General
D23’s serves up a delightful, insightful celebration of Disneyland’s 55th anniversary with its Destination D event
Okay. Quick show of hands. How many of you remember Mr. Creosote from "Monty Python's the Meaning of Life "? That grotesquely fat man (played by Terry Jones) who ate so much he literally exploded after consuming one-too-many wafer-thin mints?
The reason that I bring that character up is … Well, after spending two full days at the Disneyland Hotel attending D23's Destination D event, I am now the Disneyana equivalent of Mr. Creosote. I have seen so many things that I've never seen before, heard so many previously-untold (in public, anyway) stories, been entertained within an inch of my life by gifted speakers & singers & presentations & panels that if I hear one more amusing anecdote, see one more slide from the WDI Photo Archives … Well, they're going to have to squeegee me off the walls.
As for the real highlight of the event, as I was walking out of the Grand Ballroom on Saturday night (just in time to catch that last barrage of fireworks as it exploded over Disneyland), I quizzed a few friends about what their favorite parts of Disneyland '55 at the Disneyland Resort were. And the general consensus seemed to be that one of the real high points was Friday night's "E Ticket: Music from the Disney Parks" concert. Which started out with Disney Legend Richard Sherman taking the audience through that vast collection of songs that he and his brother Robert wrote for the Disney Parks …
Richard Sherman addresses the crowd in the Grand Ballroom
at the Disneyland Hotel. Photo by Jim Hill
… and then segued into spirited performances by name performers like "Avenue Q" and "Johnny and the Sprites" star John Tartaglia. Who first shared a personal story about how he became a huge Haunted Mansion fan before then launching into a puppet-accompanied version of "Grim Grinning Ghosts."
John Tartaglia and his poltergeist pals. Photo by Jim Hill
Then Michael Urie & Ana Ortiz from "Ugly Betty" came onstage and – as part of their "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)" number – performed some groan-inducing gags (EX: Why did the pirate go into the Apple store? Because he wanted to buy an iPatch) that Wally Boag would have approved of.
Michael Urie (L) and Ana Ortiz put lots of Ho-Ho in
their rendition of "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)"
Photo by Jim Hill
Mind you, the biggest surprise of the evening came when Barrett Foa of "NCIS: Los Angeles" had to bail on his planned duet with Ms. Ortiz due to scheduling conflicts. So who did Steven Clark wind up recruiting at the very last minute to play Aladdin to Ana's Jasmine? D23's own Jeffrey Epstein. And you know what? That Disney Geek can actually sing.
Jeffrey Epstein & Ana Ortiz put a brand-new spin on
"A Whole New World." Photo by Jim Hill
But again, this "E Ticket: Music from the Disney Park" concert was just one small portion of a very full weekend of information & entertainment. It featured panels that were sometimes wistful (Take – for example – Friday's "Imagineering the Magic of Disney" panel. Where Disney Legend Alice Davis revealed that one of the main reasons that she enjoyed working on "it's a small world" for the 1964 New York World's Fair was that – as a child of the Depression – her parents couldn't afford to buy Alice any toys. So Ms. Davis never got to play dress-up with dolls until Walt Disney personally ordered her to create outfits for the 400+ Audio-Animatronic figures that appears in the Pepsi-Cola pavilion) …
Don Iwerks (L) and Marty Sklar listen as Alice Davis describes what it was like to work on
the Unicef attraction for the 1964 New York World's Fair. Photo by Jim Hill
… while other panels were downright bittersweet (During one of his times onstage, Dave Smith mentioned that – given that he's retiring from The Walt Disney Company on October 15th – D23's Destination D event will be one of his very last public appearances at Disney Chief Archivist. The crowd's response to this news was to give Dave a standing O after this Disney Legend had completed his "Disneyland: The Way We Were" presentation).
(L to R) Dave Smith, Ed Hobelman, Tony Baxter and Tim O'Day at
Saturday night's "Disneyland, U.S.A." screening and panel.
Photo by Jim Hill
Mind you, there were also some wonderfully silly moments. Like when Tim O'Day joined Becky Cline and Paul Anderson onstage during their "Weird Disney" panel to talk about how Paul Castle (i.e. the "Ice Capades" veteran who wound up being Disneyland's go-to performer whenever they needed someone of small stature to appear in a character costume) was once flung off of the Matterhorn – dressed as Baby New Year, no less – during one particularly memorable New Year's Eve celebration that was held in the Park during the early 1960s. And then – to put the cherry on top of the sundae – O'Day showed actual film footage of Castle kicking & screaming & swearing as he flew over Fantasyland wearing only a top hat and a diaper.
