peeking from behind a corner or walking around or laughing at me, and every time I run towards him he vanishes out of thin air. I’m going to catch this fucker whether he likes it or not.

[From: richardjohnson273]
The PA has been at its worst lately. Even after I plugged it out, it still keeps playing. Playing that damn whistle. It’s like it’s hitting every wrong tone in my brain. It’s making my ears ring. It’s making my head hurt.

[From: richardjohnson273]
Oh god. I think the whistling’s in my head.

[From: richardjohnson273]
All of this…it’s your doing, isn’t it? I should’ve known it was you. It’s always been you. Only you could truly machinate something so beautiful.

[From: H0U53M0U53]
OH ALL THE COGS ARE SO PRETTY AND NICE I WISH I COULD MEET MEET THEM ALREADY BUT I I CAN’T SPOIL THE SURPRISE THAT WOULD BE NO GOOD NO GOOD AT ALL THATS SHOWBIZ YKNOW

[From: ariaspence586]
Richard’s office door just …disappeared? When I checked there today it was just a blank wall, no sign or anything. Me and the others can’t find any sign of Richard anywhere. The black sludge has gotten worse too. Now it’s getting on our desks and equipment…

[From: richardjohnson273]
The cool wind drags across my face as I rest my hands upon the steering wheel. I turn the wheel left, then right, then left again. Steam whistles through the pipes as I slowly relax. I feel the gentle waves crashing against my vessel, bringing me at ease. The music gently hums through the air, that same song. I am content.

[From: bryangerald042]
That mouse that dumb fucking mouse he keeps running away from me but I swear to god I’m gonna catch him and when I do I’m gonna bash his fucking skull in I just gotta find him then all of this will stop

[From: bryangerald042]
The studio feels so much bigger now. The architecture is changing. Doors that lead nowhere, odd angled corridors, cramped passages. I can’t find an end but I also can’t find its beginning. I feel like I’m walking in circles. I can still hear him laughing at me past the air conditioning and fluorescent lights.

[From: bryangerald042]
Where is this fucking mouse.

[From: serahardin111]
I’m worried about Victor. He’s been acting more paranoid lately. He says that the HR department disappeared but I honestly can’t even remember if we had an HR department.

[From: serahardin111]
I can’t find the front door. Where the hell is the front door. I thought that was the front but now it’s just a wall.

[From: serahardin111]
You know what screw this screw all of this I’m done working I’m leaving to find a way ou

[From: H0U53M0U53]
OH NAH AH AH NAH HAH SERA I CAN READ THESE MESSAGES YOU WOULDN’T LEAVE YOUR BEST BEST BESTEST BEST FRIENDS WOULD YOU NO NO NO NONO OF COURSE NOT SO JUST RELAX ALL COGS PLEASE RELAX MY SURPRISE IS ALMOST READY

[From: victorhenwitz330]
where

[From: victorhenwitz330]
where is sera

[From: victorhenwitz330]
first richard now sera everybody iS DISAPPEARING AND I’M GONNA BE FUCKING NEXT

[From: victorhenwitz330]
oh god

[From: victorhenwitz330]
I’m already forgetting her name

[From: victorhenwitz330]
who was richard again?

[From: victorhenwitz330]
No forget it this is what it wants

[From: ariaspence586]
Now that we can’t leave, Victor’s holed himself up inside the janitor closet and won’t come out. He’s saying that he’s gonna be next and that soon we’ll forget him too. When I asked what he meant, he asked if I remembered two people named Sera and Richard. I…thought I did but honestly the memory feels so distant now, like an early childhood memory. When I told him that I heard him start to softly cry. Who were they?

[From: bryangerald042]
I can hear his laughter getting closer. I’m so close

[From: bryangerald042]
DAMNIT HE WALKED INTO A FAKE DOOR AGAIN

[From: ariaspence586]
I have no idea where Bryan went. I at least remember him. He’s one of the cleanup artists. I can hear him occasionally distantly yelling but about what I have no idea. I don’t even know why I’m messaging you anymore, sir. I guess…even if you’re not responding…it’s just nice having someone to talk to. Kinda like a journal I guess. I wonder if the others feel the same.

[From: ariaspence586]
I forgot to mention in my last email but it’s like cell service has completely died here. Thankfully my PDA has wifi. I can’t make any calls though. It would probably be so much easier to get out of this mess if I could.

