General

An “On-the-Fly” Why For.

Jim Hill’s down in Orlando this week, knee-deep in MouseFest 2004. But even so, he still found time to chime in about the “Cars” / “Chicken Little” controversy.

Published

20 years ago

December 9, 2004

Jim Hill

Hey, folks!

First of all, let me apologize in advance for this week’s “Why for” being so short. But – what with me running all these Magic Kingdom tours for the folks attending MouseFest 2004 – my dance card is kind of full right now. Which precludes me from cranking out any epic length columns this week.

But even so – given the large number of JHM readers who’ve written to me over the past 48 hours asking about “Cars” & “Chicken Little” – I thought that I should at least try & share what little I know about this still-evolving situation.

Typical of these e-mails was the one that I received yesterday morning from Donna E. from Fresno, CA. Who wrote in to ask:

Jim –

Did you see this announcement yesterday?

Walt Disney and Pixar have announced that they are moving the release date of Pixar’s upcoming animated feature film, Cars, from November 2005 to June 9, 2006. *** Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios said, “The move from November 2005 to June 2006 makes perfect sense. Cars is the quintessential summer film for audiences of all ages… In the vein of Finding Nemo, we feel the movie will have legs throughout summer and beyond”. Pixar CEO Steve Jobs said, “Cars longs to be a summer movie. We plan to finish Cars on its original schedule, and look forward to Cars and our future films benefiting by summer theatrical releases and holiday DVD releases”.

What do you make of this? Is Pixar pushing back “Cars” ‘s release date because the film needs to be reworked? Or is what Jobs & Cook saying really true? That Disney’s just shifting this film’s release date because “Cars” will probably perform better during the Summer of 2006?\\Donna E.\\Dear Donna -\\Look, I know that there have been a lot of rumors lately about how “Cars” needs to be seriously retooled based on the public’s somewhat tepid reaction to that movie’s teaser trailer. But what you guys need to understand is that … Well …You saw the trailer. NOT the entire movie.\\And “Cars” … This movie is being directed by Pixar’s big kahuna, John Lasseter. You know, the guy who directed the original “Toy Story.” The man who – when he saw that “Toy Story II” was lacking something – personally waded into that project and helped make that direct-to-video sequel into something truly magical.\\So – given this guy’s track record (More importantly, given that Lasetter’s obsession with toys is matched only by his motor madness) – I seriously doubt that “Cars” is in any real trouble. That trailer … Yeah, maybe it’s not as good as the trailer that Pixar put together for “Monsters, Inc.” But the movie itself? The way I hear it, it’s a great little comedy in the Frank Capra vein. Humor with heart.\\So those of you who are into the doom-and-gloom take on this situation, who have been whispering that Pixar had to push back “Cars” release date by 8 months because this film is the studio’s first flop can just shut up now.\\As for this film probably performing better during the summer months … Sure. That makes sense. Just look at how “Shrek 2” did this summer ($441 million during its initial domestic release) versus the more than $227 million that “The Incredibles” has earned to date. Event movies like this just more money during the summer months. The kids are out of school. There’s not as much outside competition for consumers’ attention. So it just makes perfect sense that Pixar – when given the option by Disney – would have just leaped at shifting “Cars” from November of 2005 to June of 2006. This one move (all by itself) will probably add $100 million to the film’s box office total.\”,1]);//–>

What do you make of this? Is Pixar pushing back “Cars” ‘s release date because the film needs to be reworked? Or is what Jobs & Cook saying really true? That Disney’s just shifting this film’s release date because “Cars” will probably perform better during the Summer of 2006?

Donna E.

Dear Donna –

Look, I know that there have been a lot of rumors lately about how “Cars” needs to be seriously retooled based on the public’s somewhat tepid reaction to that movie’s teaser trailer. But what you guys need to understand is that … well …you saw the trailer, NOT the entire movie.

And “Cars” … This movie is being directed by Pixar’s big kahuna, John Lasseter. You know, the guy who directed the original “Toy Story.” The man who – when he saw that “Toy Story II” was lacking something – personally waded into that project and helped make the, then direct-to-video, sequel into something truly magical.