Rob Klein (L) and Tim O'Day prove that David Hasselhoff couldn't dance back in the 1980s
either when they screened this "Knight Rider" star's performance in Disneyland's 30th
anniversary TV special. Photo by Jim Hill
Yeah, Tim was a big part of the fun at this Disneyland '55 at the Disneyland Resort event. Whether it was when – as part of his "Disneyland Through the Eye of Television" presentation with Disney Archivist Rob Klein – Tim got all 1300 D23 members who were seated in the Grand Ballroom of the Disneyland Hotel up on their feet. So that – just like the Pledge of Allegiance – they could then recite (along with Walt) what's written on Disneyland's dedication plaque.
All together now: "To All Who Come to this Happy Place, Welcome! …"
O'Day also brought many in the hall to tears when he recalled what it was like to be at Disneyland on September 12, 2001. When the world was still reeling from what had happened in NYC, Washington D.C. and Shanksville, PA. Tim then talked about this grief-stricken woman he encountered in the Park that morning, who – after collapsing on a park bench in Town Square — told him that "… I had to come here. I couldn't watch anymore …" After watching the Towers fall over & over & over again on television, she needed to be reminded there was still kindness & goodness out there somewhere in the world. Which is why she went to Disneyland.
Geri Bumpass (L) and Tim O'Day listen in as Jack Lindquist explains his
1990s-era promotional plans for welcoming the Muppets to Disneyland.
Which included (for one summer only) painting the Matterhorn
Kermit-the-Frog green. Photo by Jim Hill
Disney Legend Jack Lindquist (who's got a book coming out, by the way. "In Service to the Mouse: My Unexpected Journey to Becoming Disneyland's First President." Which is available for pre-ordering on November 15th) told a similar sort of heart-tugging story about the important, emotional place that this theme park occupies in many of our hearts. Jack talked about how he was one of the Cast Members who wound up working at Disneyland on December 24, 1955. As they were gently noodging that last handful of Guests who were still on Main Street U.S.A. to head for the exits, Jack encountered this family of four (i.e. a father, a mother, a son and a daughter in worn but clean clothing) who were lingering in front of the Emporium. And after the little girl had taken one last longing look at all the toys in the window, Lindquist then heard the daughter turn to her mother and say: "You're right, Mom. Going to Disneyland was a lot better than getting a visit from Santa Claus."
It's stories like that – coming straight from the people who actually experienced them, some of whom worked side-by-side with Walt in order to make the magic happen – that made Destination D extra-special. Oh, sure. This event wasn't all about looking backwards. Tom Fitzgerald – as part of his "A Long Time Ago … The Making of Star Tours" presentation – introduced D23 members to two of the new droids who'll be appearing in the revamped version of this Tomorrowland attraction. Aly San-San (voiced by Allison Janney of "The West Wing" fame) …
Image courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc.
All rights reserved
… as well as Ace, the pilot of that StarSpeeder 1000 we'll all be flying in next Spring. Who's supposed be as different from the RX-24 droid that Paul Reubens voiced, as you can possibly get.
Image courtesy of Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All
rights reserved
And speaking of Star Tours … during his "A word with the President" panel (which was hosted by KABC meteorologist Garth Kemp), Disneyland Resort President George Kalogridis revealed that "Star Tours: The Adventure Continues …" will feature 54 distinctly different variations on its ride film. Which means (in theory, anyway) that you'll never have the same trip twice whenever you board this simulator.
KABC meteorologist Garth Kemp (R) chat with Disneyland Resort President George
Kalogridis. Photo by Jim Hill
Over the course of this two day-long event, D23 members got all sort of peeks in the future. Be it the Disney Dance Crew (who'll begin performing at Disney California Adventure next month) …
The Disney Dance D23 gave Destination D attendees a preview of the high-energy dance
routines that they'll begin performing next month at the Disneyland Resort Parks.
Photo by Jim Hill
… or taking part in a test run of the Ultimate Disney Trivia Tournament, which will be one of the events presented at the 2011 D23 Expo. Which will be held August 19 – 21st at the Anaheim Convention Center.
The winner of this test game was then automatically entered in the semi-finals for next
year's debut edition of the Ultimate Disney Trivia Tournament. Photo by Jim Hill
But after seeing what the Star Tours flight cabin looks like from the outside …
Photo copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
Image courtesy of Jeremy Marx
… as well as a T-Rex fly through the sky as it makes its way from Ford's Magic Skyway to Disneyland's Primeval World …
Photo courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
… I knew that I had to get away from magic & dreams & wonder for a while. Especially since Steven Clark revealed – as they were bringing Saturday's show to a close — that D23 would be holding a Destination D event at Walt Disney World in the Spring of 2011 (at dates that the Official Disney Fan Club will be announcing shortly) which will then celebrate the history & the heritage of that Resort.
It was at that point – knowing that if I heard one more thing about Disney and /or Disneyland, my head would explode – that I quickly made tracks. Trading the Happiest Place on Earth for one of the scarier places on the planet: Knott's Scary Farm. Home of Halloween Haunt.
Photo by Jim Hill
And I'll be telling you about my trip to that Southern California seasonal favorite next week here at JHM.
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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