[From: victorhenwitz330]
I’m starting to get hungry. I know there’s food in the break room but I don’t want to leave it’s not safe it’s just not

[From: ariaspence586]
Thankfully, after some convincing, I was able to coax Victor out of leaving the closet. He and I went to the break room for something to eat. There’s more sludge just everywhere now but thankfully all our food is untouched. We both had sandwiches. It was nice.

[From: ariaspence586]
We’re heading out to find Bryan now. I’m just praying he’s alright…

[From: serahardin111]
I inhale, feeling the brisk air fill my lungs as I listen to the creaking of Richard turning the steering wheel. I lean against the gunwale, looking down to watch the wheels of the boat spin in a serene rhythm. A big splash against the hull leaves a mist behind that the wind carries to my face as I feel it tickle my skin. I’ve never felt happier.

[From: victorhenwitz330]
Sera

[From: victorhenwitz330]
Sera how are you texting me where did you go

[From: serahardin111]
Victor, my dear. Please ease yourself. You don’t have to remain so stressed and anxious. You could join me and Richard. You could live in peace. We could live in peace together. I know how you looked at me after I forgave you…you love me don’t you Richard? Don’t you want to spend eternity with me?

[From: victorhenwitz330]
stop talking juST STOP FUCKING TALKI

[From: ariaspence586]
Victor randomly broke into hysterics while we were searching for Bryan. He handed me his PDA and showed me the messages. It was…Sera? While I struggled to remember more clearly who that was Victor took the PDA back, wiping his face on his sleeve before steeling himself, his eyes slightly bloodshot from tears. I took his hand and began walking a bit faster with him. We found an unused office space and locked the door and that’s where we are now. Victor won’t talk to me but he seems completely heartbroken. I tried emailing Bryan and it took him a bit but he did respond. He said he’s spent his time looking for whoever’s causing this. Before I asked him to elaborate he said there was whistling and he would email me back. Now I’m just waiting.

[From: H0U53M0U53]
BREAKNECK STOOLS HAVE CARRIED ME HIGHER AND HIGHER, TO THE VERY STARS WE HAVE WISHED UPON. SOON I WILL FINALLY INHERIT WHAT MY FATHER HAS LEFT FOR ME AND BECOME SO. MUCH. MORE.

[From: ariaspence586]
Okay he emailed me back! I pinged him my location and he said he’s heading toward us. He said he’d yell for us when he’s close.

[From: victorhenwitz330]
It’s not fair. Why can’t it just take me already? Why does it want me and the others to suffer more? What does it want with us?

[From: victorhenwitz330]
I just want to see here again

[From: ariaspence586]
Alright okay I can hear Bryan’s voice thank god

[From: ariaspence586]
Wait the fuckin

[From: ariaspence586]
THE DOOR IS GONE

[From: victorhenwitz330]
We’re never getting out of here are we? We just have to accept it.

[From: ariaspence586]
I can hear Bryan banging on the wall he hears me but he can’t make it through

[From: ariaspence586]
Oh god what is that whistling

[From: ariaspence586]
I can hear his screams oh fuck

[From: victorhenwitz330]
Bryan is gone hahahahHAHAHAHA

[From: ariaspence586]
The sludge is leaking through the ceiling it’s dripping down the walls

[From: H0U53M0U53]
I REALLY CAN’T THANK YOU COGS ENOUGH. YOU REALLY DID CRAFT ME SUCH A WELL OILED MACHINE, UNWAVERING AND STRONG. I’D SAY YOU DESERVE A BONUS IF YOU WEREN’T ALREADY GETTING ONE. BUT OF COURSE, MY BONUS TO YOU IS WONDER. IMAGINATION. HOPE. WHAT MY FATHER BELIEVED IN. PLEASE DON’T FIGHT IT. YOU’RE ONLY MAKING THIS HARDER FOR YOURSELVES.

[From: H0U53M0U53]
WE’RE ALL ACCUSTOMED TO LISTEN TO THAT SAME SONG AGAIN AND AGAIN, BECAUSE IT IS WHAT BRINGS US JOY AND COMFORT. IN THAT CASE, WHY DON’T YOU JOIN ME IN ITS TUNE?

[From: H0U53M0U53]
THIS ISN’T THE END. THIS IS A PROMOTION.

[From: H0U53M0U53]
I’M NOT LETTING YOU GO. I’M SETTING YOU FREE.

[From: H0U53M0U53]
THAT’S SHOWBIZ.

Credit: Random Phyre

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