So – given this guy’s track record (More importantly, given that Lasetter’s obsession with toys is matched only by his motor madness) – I seriously doubt that “Cars” is in any real trouble. That trailer … Yeah, maybe it’s not as good as the trailer that Pixar put together for “Monsters, Inc.” But the movie itself? The way I hear it, it’s a great little comedy in the Frank Capra vein. Humor with heart.

So those of you who are into the doom-and-gloom take on this situation, who have been whispering that Pixar had to push back “Cars” release date by 8 months because this film is the studio’s first flop can stop wringing your hands now.

As for this film probably performing better during the summer months … Sure. That makes sense. Just look at how “Shrek 2” did this summer ($441 million during its initial domestic release) versus the more than $227 million that “The Incredibles” has earned to date. Event movies like this just pull in more money during the summer months. The kids are out of school. There’s not as much outside competition for consumers’ attention. So it just makes perfect sense that Pixar – when given the option by Disney – would have just leaped at shifting “Cars” from November of 2005 to June of 2006. This one move (all by itself) will probably add $100 million to the film’s box office total.

So – to answer your question, Donna E. – there is a lot of truth to what *** Cook & Steve Jobs have been saying. But – that said – I can’t help but notice that people aren’t talking about the THIRD reason that “Cars” release date got pushed back. And that has a lot to do with Pixar’s on-going search for a new distribution partner.\\Look, regular readers of this site already know that representatives from Pixar Animation Studios have been meeting with the heads of all the major motion picture studios out west. Hoping to find some company that would be willing to pay top dollar for the privilege of releasing Pixar’s post-Disney pictures.\\But what many JHM readers may NOT understand is … None of these other companies have what Disney has. A great film distribution company like the Buena Vista Distribution. A marketing department that could probably sell ice to Eskimos. A savvy & well respected studio head like *** Cook. Not to mention all of the great pre-existing outlets for the studio’s characters like Disneyland and/or the Disney Channel.\\Then there’s the Disney geek factor. Lasseter and “Monsters, Inc.” director Pete Docter are just two of the hundreds of the Disneyana fans who work for the Emerville, CA. -based studio. These Pixar employees don’t really want the studio’s decade-long relationship with the Walt Disney Company to come to a close. They like having Buzz, Woody, Flik, Sully, Marlin & Mr. Incredible live in the Magic Kingdom.\\But then there’s Pixar CEO Steve Jobs. Who really doesn’t get long with Disney’s CEO, Michael Eisner. Steve is supposedly so tired of dealing with Michael’s head games and under-handed tricks that – for matter how profitable Pixar’s association with the Walt Disney Company has been – Jobs still wants out of this relationship.\\So – with much fanfare back in February – Steve Jobs announced that Pixar would be ending its production / distribution deal with Disney with the delivery of “Cars” in 2005. And that the Emerville, Ca.-based animation company would soon begin seeking out a new distribution partner for its first post-Disney film, “Rataouille.”\”,1]);//–>

Look, regular readers of this site already know that representatives from Pixar Animation Studios have been meeting with the heads of all the major motion picture studios out west. Hoping to find some company that would be willing to pay top dollar for the privilege of releasing Pixar’s post-Disney pictures.

But what many JHM readers may NOT understand is … None of these other companies have what Disney has. A great film distribution company like the Buena Vista Distribution. A marketing department that could probably sell ice to Eskimos. A savvy & well respected studio head like *** Cook. Not to mention all of the great pre-existing outlets for the studio’s characters like Disneyland and/or the Disney Channel.

Then there’s the Disney geek factor. Lasseter and “Monsters, Inc.” director Pete Docter are just two of the hundreds of the Disneyana fans who work for the Emeryville, CA. -based studio. These Pixar employees don’t really want the studio’s decade-long relationship with the Walt Disney Company to come to a close. They like having Buzz, Woody, Flik, Sully, Marlin, & Mr. Incredible living in the Magic Kingdom.

But then there’s Pixar CEO Steve Jobs. Who really doesn’t get long with Disney’s CEO, Michael Eisner. Steve is supposedly so tired of dealing with Michael’s head games and under-handed tricks that – for matter how profitable Pixar’s association with the Walt Disney Company has been – Jobs still wants out of this relationship.

