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It’s my Potty and I’ll Cry if I Want To …

After being off the map for a few days, Jim Hill returns with an explanation as to where he’s been, what he’s being doing, and – more importantly – an explanation as to what he’s actually doing in that ridiculous chair.

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Greetings from the West Coast field office of JimHillMedia.com.


Sounds kind of impressive, don’t you think? Well, don’t be so sure. This “office” occupies a corner of a very cluttered kitchen in Poway, CA. My desk consists of a briefcase that’s perched on top of a trash can. My chair … Well, it’s a potty chair. You know? One of those things that they give to people who’ve just had back surgery. With handles & a seat.


Of course, given the quality of crud that I usually churn out for this website, some JHM readers will probably find it highly appropriate that I’m seated in a potty chair.


That is – of course – assuming that JimHillMedia.com still has readers.


My sincerest apologies, folks, for the website being so erratic this week. Only updating every other day. But it’s been kind of tough this week out here in Southern California.


You see, I’ve been trying to serve two masters while I’ve been out west. Every other day, I’ve been charging up to LA to do interviews and research. Gathering material for future stories at the site.


And – when I’m not doing that – I’ve been helping my ex-mother-in-law and my daughter pack up their house in Poway. Which involves hoisting heavy furniture, packing dozens of cardboard boxes and driving loaded panel trucks up to Fallbrook, CA. Where Nancy (No. Not my Nancy. Nancy Smith. Michelle’s Mom. Alice’s grandmother) is stored a bunch of their belongings.


The deadline for having everything packed up in June 30th. With a little luck, I think that we’ll make it …


But – what with burning the candle at both ends as well as in the middle – something had to give while I was out west. And that (sadly) had to be my regular updates at the site. What with the two-to-three-drives (both coming & going) to Los Angeles as well as pulling Divorced Daddy Duty down here in Poway, there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do.


Like today, for example. I have to finish up packing up all of Alice’s crud out on the patio. Then – mid-afternoon – I have to drive up to Hollywood to try & cover the Godzilla Film Festival at the Egyptian Theater. Then – after that – I have to drive out to Long Beach Airport to pick up Roy Mitchner, JHM’s Creative Director. Then he and I drive down to Santa Ana, checking into a hotel. Where we’re catch a few Zzzs before heading over to Anaheim tomorrow to run the latest set of JHM Disneyland tours.


I know, I know. The above paragraph probably just sounds like a lot of whining to most of you. And I apologize for that.


The point I’m trying to make here is that I know that JimHillMedia.com has been kind of erratic for the past few days. And I sincerely apologize for that. But I also wanted you to understand that the site has been somewhat low on content NOT because I’ve been sitting on my ass. But – rather – because I’ve been busting my ass.


If you can just hang in there another couple of days, folks … I’ve scored some truly killer stories during my most recent stay in California. Great anecdotes about what’s really going on these days inside Disney Feature Animation. Plus some travel pieces that I think you’ll really enjoy. Like what it’s like to visit Ron & Diane Disney Miller’s winery up in Yountville, CA. as well as Charles Schulz’s museum over in Santa Rosa, CA.


I’ll also probably be doing some stories about how surreal things have gotten for me lately. What with the increasing prominence of JimHillMedia.com, I’ve been finding myself in increasingly bizarre circumstances.


Like what? Well, how about yesterday … When I had to drive up to Hollywood. Where the U.K.’s Channel 4 had asked me to take part in a taping of a new TV special, “100 Greatest Tearjerkers.”


This taping actually took place in a hotel on Sunset Boulevard. The Standard at 8300 W. Sunset, to be exact.


Now I don’t know if you folks are aware of the Standard. But it’s one of these ultra chic, ultra sleek hotels. Where the lobby is bone white and the only thing to sit on are these low-slung bean bag type chairs.


As I arrived at the Standard, I couldn’t help but notice that everyone at the hotel seemed to be … beautiful. Thin, young, tan. Whereas I was fat, old & sunburned.


Obviously, I didn’t feel like I fit in there. I mean, here I was – surrounded by all these pretty, young things with their belly shirts. While I was wearing a shirt that I hoped might hide my belly.


