General
As “Cars” zooms toward completion, Disney & Pixar inch toward a new agreement
Could the Walt Disney Company and Pixar Animation Studios really be getting ready to kiss & make up? Jim Hill points out all the encouraging signs … plus offering up some very cool new details about John Lasseter’s next movie.
What a difference a year (and a half. Or thereabouts) makes.
Do you remember how angry & frustrated Pixar CEO Steve Jobs sounded back in January of 2004? When Steve went public with his decision to break off Pixar’s contract extension talks with the Walt Disney Company?
Mind you, Jobs wasn’t the only one spreading doom & gloom back then. If you listened to what Bob Iger was saying throughout most of 2004 … Well, Disney’s then-second-in-command was also a bit of a downer. Take — for instance — this extract from Iger’s speech at the Royal Television Society:
“It would be nice (if the Walt Disney Company could) continue (its professional) relationship with (Pixar) to infinity … But yeah, I think we’ve outgrown one another in a sense …
Deals like this have a certain longevity or life span. When Pixar started, it needed the might of the Walt Disney Co. in terms of marketing clout and distribution clout and money just to pay for those films. As it grew, it weaned itself from its need for Disney. It now sees itself as able to pretty much go out on its own, not needing funding or marketing support.”
So the conventional wisdom last year was … The Walt Disney Company and Pixar Animation Studios are never going to be able to mend this rift. One of the most successful partnerships in show business history is going to break up. All because Steve Jobs hates Michael Eisner.
Then — on September 9, 2004 — Eisner announced that he would be stepping down as CEO of the Walt Disney Company as of September 30, 2005. Then — on March 14th of this year — Disney’s board of directors announced that Bob would be replacing Michael as the Mouse House’s Big Cheese.
And who was one of the very first people to send Iger an e-mail congratulating him on his new promotion? Pixar CEO Steve Jobs.
From that day to now, there has been this very slow but steady thawing of the relations between these entertainment giants. A sense that maybe — just maybe — if the planets could align properly, that Pixar and Disney might possibly get back in business with one another.
Sometime, this renewed sense of hope came from statements that Bob & Steve would release to the media. Take — for example — this snippet from one of Iger’s very first interviews with the press after being named Disney’s CEO-to-be. When asked whether he might reach out to Steve and try to get the Disney/Pixar contract talks going again, Bob replied:
“I will certainly make an attempt and look forward to some dialogue provided (Jobs is) willing. I’ve always valued creative partnerships. This one has been incredibly successful for both companies.”
As it turns out, Steve was willing to get a dialogue going. Over the next months, Jobs & Iger spoke regularly on the telephone as the two CEOs tried to feel each other out. Get a sense of where the other executive stood on the whole just-how-big-a-share-of-the-profits-pie-is-Pixar-now-entitled-to-have issue?
Clearly, Steve must have liked what he was hearing. For — as part of Pixar’s quarterly earnings conference call in May — Jobs was quoted as saying:
“I’ve been getting to know Bob a little bit, and he seems like a terrific guy. If (Disney comes) wanting to strike a new deal, we’ll see how things go.”
Of course, this is not to say that there weren’t a few bumps in the road. Certainly, executives at the Walt Disney Company caught off guard this past Spring when they learned that Wall Street analysts had reportedly been told that — starting in 2009 — Pixar Animation Studios would begin beefing up its release schedule. That — from 2009 on forward — the Emeryville-based studio would be putting two new animated pictures out in the multiplexes each year.
Some have since suggested that the Mouse House’s June 21st announcement that a Disney-produced “Toy Story III” would be released to theaters in the Summer of 2008 came about as a direct result of Pixar’s two-pictures-a-year-in-2009 announcement. A little bit of corporate ***-waving, if you will … But me? I’m not entirely sure if I buy into that theory …
Anyway … By June 7th of this year, Iger made it official. At the Deutsche Bank conference in NYC, Bob admitted that:
“We’ve opened up talks again with Pixar. We’d certainly like to figure out a way to continue to do business with them. I think that’s mutual. We’ve gotten to understand the issues that are most important to both sides.”
