Last week, The Walt Disney Company and popular creator Jon Youshaei gathered hundreds of the world’s best storytellers and creators for Created in LA, a two-day event at the historic El Capitan Theatre and legendary Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, CA.
The event highlighted Disney’s continued role in shaping not only the evolution of storytelling, but also, according to Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro, “something we think about every day at Disney — how stories reach people in new ways.”
Disney has long been a pioneer in bringing worldclass storytelling to audiences through never-before-seen avenues — from feature-length animated films and consumer products all the way to television and first-of-their-kind live experiences.
Disney’s support of this event reflects a natural continuation of that legacy by gathering today’s creators to connect, collaborate, and push storytelling into new forms.
“What strikes me about this room is the instinct so many of you have for your audience,” Dana Walden, President and Chief Creative Officer of Disney, said while addressing the gathered creators. “You know them intimately, you hear from them constantly, and you adjust in real time based on what they want.”
Asad Ayaz, Disney’s Chief Marketing and Brand Officer, furthered that sentiment, highlighting the role that fans play in Disney’s storytelling.
“For more than 100 years, Disney has been home to storytellers with ambitious ideas, and I can tell you from experience: some of the biggest Disney fans are the people telling our stories and building our future,” Ayaz said. “These creative minds are genuine fans who grew up loving our characters and stories and are now taking them into the future.”
Highlights from a Two-Day Celebration of Storytelling and Innovation
Combining the glamour of a premiere with the substance of a summit, Created in LA featured remarks and discussions from D’Amaro, Walden, Ayaz, Walt Disney Animation Studios Chief Creative Officer Jared Bush, Global Creative Director at The Walt Disney Company Bobby Kim, and top creators like Zach King, The Try Guys, Dude Perfect, Kris Jenner and Khloé Kardashian, and many more.
The event began on Thursday, when attendees walked the red carpet at the El Capitan Theatre and Walden shared remarks with the gathered creators.
“My hope for these two days is that we will exchange ideas and learn from each other,” Walden said. “That some of what makes your storytelling so special rubs off on us. And some of what we’ve learned about telling stories over many decades will be useful to you.”
Then came the premiere of two creator films — a first in the theater’s 100-year history.
The first film was from the filmmaking and digital creator duo Sticks. Titled The Technoblade Movie, the project serves as a tribute to one of the most beloved creators. Later, Zach King premiered his Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back short film — the second time he has recreated a Star Wars film using cardboard.
On Friday, the event moved over to The Walt Disney Studios lot and kicked off with guests escorted into the Main Theater by Stormtroopers, where D’Amaro addressed the group.
“I hope today leads to new ideas, new relationships, and some unexpected possibilities,” D’Amaro said. “There’s never been a better time to be a storyteller, and we can’t wait to see what you create next.”
This was followed by a special Masterclass from Ayaz, Your Next Big Project with Disney, which showed the real paths creators are taking into Disney right now — scripted series, features, brand campaigns — and how creators can take their content to another level with Disney.
Additionally, Ayaz drew the connection between the beginnings of the company and the work digital creators do today.
“Before Disney became the company you know today, it started with a creator,” Ayaz noted. “Walt Disney was a storyteller first and foremost… what set him apart was his ability to take creative and business risks, try things no one had done before, and stretch the limits of where an idea could go.”
The day continued with a variety of other Masterclasses and Fireside Chats, offering insight into storytelling and creativity from some of the leading minds from both inside The Walt Disney Company and the broader creator community.
- Jared Bush — who was briefly joined onstage by Olaf himself from the Frozen films — gave a raw and inside look at Disney Animation, breaking down his storytelling process, what actually happens behind the scenes, and how to pursue great ideas. After Bush gave rare insights into the makings of Zootopia, Moana, and Encanto, he offered the audience a look ahead at exclusive footage from Disney’s Hexed.
- Bobby Kim and celebrity chef Roy Choi sat down for The Next Era of Creator Products, a conversation about how creators can turn cultural influence into lasting brands, drawing on their experiences across food, streetwear, entertainment, and social media.
- Kris Jenner and Khloé Kardashian sat down with Youshaei for The Kardashian-Jenner Playbook: 20 Years of Re-Inventing Media, which dove into how they built a family brand across television, social media, and consumer products, with Khloé using Khloud as a case study in launching and marketing a new brand. They also offered practical advice for creators on choosing partnerships, negotiating deals, building teams, working with family, and adapting as the content landscape evolves.
- Dhar Mann also had a fireside chat with Youshaei, Script to Screen: Inside Dhar Mann’s Creative Process, which gave an overview into how Mann goes from scripts to utilizing his 125,000-square-foot-studio with over 65 sets and 10 crews filming at once to create and post five TV-length videos per week. It’s a scaled machine unlike any other on YouTube, dedicated to uplifting the world by creating stories and experiences that help people feel seen and connected.
- The Try Guys presented How to Make Shows, Not Just Videos, which broke down the creative process step-by-step for how they reached 5 billion views over 12 years of experience — a guide which any creator can apply to their content.
- In Making Anything Go Viral: Lessons from 10 Billion Views, Jenny Hoyos examined the storytelling techniques, audience psychology, and creative decisions that consistently transform seconds of content into global reach.
- Garrett Hilbert and Cory Cotton of Dude Perfect spoke with Youshaei for How to Build Your “Perfect” Team: 17 Years, 62M Subs, Same Dudes, where they explored their biggest moments, most crucial decisions, and how they split up roles to build one of YouTube’s biggest channels — and companies.
Additional speakers and participants during day two of the event included Zach King, Adrian Per, AdamW, Jordan Matter, and Sam Eckholm, with a closing night performance from Legends Plaza in front of the Team Disney building at The Walt Disney Studios lot by singer Magnus Ferrell.
Event Highlights Below:
