General

It’s not easy being (ever) green

The Muppet Holding Company’s announcement earlier this month that it would hold auditions for new puppeteers in NYC, LA and Toronto has caused some real controversy in the fan community. Jim Hill explains why.

Published

19 years ago

September 12, 2005

Jim Hill

This auditions announcement has almost become a Rorschach Test among Muppet enthusiasts.

Copyright Muppet Holding Company LLC

The fine print in this casting notice reads:

Seeking experienced puppeteers with improvisitional and vocal skills. Relocation is not required, however you must be available to travel. Auditions will be held in New York, Los Angeles and Toronto. Please call 407-828-1087 for additional information.

Now some folks see this ad as the culmination of a lifelong dream. A chance to audition for a puppeteering job with the Muppet Holding Company. Which could eventually lead to a job working with characters that they’ve loved since their childhood.

While still others see this casting notice as a nightmare. A sign that the Walt Disney Company has absolutely no respect for Jim Henson’s beloved characters. A clear indication that many veteran Muppeteers will soon be out of work.

Well, the truth of the matter is … Neither side is right here. For the lucky few who actually land a job with the Muppet Holding Company (MHC), there’ll be no “standard rich & famous contract” waiting for them after they make their rainbow connection. But — rather — just the chance to perform these much beloved characters on the Disney Cruise Line and/or at one of the Disney theme parks.

And — as much as I know that it’ll disappoint the folks over at the newly created SaveTheMuppets.com website to hear this — the mere fact that MHC is holding auditions in New York City, Los Angeles and Toronto this month does NOT automatically mean that Steve Whitmire (I.E. The veteran Muppeteer who currently performs Kermit), Dave Goelz (I.E. The puppeteering genius who helped create Gonzo the Great) and Eric Jacobson (I.E. The talented young puppeteer who currently performs Frank Oz’s old characters: Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal et al) will soon be out of work.

So what exactly are the long term ramifications of the Muppet Holding Company holding these new puppeteer auditions? With the hopes that I might actually be able to get an answer to that question, I made a call to MHC yesterday. The next thing I know, I’ve got Martin Baker on the line.

“Now who’s Martin Baker?,” you ask. Well, I’m sure that all you hardcore Henson fans out there will recognize Martin’s name, given the number of times it’s appeared in the credits of Muppet-related productions. Starting ‘way back in 1979 (when he was the VP in charge of production on “The Muppet Show“) Mr. Baker has ridden herd on virtually every single major Muppet project over the past 25 years. TV shows like “Fraggle Rock” and “Jim Henson’s The Storyteller.” Feature films like “The Muppet Movie,” “The Great Muppet Caper” and “The Muppet Treasure Island.” Martin even had a hand in this year’s TV movie, “The Muppets Wizard of Oz” … But we won’t hold that one against him.

Anyway … Given Baker’s longtime association with Jim Henson’s characters, the folks at the Muppet Holding Company thought that Martin would be the perfect person to help them tackle a most difficult project. Which was that MHC needed to find some additional puppeteers pronto. Talented performers who could help the Walt Disney Company deal with its growing desire to showcase & promote these classic characters.

“You have to understand that the Muppets are now part of this major corporation that has theme parks and cruise lines. Places where people would really enjoy seeing Jim Henson’s characters,” Baker explained. “So what we’re trying to do with these auditions is find puppeteers with the necessary skills to properly perform the Muppets in these new venues.”

Now it might seem strange that someone who’s had such a long association with the Jim Henson Company would be willing to take on an assignment like this. Which (at first glance, anyway) appears to be seeking out performers that could possibly become replacements for the very people that Martin has worked with & become friends with over the years. Veteran Muppeteers like Whitmere, Goelz and Jacobson. But Baker explained that that’s really not what’s going on here.

“Our core group of performers will still get the high profile jobs. The TV shows, the movie work,” Martin continued. “This new group of performers — as talented as they might be — will only get the secondary jobs. When Kermit needs to appear at the opening of a mall or in a new show at the theme parks.”

It’s actually this aspect of Disney’s plan to up these characters’ public profiles that has some Muppet fans upset. The very notion that — if Miss Piggy & pals should start appearing in every Disney theme park or on board every Disney Cruise ship — that these classic characters will then somehow be diminished, seem less special. That their increased visibility will eventually reduce the value of the Muppet brand.

Baker quickly dismisses this idea. Insisting that Jim Henson didn’t have a problem with Disney wanting to have the Muppets appear in multiple performance venues at the same time. More importantly, that Jim himself was comfortable with the idea that other puppeteers would eventually begin performing his classic characters in his place.

“I remember talking with Jim back in late 1989, early 1990. When it was obvious that all his new creative assignments for the Walt Disney Company were going to prevent Jim from being the puppeteer who always performed Kermit,” Baker explained. “But Jim was okay with that. Just as long as the performer who was replacing Jim gave a consistent performance with Kermit, preserved the integrity of the character.”

What mattered most to Henson (Back then, anyway) was that his characters would live on long after he was gone. This is actually one of the main reasons that Jim approached Michael Eisner back in 1989 with the idea that the Walt Disney Company should acquire the Jim Henson Company. After all, given the Disney corporation’s proven ability to keep core characters like Mickey Mouse, Snow White & Pinocchio relevant to each new generation of children, Henson knew that the Mouse had what it took to keep the Frog evergreen.

Which brings us back to what the Muppet Holding Company is trying to do today. Which is helping Kermit & Co. connect with a generation that doesn’t really know the Muppets. Kids who don’t necessarily think that this group of puppets is anything special. Funny or cool.

The new Muppet-based shows that currently are in the works for the Disney theme parks & the Disney Cruise line will hopefully go a long way toward dispelling the notion that Miss Piggy & pals are merely nostalgic figures. Characters that wouldn’t really appeal to today’s audiences. Which is why it’s crucial that the Muppet Holding Company finds just the right performers to bring Kermit & Co. to life in these new settings.

Of course, should a particular puppeteer in one of the theme park or cruise ship shows prove that they have real promise, Martin suggests that there might be the possibility that this performer could then eventually work their way up into the “A” team. Join the core group of performers who portray the Muppets in all the movies and on TV shows.

“Not because we’re anxious to replace anyone, mind you. But — rather — because our core group of performers is aging,” Baker explained. “Just over the past few years — due to career commitments and health reasons — we’ve had to find replacements for both Frank Oz and Jerry Nelson. Recruit performers to cover the characters that these two used to portray.”

“And I’m certain that we’re going to have to do that again in the future,” he continued. “So why wait? Isn’t it better if we’re proactive now? Set up a situation where at least we have a few options should we ever need to replace a performer. Rather than scramble, to try & cover for someone at the very last moment.”

“Don’t get me wrong. We have complete respect for what our veteran performers do with their characters. Which is why we hope that they continue to work for Muppet Holding for many years yet to come,” Martin concluded. “But — at the same time — we want the Muppets to live on long after this core group of puppeteers is gone. Which is why it’s important now to do some advance planning. To think about where the next generation of Muppeteers is coming from.”

Which is why Baker really enjoyed taking part in last Thursday’s auditions at Ripley-Grier Studios in NYC. Watching as over 80 young talented puppeteers went through their passes as they tried to win a spot at last Friday’s callbacks.

“Jane Henson (Jim’s widow) actually came by for that first day of auditions,” Martin recalled. “She had such fond memories of when Jim used to hold auditions that she decided to drop by, just to sit in for a few minutes. Well, that few minutes stretched out to a few hours. Jane had a really great time watching those kids work.”

After an unspecified number of puppeteers were called back to Ripley-Grier on Friday, Baker & his team then set their sights on the next round of auditions. Which will be held next week in North Hollywood at Screenland Studios. The first round of auditions will be held on September 23rd, while call backs are scheduled for Sept 24th.

As for the Toronto auditions … No information regarding dates and locations has been released about those yet.

Speaking of which … If you’d like some more information about the next round of auditions that the Muppet Holding Company will be holding for replacement puppeteers, then I suggest you give the MHC hotline a call at 407-828-1027.

I know, I know. Given the number of negative stories that I’ve written about MHC over the past year or so, I bet that a lot of you folks thought that I’d throw in with the conspiracy theorists. Join the people who were saying that — just by holding these auditions — Disney is irrepairably damaging the Muppets. And that what the Muppet Holding Company is doing must be stopped at all costs.

Well, to be honest … I kind of like what MHC is doing here. Which is helping to bring new Muppet-based shows to the Disney theme parks & cruise ships. Shows that will feature actual puppeteers performing the Muppets. Rather than some 16-year-old who walks around in a Miss Piggy costume as they pose for pictures & sign autographs.

And as for the concept that this new group of puppeteers could eventually become MHC’s “farm team,” the place where Muppet Holding could turn to if they needed talented performers to help out with new TV shows & films … Well, that appeals to me as well.

Mind you, this is not to say that I don’t have concerns that MHC might eventually see these kids as the lower priced alternative to the older, more highly priced seasoned performers like Whitmere & Goelz. And that someday Steve & Dave may not get a call to come into work to portray their characters. All because Muppet Holding is trying to save a few bucks on a particular project.

For now, I’m just going to try & stay optimistic as I think about what MHC is trying to do with the Muppets. Which is basically bring a once-legendary entertainment brand back from the dead. Make the Muppets seem relevant to today’s audiences. Grow the fan base for these classic characters beyond the diehard Muppet fans. Win back over the mainstream audience again.

Of course, given the size of this project, it may take some time & involve some real risk. Which is why — for now at least — I’m inclined to cut the Muppet Holding Company a little slack.

But how about you folks? What do you make of the Muppets Auditions rorschach test? Is it really a good thing that the Muppet Holding Company is now holding auditions for puppeteers to serve as understudies / alternate performers for these classic characters? Or will MHC’s effort here continue to undermine what is already a pretty fragile franchise?

Your thoughts?

General

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

Published

9 years ago

June 23, 2015

Jim Hill

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

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

… the postman delivering the mail …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the hot dog vendor working at his cart …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the street musician playing for tourists …

Photo by Jim Hill

Not to mention the tourists themselves.

Photo by Jim Hill

But right alongside the bronze businessmen …

Photo by Jim Hill

… and the tired grandmother hauling her groceries home …

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

… or — for that matter — out-of-time.

Photo by Jim Hill

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

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

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

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

General

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

Published

9 years ago

June 10, 2015

Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Photo by Jim Hill

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

Your thoughts?

General

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

Published

9 years ago

June 9, 2015

Jim Hill

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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