I honestly have never been in a situation like this before. Where I felt totally intimidated by my surroundings. Which was why – rather than sit around in the lobby, waiting for the folks from Channel 4 to come get me for my interview – I actually went outside and sat at the bus stop at the corner of Sweetzer & Sunset. Figuring that – if these folks wanted to get ahold of me – they could just call me on my cell phone.


Long story short: The Channel 4 folks DID call me. After learning of my predicament, they came down and escorted me through the lobby. Where the thin, buff staff eyeballed me with obvious disdain. As if they were wondering how I managed to get out from under that bridge, where I spend most of my time frightening small goats.


That was a weird, weird experience. But – then again – LA is a weird, weird town.


Here, that was sort of a sad story. So – to balance things out – let me tell you sort of a funny story.


Tuesday afternoon, after dropping Nancy (My Nancy. Nancy Stadler. Not Nancy Smith) off at LAX and picking up some of my ex-wife’s belongings in Long Beach, I drove up to Burbank. To the Burbank Public Library, to be exact.


My mission was to chase down some additional information about the Disney-MGM Studio Backlot project. Given that – just last week – I had managed to mangle Wade Sampson’s article about this same subject.


You see, Wade had sent me a column about this never-built project. Which stated that the Disney-MGM Studio backlot was supposed to be built on this 40 acre parcel in the middle of beautiful downtown Burbank.


Of course, I knew that to be wrong. Because – years ago – I had spoken with an animator that was very familiar with the project. Who had told me that one of the big draws to the Disney-MGM Studio Backlot project was that guests were going to be able to tour Disney Feature Animation, the Disney Channel’s production facilities as well as the Disney Archives.


Which – given that all three of these entities now have presence on the main Disney lot in Buena Vista – is why I mistakenly thought that the Disney-MGM Studio Backlot lot project would be be built there … as an ambitious sort of expansion project. Which is why I reworked Wade’s article to say this.


Well, sad as it is to say this … Wade was right and I was wrong. The Disney-MGM Studio Backlot was originally supposed to be built in beautiful downtown Burbank. On the spot where the Media Center now stands.


Mind you, I was right about one thing. Disney Feature Animation, the Disney Channel & the Disney Archives were supposed to be part of the Disney-MGM Studio Backlot tour experience. But what the Imagineers had wanted to do was relocate all three of these corporate entities to that 40 acre site in downtown Burbank. Where they would have been housed in brand new facilities which would have featured tour corridors. (You know? Those glassed-in thing you used to walk through while touring the backstage portions of the Disney-MGM Studio theme park in Florida. So that you could see what was actually going on without disturbing the talented staffers who were hard at work on the other side of the glass.)


Anyway … So – before I continue with my story here – let me make a brief apologies to Wade Sampson for screwing up his story. Further on down the line (I.E. When I’m back home in New Hampshire. When I’m not sitting on a potty chair and I’m not pounding out stories on an overturned trash can), I promise that I’ll make the appropriate changes to Sampson’s story.


Getting back to my story now … It’s this past Tuesday afternoon. I’m at the Burbank Public Library, trying to get some additional information about the Disney-MGM Studio Backlot project. But the only problem is … This branch (I.E. The one that’s just up the street from Walt Disney Studios) doesn’t really have a whole lot of info on the Studio Backlot.


The research librarian who’s helping me spends 15 minutes or so, burrowing through the stacks. And she can unearth lots of information about the Burbank Media Center, the project that eventually got built on the site where the Disney-MGM Studio Backlot was supposed to have been built … But nothing on the Backlot itself.


So I settled down at one of the library’s terminals and being burrowing through back issues of the “Los Angeles Times.” Trying to track down as many articles as I can about the Backlot project. And I’ve been at this for about 40 minutes, when I notice that the research librarian (You know? The one who’d been helping me earlier) is now standing at my elbow.


She tells me that she just feels terrible that I came all the way from New Hampshire looking for information about the Disney-MGM Studio Backlot and that the Burbank Public Library has been unable to help me. And – seeing as this woman just didn’t want me going home empty-handed – she had just gone on the Internet and done some research on the project.