So – with much fanfare back in February – Steve Jobs announced that Pixar would be ending its production / distribution deal with Disney with the delivery of “Cars” in 2005. And that the Emerville, Ca.-based animation company would soon begin seeking out a new distribution partner for its first post-Disney film, “Rataouille.”

But then – early this summer – Michael Eisner, bowing to pressure from Wall Street as well as the “Save Disney” effort, announces that he’ll be stepping down from his position as head of the Walt Disney Company. Which – depending on who you talk with – could come as early as June of 2005 or as late as September of 2006.\\The smart money is on Michael officially stepping down as Disney’s CEO sometime in late September of 2005. That way. Eisner gets to go out on top. Spending the summer basking in the spotlight as Disneyland celebrates its 50th anniversary. Then – during the first weeks of fall – he gets to preside over the ribbon cutting at Hong Kong Disneyland. Which – when you think about it – will really be one hell of a victory lap.\\But the best part of this arrangement is … Come the Fall of 2005, Michael Eisner is finally gone. Which leaves Pixar free to re-open negotiations with the Mouse House.\\Which I know that many Disneyana fans (chief among hem Lasseter & Docter) will consider good news. But just remember that this is far from a done deal, folks.\\You see, Jobs doesn’t want anything approaching the old 50/50 deal that Disney & Pixar once had. With the hellp of Simon Bax, Pixar’s current CFO (More importantly, 20th Century Fox’s old CFO), Steve is looking to get from Disney the same sort of deal that George Lucas got from Fox. As in: Lucas gets to keep the lion’s share of the money made by the new “Star Wars” trilogy, while Fox got a smallish fee for agreeing to promote & distribute these films.\\Of course, while Michael Eisner was in charge of the Mouse House, the Walt Disney Company would never agree to that sort of deal with Pixar Animation Studio. But if Robert Iger andor Peter Chernin winds up as Disney’s new Big Cheese … Well, that all could change.\\Which is why Steve Jobs was perfectly happy to shift “Cars” ‘s release date back from November of 2005 to June of 2006. With the hope that — once Disney gets a new CEO (Be it Robert Iger or Peter Chernin) – the company’s new Chief Executive Officer might then be willing to give Steve everything he asks for.\”,1]);//–>

The smart money is on Michael officially stepping down as Disney’s CEO sometime in late September of 2005. That way. Eisner gets to go out on top. Spending the summer basking in the spotlight as Disneyland celebrates its 50th anniversary. Then – during the first weeks of fall – he gets to preside over the ribbon cutting at Hong Kong Disneyland. Which – when you think about it – will really be one hell of a victory lap.

But the best part of this arrangement is … Come the Fall of 2005, Michael Eisner is finally gone. Which leaves Pixar free to re-open negotiations with the Mouse House.

Which I know that many Disneyana fans (chief among them Lasseter & Docter) will consider good news. But, just remember that this is far from a done deal, folks.

You see, Jobs doesn’t want anything approaching the old 50/50 deal that Disney & Pixar once had. With the hellp of Simon Bax, Pixar’s current CFO (More importantly, 20th Century Fox’s old CFO), Steve is looking to get from Disney the same sort of deal that George Lucas got from Fox. As in: Lucas gets to keep the lion’s share of the money made by the new “Star Wars” trilogy, while Fox got a smallish fee for agreeing to promote & distribute these films.

Of course, while Michael Eisner was in charge of the Mouse House, the Walt Disney Company would never agree to that sort of deal with Pixar Animation Studio. But if Robert Iger and/or Peter Chernin winds up as Disney’s new Big Cheese … Well, that all could change.

Which is why Steve Jobs was perfectly happy to shift “Cars” ‘s release date back from November of 2005 to June of 2006. With the hope that — once Disney gets a new CEO (Be it Robert Iger or Peter Chernin) – the company’s new Chief Executive Officer might then be willing to give Steve everything he asks for.