Mind you, Iger was very careful to categorize these negotiations as “informal talks.” Both in an effort to not get the hopes of the investment community up too high (With the keen understanding that — should this deal actually fall through — that these failed negotiation might then cast a very long shadow over his first few years as head of the Mouse House) as well as to save Eisner from any additional embarassment (After all, it’s really gotta be kind of embarassing to Michael that Steve simply refused to do business with him. But — now that Bob’s the new designated Big Cheese — Pixar’s CEO is perfectly happy to re-open negotiations with Disney).
Anywho … To put it bluntly: When Iger was talking with the folks at Deutsche Bank Conference, he was vague but upbeat. When asked what he thought the chances were that Pixar and Disney would actually get back together, Bob replied:
“I’m not sure I really want to give you odds. We’ve had really good discussions.”
And those discussions have obviously continued. Given the upbeat language that Steve Jobs used earlier this month, when he was asked by investment analysts (during Pixar’s most recent quarterly earnings conference call) about whether the two entertainment giants would ever be able to work out a new deal. Pixar’s CEO said that he was ” … cautiously optimistic” about the current status of the negotiations. That the two companies have had ” … productive and professional” talks to date, but then added that ” … “there are (still) a lot of hurdles.”
But — that said — Steve went on to say that ” … I like…Bob Iger and *** Cook a lot” and that he hoped to have a new distribution deal signed by year’s end.
Now please note that this is a distribution deal, folks. NOT a co-production & distribution deal (I.E. The sort of business arrangement that the Walt Disney Company currently enjoys with Pixar Animation Studios). Which means that — should Pixar agree to stay in business with the Mouse — Mickey is going to have to settle for a much smaller piece of the pie.
And — in his own comments to investment analysts last week — Iger did confirm that the Walt Disney Company is currently negotiating with Pixar Animation Studios with the hopes of securing a long-term distribution deal. NOT a co-production & distribution deal.
Still, Bob tried to put the best possible spin on this situation. Getting out the none-too-subtle message to Wall Street that Disney’s CEO-to-be understands that it’s probably best for the Mouse House to settle for a much smaller piece of the Pixar profit pie than have to deal with the alternative. Which is have Walt Disney Feature Animation (which is still in rebuilding mode) have to face Pixar Animation Studios as its direct competition starting in 2007.
And again Iger was careful not to build up investors’ hopes too high. Rather than making this seem like a done deal, Bob just stressed how impressed he was that the two companies were talking once more. How he thought that the mere fact that :
” … we are having a dialogue is a really good thing, and it has been really healthy. We’d certainly like to find a way to continue to do business with (Pixar Animation Studios), and I think the feeling is mutual.”
At the very least, Mr. Jobs would love to continue to do business with Disney’s marketing department. As part of this month’s quarterly earnings conference call, Steve mentioned that he had seen the Mouse’s plans for promoting “Cars” and had been absolutely wowed. Pixar’s CEO went on to say that Disney’s marketing department was planning “its most comprehensive marketing campaign yet” for a Pixar Animation release.
Speaking of “Cars” … I know, I know. A lot of you were put off by that film’s teaser trailer. But I guess I should let you know that this new John Lasseter film is now just weeks away from officially being completed. And — based on the word that’s been coming out of Emeryville — this may just be Pixar’s biggest hit yet.
While I was out in LA attending SIGGRAPH 2005, I got to speak with a few folks who are intimately familiar with this film. And they shared quite a few secrets about this particular Pixar production that have yet to make it out onto the Web. Intriguing little tidbits like:
- Pixar is continuing to persuade National Public Radio talent to come appear in its motion pictures. Do you remember how Brad Bird recruited Sarah Vowell (Noted author as well as regular contributor to NPR’s “This American Life” show) to do Violet’s voice for “The Incredibles”? Well, Lasseter decided to go one better than Brad with his movie.
After all, if you’re making a movie that’s called “Cars,” then who else should you have come do voicework for your animated film than the hosts of what is arguably NPR’s most popular program, “Car Talk”? That’s right, Tom & Ray Magliozzi — AKA Click & Clack, the Tappet Brothers — are doing an extended cameo in this upcoming Pixar release. Tom & Ray will be providing the voices of Clink & Clunk, two junky old cars that appear in the picture.
- George Carlin is doing the voice of a 1960s-era VW Bus in “Cars.” Those who are familiar with Al Sleet (AKA The “Hippy Dippy Weatherman” character that George used to do in the late 1960s / early 1970s) will understand why Lasseter hired Carlin for this gig. Which is to provide the voice of a throwback to the 1960s. You know? A kind of counter-culture car.