Which was why she then handed me a printout of Wade Sampson’s article. You know, the one that I had recently mutilated by putting in the wrong info?


It’s at times like that that you just have to laugh. Sort of like right now … When I’m sitting here, on a potty chair. Trying to pound out a new column for the site.


Not to worry, though, folks. Things will get back to normal soon. Or – should I say – as normal as they usually are at JimHillMedia.com. Though – what with all the work that still has to be done with this move – I’ve been forced to extend my stay in Poway (I was originally flying back to New Hampshire on June 28th. Now, I won’t be heading home ’til July 4th).


Anyway … If you can just hang in there for another week or so, I promise that JHM will get back on its regular update schedule.


Okay. That’s enough whining & excuses for today. Now – if you’ll excuse me – I have a date with my daughter on the patio. Where we have to get another dozen or so boxes ready to be shipped off to Hawaii.


Have a great weekend, okay?

Jim Hill

Jim Hill is an entertainment writer who has specialized in covering The Walt Disney Company for nearly 40 years now. Over that time, he has interviewed hundreds of animators, actors, and Imagineers -- many of whom have shared behind-the-scenes stories with Mr. Hill about how the Mouse House really works. In addition to the 4000+ articles Jim has written for the Web, he also co-hosts a trio of popular podcasts: “Disney Dish with Len Testa,” “Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor” and “Marvel US Disney with Aaron Adams.” Mr. Hill makes his home in Southern New Hampshire with his lovely wife Nancy and two obnoxious cats, Ginger & Betty.

Jim Hill is an entertainment writer who has specialized in covering The Walt Disney Company for nearly 40 years now. Over that time, he has interviewed hundreds of animators, actors, and Imagineers -- many of whom have shared behind-the-scenes stories with Mr. Hill about how the Mouse House really works. In addition to the 4000+ articles Jim has written for the Web, he also co-hosts a trio of popular podcasts: “Disney Dish with Len Testa,” “Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor” and “Marvel US Disney with Aaron Adams.” Mr. Hill makes his home in Southern New Hampshire with his lovely wife Nancy and two obnoxious cats, Ginger & Betty.

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General

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

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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. 

Jim Hill

Jim Hill is an entertainment writer who has specialized in covering The Walt Disney Company for nearly 40 years now. Over that time, he has interviewed hundreds of animators, actors, and Imagineers -- many of whom have shared behind-the-scenes stories with Mr. Hill about how the Mouse House really works. In addition to the 4000+ articles Jim has written for the Web, he also co-hosts a trio of popular podcasts: “Disney Dish with Len Testa,” “Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor” and “Marvel US Disney with Aaron Adams.” Mr. Hill makes his home in Southern New Hampshire with his lovely wife Nancy and two obnoxious cats, Ginger & Betty.

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

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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?

Jim Hill

Jim Hill is an entertainment writer who has specialized in covering The Walt Disney Company for nearly 40 years now. Over that time, he has interviewed hundreds of animators, actors, and Imagineers -- many of whom have shared behind-the-scenes stories with Mr. Hill about how the Mouse House really works. In addition to the 4000+ articles Jim has written for the Web, he also co-hosts a trio of popular podcasts: “Disney Dish with Len Testa,” “Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor” and “Marvel US Disney with Aaron Adams.” Mr. Hill makes his home in Southern New Hampshire with his lovely wife Nancy and two obnoxious cats, Ginger & Betty.

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

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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

Jim Hill

Jim Hill is an entertainment writer who has specialized in covering The Walt Disney Company for nearly 40 years now. Over that time, he has interviewed hundreds of animators, actors, and Imagineers -- many of whom have shared behind-the-scenes stories with Mr. Hill about how the Mouse House really works. In addition to the 4000+ articles Jim has written for the Web, he also co-hosts a trio of popular podcasts: “Disney Dish with Len Testa,” “Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor” and “Marvel US Disney with Aaron Adams.” Mr. Hill makes his home in Southern New Hampshire with his lovely wife Nancy and two obnoxious cats, Ginger & Betty.

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