These terms will (no doubt) include the shuttering the Sequel Lab (AKA Disney’s new computer animation production department. Which is currently slated to crank out home premieres like “Toy Story III” and “Monsters, Inc. II”). Just so Pixar doesn’t have to worry about the value of its library of characters going down thanks to some poorly-conceived sequels.\\But – as I said at the very top of this article – this is a still-evolving situation, folks. And – to be honest – a lot depends on what Michael Eisner does next. According to the terms of his current contract with the Walt Disney Company, Michael can technically remain in power at the Mouse House ’til September of 2006. But – again, as I mentioned earlier – the smart money is on Michael stepping down as head of Disney in September of 2005. AFTER the new CEO has been named and after the ribbon-cutting at Hong King Disneyland.\So – for now – I guess all that us Disney / Pixar fans can do is sit & watch & wait. Hoping that the final outcome of all this corporate maneuvering is that Pixar remains right where it is, with Disney as its distribution & production partner. Only – this time around – Pixar winds up keeping most of the dough that its movies make.\\Now – as for the impact that all of this had on “Chicken Little” – I have heard that this upcoming WDFA film is still having some story problems. In fact, there’s been a lot of talk in-house about how animators who had already begun work on “A Day with Wilbur Robinson” were quietly pulled back to do additional work on “Little.”\\So – when all was said & done – I bet that those Disney Feature Animation execs were glad to have a legitimate excuse to push back “Chicken Little” ‘s release from July to November of 2005. Which will give Mark Dindal & Randy Fullmer four additional months to polish their picture.\\FYI: Doing additional work on “Chicken Little” DOESN’T mean that this picture is in trouble either. You know what “CL” ‘s real problem is? It’s quirky. And Disney studio execs … They don’t get quirky.\”,1]);//–>

But – as I said at the very top of this article – this is a still-evolving situation, folks. And – to be honest – a lot depends on what Michael Eisner does next. According to the terms of his current contract with the Walt Disney Company, Michael can technically remain in power at the Mouse House ’til September of 2006. But – again, as I mentioned earlier – the smart money is on Michael stepping down as head of Disney in September of 2005. AFTER the new CEO has been named and after the ribbon-cutting at Hong Kong Disneyland.
So – for now – I guess all that us Disney / Pixar fans can do is sit ,watch, & wait. Hoping that the final outcome of all this corporate maneuvering is that Pixar remains right where it is, with Disney as its distribution & production partner. Only – this time around – Pixar winds up keeping most of the dough that its movies make.

Now – as for the impact that all of this had on “Chicken Little” – I have heard that this upcoming WDFA film is still having some story problems. In fact, there’s been a lot of talk in-house about how animators who had already begun work on “A Day with Wilbur Robinson” were quietly pulled back to do additional work on “Little.”

So – when all was said & done – I bet that those Disney Feature Animation execs were glad to have a legitimate excuse to push back “Chicken Little” ‘s release from July to November of 2005. Which will give Mark Dindal & Randy Fullmer four additional months to polish their picture.

FYI: Doing additional work on “Chicken Little” DOESN’T mean that this picture is in trouble either. You know what “CL” ‘s real problem is? It’s quirky. And Disney studio execs … They don’t get quirky.

Mainstream blockbusters, they understand. But heartfelt yet satirical movies that – midway through the film – suddenly start feature science fiction-type scare sequences make the suits nervous. Which is why these execs have been bombarding “Chicken Little” director Dindal and Fullmer (I.E. The film’s producer) with pages & pages of notes from the movie’s test screenings.\\Thankfully, Mark & Randy have been ignoring most of these notes. Which is why – as each week goes by – “Chicken Little” keeps getting quirkier & quirkier, funnier & funnier.\\Trust me, folks. You’re gonna love this movie.\\Oops. Look at the time. I gotta go get ready for today’s Magic Kingdom tours. You folks have a great weekend, okay. In the meantime, I’ll try & check in on Monday & let you know how this weekend’s Mega-Mouse Meet went.\\Til then, you folks take care, okay\\jrh\\”,1]);D([“mb”,””,0]);D([“ce”]);//–>

Thankfully, Mark & Randy have been ignoring most of these notes. Which is why – as each week goes by – “Chicken Little” keeps getting quirkier & quirkier, funnier & funnier.

Trust me, folks. You’re gonna love this movie.

Oops. Look at the time. I gotta go get ready for today’s Magic Kingdom tours. You folks have a great weekend, okay. In the meantime, I’ll try & check in on Monday & let you know how this weekend’s Mega-Mouse Meet went.