I’m told that a particularly funny moment in this movie comes when Carlin’s car — who shares garage space with an Army jeep (Reportedly voiced by Paul Dooley of “Breaking Away” fame) — is jarred awake suddenly one morning when the jeep starts blaring “Reveille” on his radio. Carlin responded by playing Jimi Hendrix’s electric guitar version of the “National Anthem.” As the jeep squawks at this musical insult, saying “Turn that garbage down!” George’s character reportedly replies: “Hey, man. Have some respect for the classics!”
- Lassetter’s favorite character in the picture? It isn’t Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson’s race car character) or even Tow Mater (Dan Whitney AKA Larry the Cable Guy’s character). But — rather — a timid fire truck who doesn’t actually talk. Named (appropriately enough) Red, this fire truck avoids confrontation & conflict at all costs. Prefering — when there’s an emergency — to flee and/or hide inside his fire station.
- As a sly tribute to “Toy Story,” Pixar’s first feature-length animated release, look for Woody and Buzz Lightyear to turn up in car form in the film’s finale.
There’s a lot more that I could say about “Cars” (Like revealing the great running gag that Cheech Marin’s character has in this film. Or how weird it is that Paul Newman’s car somehow actually looks like Paul Newman whenever that character talks. Or how Dan Whitney’s tow truck character steals virtually every scene that he’s in) … But it wouldn’t be fair to spoil all of this Pixar picture’s surprises.
So all I can safely say is … We’re all in for one hell of a ride come June 9, 2006. That — in spite what you may think of that “Cars” teaser trailer — rest assured that John Lassetter has done it again. This film has all the visual wit & style, humor & heart that we’ve come to expect from a Pixar Animation Studios release … and then some. Trust me, folks. This film is going to break box office records when it hits theaters summer.
And Bob Iger knows this. Which is why Disney’s CEO-to-be is working so hard right now to make sure that “Cars” isn’t the very last Pixar Animation Studios production that Walt Disney Pictures ever released. That Jobs, Lasseter and their team of technicians & artists stay right where they are. Which is inside the walls of Mickey’s magical kingdom. Rather than be being on the outside … Where they could then give the Mouse some pretty serious competition.
“But — if Disney gets Pixar to sign a new distribution deal, what then happens to that version of ‘Toy Story III’ that Disney Circle 7 Studios is prepping?,” you ask. “You know, the one where Woody & the gang have to go to a toy factory in Taiwan in order to rescue Buzz?”
Well, here’s the interesting thing: The way I hear it, Jobs & Lasseter reportedly aren’t actually against the idea of making another “Toy Story” movie. More importantly, that they could even allegedly live with the idea of Disney’s own CG artists doing the bulk of the work on this picture.
So what’s the problem? Steve & John supposedly just hate the screenplay that Disney’s own story people have come with for “Toy Story III.” You see, for years now, Lasseter has been talking about doing a “Toy Story” sequel. Only this film wouldn’t be built around Buzz or Woody. But — rather — would prominently feature an adventure involving Jessie. Where the yodeling cowgirl …
Hmmn … Maybe I’ve revealed enough of Pixar’s secrets for one day. So why don’t we save that Jessie / “Toy Story III” story for another time, okay?
Your thoughts?
General
Seward Johnson bronzes add a surreal, artistic touch to NYC’s Garment District
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
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
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
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.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc.
All rights reserved
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.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights
reserved
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.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
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.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc.
All rights reserved
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.' "
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
"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.
Copyright Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
"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.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
"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.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
"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.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
"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?
Copyright Lucasfilm / Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
"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
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History10 months ago
From Birthday Wishes to Toontown Dreams: How Toontown Came to Be
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Film & Movies7 months ago
How Disney’s “Bambi” led to the creation of Smokey Bear
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News & Press Releases9 months ago
New Updates and Exclusive Content from Jim Hill Media: Disney, Universal, and More
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Merchandise7 months ago
Introducing “I Want That Too” – The Ultimate Disney Merchandise Podcast
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Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment2 months ago
Disney’s Forgotten Halloween Event: The Original Little Monsters on Main Street
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Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment2 months ago
The Story of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: From One Night to a Halloween Family Tradition