Til then, you folks take care, okay

jrh

General

Seward Johnson bronzes add a surreal, artistic touch to NYC’s Garment District

Published

10 years ago

June 23, 2015

Jim Hill

Greetings from NYC. Nancy and I drove down from New
Hampshire yesterday because we'll be checking out
Disney Consumer Products' annual Holiday Showcase later today.

Anyway … After checking into our hotel (i.e., The Paul.
Which is located down in NYC's NoMad district), we decided to grab some dinner.
Which is how we wound up at the Melt Shop.

Photo by Jim Hill

Which is this restaurant that only sells grilled cheese sandwiches.
This comfort food was delicious, but kind of on the heavy side.

Photo by Jim Hill

Which is why — given that it was a beautiful summer night
— we'd then try and walk off our meals. We started our stroll down by the Empire
State Building
…

Photo by Jim Hill

… and eventually wound up just below Times
Square (right behind where the Waterford Crystal Times Square New
Year's Eve Ball is kept).

Photo by Jim Hill

But you know what we discovered en route? Right in the heart
of Manhattan's Garment District
along Broadway between 36th and 41st? This incredibly cool series of life-like
and life-sized sculptures that Seward
Johnson has created.

Photo by Jim Hill

And — yes — that is Abraham Lincoln (who seems to have
slipped out of WDW's Hall of Presidents when no one was looking and is now
leading tourists around Times Square). These 18 painted
bronze pieces (which were just installed late this past Sunday night / early
Monday morning) range from the surreal to the all-too-real.

Photo by Jim Hill

Some of these pieces look like typical New Yorkers. Like the
business woman planning out her day …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the postman delivering the mail …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the hot dog vendor working at his cart …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the street musician playing for tourists …

Photo by Jim Hill

Not to mention the tourists themselves.

Photo by Jim Hill

But right alongside the bronze businessmen …

Photo by Jim Hill

… and the tired grandmother hauling her groceries home …

Photo by Jim Hill

… there were also statues representing people who were
from out-of-town …

Photo by Jim Hill

… or — for that matter — out-of-time.

Photo by Jim Hill

These were the Seward Johnson pieces that genuinely beguiled. Famous impressionist paintings brought to life in three dimensions.

Note the out-of-period water bottle that some tourist left
behind. Photo by Jim Hill

Some of them so lifelike that you actually had to pause for
a moment (especially as day gave way to night in the city) and say to yourself
"Is that one of the bronzes? Or just someone pretending to be one of these
bronzes?"

Mind you, for those of you who aren't big fans of the
impressionists …

Photo by Jim Hill

… there's also an array of American icons. Among them
Marilyn Monroe …

Photo by Jim Hill

… and that farmer couple from Grant Wood's "American
Gothic."

Photo by Jim Hill

But for those of you who know your NYC history, it's hard to
beat that piece which recreates Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous photograph of V-J Day in Times Square.

Photo by Jim Hill

By the way, a 25-foot-tall version of this particular Seward
Johnson piece ( which — FYI — is entitled "Embracing Peace") will actually
be placed in Times Square for a few days on or around August 14th to commemorate the 70th
anniversary of Victory Over Japan Day (V-J Day).

Photo by Jim Hill

By the way, if you'd like to check these Seward Johnson bronzes in
person (which — it should be noted — are part of the part of the Garment
District Alliance's new public art offering) — you'd best schedule a trip to
the City sometime over the next three months. For these pieces will only be on
display now through September 15th.

General

Wondering what you should “Boldly Go” see at the movies next year? The 2015 Licensing Expo offers you some clues

Published

10 years ago

June 10, 2015

Jim Hill

Greeting from the 2015 Licensing Expo, which is being held
at the Mandalay Bay
Convention Center in Las
Vegas.

Photo by Jim Hill

I have to admit that I enjoy covering the Licensing Expo.
Mostly becomes it allows bloggers & entertainment writers like myself to
get a peek over the horizon. Scope out some of the major motion pictures &
TV shows that today's vertically integrated entertainment conglomerates
(Remember when these companies used to be called movie studios?) will be
sending our way over the next two years or so.

Photo by Jim Hill

Take — for example — all of "The Secret Life of
Pets" banners that greeted Expo attendees as they made their way to the
show floor today. I actually got to see some footage from this new Illumination
Entertainment production (which will hit theaters on July 8, 2016) the last time I was in Vegas. Which
was for CinemaCon back in April. And the five or so minutes of film that I viewed
suggested that "The Secret Life of Pets" will be a really funny
animated feature.

Photo by Jim Hill

Mind you, Universal Pictures wanted to make sure that Expo
attendees remembered that there was another Illumination Entertainment production
coming-to-a-theater-near-them before "The Secret Life of Pets" (And
that's "Minions," the "Despicable Me" prequel. Which
premieres at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival next week but
won't be screened stateside 'til July 10th of this year). Which is why they had
three minions who were made entirely out of LEGOS loitering out in the lobby.

Photo by Jim Hill

And Warner Bros. — because they wanted "Batman v
Superman: Dawn of Justice" to start trending on Twitter today — brought
the Batmobile to Las Vegas.

Photo by Jim Hill

Not to mention full-sized macquettes of Batman, Superman and
Wonder Woman. Just so conventioneers could then see what these DC superheroes
would actually look like in this eagerly anticipated, March 25, 2016 release.

Photo by Jim Hill

That's the thing that can sometimes be a wee bit frustrating
about the Licensing Expo. It's all about delayed gratification. You'll come
around a corner and see this 100 foot-long ad for "The Peanuts Movie"
and think "Hey, that looks great. I want to see that Blue Sky Studios production
right now." It's only then that you notice the fine print and realize that
"The Peanuts Movie" doesn't actually open in theaters 'til November
6th of this year.

Photo by Jim Hill

And fan of Blue Sky's "Ice Age" film franchise are in for an even
longer wait. Given that the latest installment in that top grossing series
doesn't arrive in theaters 'til July
15, 2016.

Photo by Jim Hill

Of course, if you're one of those people who needs immediate
gratification when it comes to your entertainment, there was stuff like that to
be found at this year's Licensing Expo. Take — for example — how the WWE
booth was actually shaped like a wrestling ring. Which — I'm guessing — meant
that if the executives of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. didn't like
the offer that you were making, they were then allowed to toss you out over the
top rope, Royal Rumble-style.

Photo by Jim Hill

I also have to admit that — as a longtime Star Trek fan —
it was cool to see the enormous Starship Enterprise that hung in place over the
CBS booth. Not to mention getting a glimpse of the official Star Trek 50th
Anniversary logo.

Photo by Jim Hill

I was also pleased to see lots of activity in The Jim Henson
Company booth. Which suggests that JHC has actually finally carved out a
post-Muppets identity for itself.

Photo by Jim Hill

Likewise for all of us who were getting a little concerned
about DreamWorks Animation (what with all the layoffs & write-downs &
projects that were put into turnaround or outright cancelled last year), it was
nice to see that booth bustling.

Photo by Jim Hill

Every so often, you'd come across some people who were
promoting a movie that you weren't entirely sure that you actually wanted to
see (EX: "Angry Birds," which Sony Pictures Entertainment / Columbia
Pictures will be releasing to theaters on May 20, 2016). But then you remembered that Clay Kaytis —
who's this hugely talented former Walt Disney Animation Studios animator — is
riding herd on "Angry Birds" with Fergal Reilly. And you'd think
"Well, if Clay's working on 'Angry Birds,' I'm sure this animated feature
will turn out fine."

Photo by Jim Hill

Mind you, there were reminders at this year's Licensing Expo
of great animated features that we're never going to get to see now. I still
can't believe — especially after that brilliant proof-of-concept footage
popped up online last year — that Sony execs decided not to go forward
with production of Genndy Tartakovsky's
"Popeye" movie. But that's the
cruel thing about the entertainment business, folks. It will sometime break
your heart.

Photo by Jim Hill

And make no mistake about this. The Licensing Expo is all
about business. That point was clearly driven home at this year's show when —
as you walked through the doors of the Mandalay
Bay Convention Center
— the first thing that you saw was the Hasbros Booth. Which was this gleaming,
sleek two story-tall affair full of people who were negotiating deals &
signing contracts for all of the would-be summer blockbusters that have already
announced release dates for 2019 & beyond.

Photo by Jim Hill

"But what about The Walt Disney Company?," you
ask. "Weren't they represented on the show floor at this year's Licensing
Expo?" Not really, not. I mean, sure. There were a few companies there hyping
Disney-related products. Take — for example — the Disney Wikkeez people.

Photo by Jim Hill

I'm assuming that some Disney Consumer Products exec is
hoping that Wikkeez will eventually become the new Tsum Tsum. But to be blunt,
these little hard plastic figures don't seem to have the same huggable charm
that those stackable plush do. But I've been wrong before. So let's see what
happens with Disney Wikkeez once they start showing up on the shelves of the
Company's North American retail partners.

Photo by Jim Hill

And speaking of Disney's retail partners … They were
meeting with Mouse House executives behind closed doors one floor down from the
official show floor for this year's Licensing Expo.

Photo by Jim Hill

And the theme for this year's invitation-only Disney shindig? "Timeless
Stories" involving the Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm brands that
would then appeal to "tomorrow's consumer."

Photo by Jim Hill

And just to sort of hammer home the idea that Disney is no
longer the Company which cornered the market when it comes to little girls
(i.e., its Disney Princess and Disney Fairies franchises), check out this
wall-sized Star Wars-related image that DCP put up just outside of one of its
many private meeting rooms. "See?," this carefully crafted photo
screams. "It isn't just little boys who want to wield the Force. Little
girls also want to grow up and be Lords of the Sith."

Photo by Jim Hill

One final, kind-of-ironic note: According to this banner,
Paramount Pictures will be releasing a movie called "Amusement Park"
to theaters sometime in 2017.

Photo by Jim Hill

Well, given all the "Blackfish" -related issues
that have been dogged SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment over the past two years, I'm
just hoping that they'll still be in the amusement park business come 2017.

Your thoughts?

General

It takes more than three circles to craft a Classic version of Mickey Mouse

Published

10 years ago

June 9, 2015

Jim Hill

You know what Mickey Mouse looks like, right? Little guy,
big ears?

Truth be told, Disney's corporate symbol has a lot of
different looks. If Mickey's interacting with Guests at Disneyland
Park (especially this summer, when
the Happiest Place on Earth
is celebrating its 60th anniversary), he looks & dresses like this.

Or when he's appearing in one of those Emmy Award-winning shorts that Disney
Television Animation has produced (EX: "Bronco Busted," which debuts
on the Disney Channel tonight at 8 p.m. ET / PT), Mickey is drawn in a such a
way that he looks hip, cool, edgy & retro all at the same time.

Looking ahead to 2017 now, when Disney Junior rolls out "Mickey and the
Roadster Racers," this brand-new animated series will feature a sportier version
of Disney's corporate symbol. One that Mouse House managers hope will persuade
preschool boys to more fully embrace this now 86 year-old character.

That's what most people don't realize about the Mouse. The
Walt Disney Company deliberately tailors Mickey's look, even his style of
movement, depending on what sort of project / production he's appearing in.

Take — for example — Disney
California Adventure
Park's "World of Color:
Celebrate!" Because Disney's main mouse would be co-hosting this new
nighttime lagoon show with ace emcee Neil Patrick Harris, Eric Goldberg really had
to step up Mickey's game. Which is why this master Disney animator created
several minutes of all-new Mouse animation which then showed that Mickey was
just as skilled a showman as Neil was.

Better yet, let's take a look at what the folks at Avalanche Studios just went
through as they attempted to create a Classic version of Mickey & Minnie.
One that would then allow this popular pair to become part of Disney Infinity
3.0.

"I won't lie to you. We were under a lot of pressure to
get the look of this particular version of Mickey — he's called Red Pants
Mickey around here — just right," said Jeff Bunker, the VP of Art
Development at Avalanche Studios, during a recent phone interview. "When
we brought Sorcerer Mickey into Disney Infinity 1.0 back in January of 2014,
that one was relatively easy because … Well, everyone knows what Mickey Mouse
looked like when he appeared in 'Fantasia.' "

"But this time around, we were being asked to design
THE Mickey & Minnie," Bunker continued. "And given that these Classic
Disney characters have been around in various different forms for the better
part of the last century … Well, which look was the right look?"

Which is why Jeff and his team at Avalanche Studios began watching hours &
hours of Mickey Mouse shorts. As they tried to get a handle on which look would
work best for these characters in Disney Infinity 3.0.

"And we went all the way back to the very start of Mickey's career. We began
with 'Steamboat Willie' and then watched all of those black & white Mickey shorts
that Walt made back in the late 1920s & early 1930s. From there, we
transitioned to his Technicolor shorts. Which is when Mickey went from being
this pie-eyed, really feisty character to more of a well-behaved leading
man," Bunker recalled. "We then finished out our Mouse marathon by
watching all of those new Mickey shorts that Paul Rudish & his team have
been creating for Disney Television Animation. Those cartoons really recapture
a lot of the spirit and wild slapstick fun that Mickey's early, black &
white shorts had."

But given that the specific assignment that Avalanche Studios had been handed
was to create the most appealing looking, likeable version of Mickey Mouse
possible … In the end, Jeff and his team wound up borrowing bits & pieces
from a lot of different versions of the world's most famous mouse. So that
Classic Mickey would then look & move in a way that best fit the sort of
gameplay which people would soon be able to experience with Disney Infinity
3.0.

"That — in a lot of ways — was actually the toughest
part of the Classic Mickey design project. You have to remember that one of the
key creative conceits of Disney Infinity
is that all the characters which appear in this game are toys," Bunker
stated. "Okay. So they're beautifully detailed, highly stylized toy
versions of beloved Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm characters. But
they're still supposed to be toys. So our Classic versions of Mickey &
Minnie have the same sort of thickness & sturdiness to them that toys have.
So that they'll then be able to fit right in with all of the rest of the
characters that Avalanche Studios had previously designed for Disney Infinity."

And then there was the matter of coming up with just the
right pose for Classic Mickey & Minnie. Which — to hear Jeff tell the
story — involved input from a lot of Disney upper management.

"Everyone within the Company seemed to have an opinion
about how Mickey & Minnie should be posed. More to the point, if you Google
Mickey, you then discover that there are literally thousands of poses out there
for these two. Though — truth be told — a lot of those kind of play off the
way Mickey poses when he's being Disney's corporate symbol," Bunker said.
"But what I was most concerned about was that Mickey's pose had to work
with Minnie's pose. Because we were bringing the Classic versions of these
characters up into Disney Infinity 3.0 at the exact same time. And we wanted to
make sure — especially for those fans who like to put their Disney Infinity
figures on display — that Mickey's pose would then complement Minnie.

Which is why Jeff & the crew at Avalanche Studios
decided — when it came to Classic Mickey & Minnie's pose — that they
should go all the way back to the beginning. Which is why these two Disney icons
are sculpted in such a way that it almost seems as though you're witnessing the
very first time Mickey set eyes on Minnie.

"And what was really great about that was — as soon as
we began showing people within the Company this pose — everyone at Disney
quickly got on board with the idea. I mean, the Classic Mickey that we sculpted
for Disney Infinity 3.0 is clearly a very playful, spunky character. But at the
same time, he's obviously got eyes for Minnie," Bunker concluded. "So
in the end, we were able to come up with Classic versions of these characters
that will work well within the creative confines of Disney Infinity 3.0 but at
the same time please those Disney fans who just collect these figures because
they like the way the Disney Infinity characters look."

So now that this particular design project is over, does
Jeff regret that Mouse House upper management was so hands-on when it came to
making sure that the Classic versions of Mickey & Minnie were specifically
tailored to fit the look & style of gameplay found in Disney Infinity 3.0?

"To be blunt, we go through this every time we add a new character to the
game. The folks at Lucasfilm were just as hands-on when we were designing the
versions of Darth Vader and Yoda that will also soon be appearing in Disney
Infinity 3.0," Bunker laughed. "So in the end, if the character's
creators AND the fans are happy, then I'm happy."

This article was originally posted on the Huffington Post's Entertainment page on Tuesday, June 9, 2015