General

So how are we doing so far?

In honor of the one month anniversary of the launch of JimHillMedia.com, Jim revisits a few recent stories, then solicits suggestions as to what we can do to make this site more entertaining for our regular readers.

Published

22 years ago

September 3, 2002

Jim Hill

“And they said it would never last.”

Welcome to the one month anniversary celebration of the official launch of JimHillMedia.com. (There will now be a slight pause for those of you who wish to mutter “Who cares?”). Nearly 10,000 of you have dropped by this quiet corner of the Web in the past four weeks. Which sounds kind of impressive …At least to me.

That said, Jon, Michelle and I still realize that this site has quite a ways to go. Which is why we’ve been tweaking a number of things over the past few weeks. Trying to improve the general look and layout of JimHillMedia.com (Some of you may have already noticed the snazzy new color scheme over on our discussion boards. Thank you, Jon.) We’ve also been trying to get a better sense of what you folks would really like to see at this site.

So far, you seem to be enjoying the selection of stories as well as our no-holds-barred discussion boards. Which is nice. But a number of you have also been asking- as Beth13 rather dramatically put it – “When are we going to hear from the Man?”

So who’s the “Man”? Supposedly me.

To be honest, I don’t know how exactly to feel about Beth13’s request. A part of me is really rather flattered. But there’s another part of me that’s actually kind of appalled.

Why for? Well, this site is already called JimHillMedia.com. Which seems enormously egoistical (at least to me). There’s something up here by me (Whether it’s an old item from the archives or a brand new feature) practically every day now. But that doesn’t seem to be enough for some of you nice folks. You appear to want even more access to my incessant yammerings.

To be specific, what a lot of you people seem to want is for me to make somewhat regular appearances on the JimHillMedia.com’s discussion boards. Which I’m not really sure is going to happen.

Why for? Well, it’s not because – as WallyBoag oh so colorfully put it – I’m afraid that someone’s going to rip me “a new one or two or three.” I mean, I enjoy debating Disney dweebs as much as the next weenie.

My real problem is time. Right now, I’m committed to writing at least two new stories each week for JimHillMedia.com. I’ve also got outstanding commitments to MuppetCentral.com (I.E., a 30-40 part series on the history of the Jim Henson Company circa 1986 to today), and Digital Media FX (Look for a series on this year’s Visual Effects Society event to get underway over at that site shortly) in addition to the stories that I currently owe IOACentral.com and Tower-of-Terror.com. I’ve also got a number of other webmasters who have recently come forward and expressed an interest in my creating new material for their sites as well.

All this – plus my never-built-Disney-theme-park-attractions book project. Plus the proposed feature length articles that I’ve got in the works for “Orlando Weekly” and “O.C. Weekly.”

So – as you can see – my dance card is kind of full these days, kids. And yet … Given that you folks were nice enough to regularly drop by my web site, I guess the least I can do is try to answer some of your questions on a semi-regular basis.

So, Michelle and I are now talking about whether or not we should fold an “Ask Jim” feature into the site. Some sort of Q & A thing that would run a fairly predictable basis at JimHillMedia.com. Fab is pushing for something that I could write up on a weekly basis. I – being the lazy b*st*rd that I am – am (of course) looking to turn this proposed new feature into something that would only be done on a monthly basis. We’ll let you know who eventually wins out in this editorial battle of wills.

So what would this proposed “Ask Jim” feature supposedly be like? Well, if it were done properly, it would allow me to revisit a lot of my earlier stories. Expand on earlier explanations. Fold in additional information.

Like – for example – check out this response to a comment WallyBoag made last week about my “Discoveryland U.S.A.” series. In a note that he posted on the JimHillMedia.com discussion boards, WallyBoag said:

Name change to save money on signs? I don’t think so. As far as I can tell… and I’ve spent a LOT of time in Tomorrowland (and I do mean a LOT) there are no signs in Tomorrowland that are leftover from before 1995… anything that says “Tomorrowland” on it was installed as part of the refurbishment …

Which is an excellent observation, Wally. I’d have to say that easily 90% of the signage in and around New Tomorrowland at WDW’s Magic Kingdom was changed out during the 1994 redo of that part of the park.

So where did this alleged savings supposedly kick in? Well, you have to start thinking outside the box, Wally. Or should I say “outside the park”? By keeping the name “Tomorrowland” in place rather than adopting “Discoveryland” as the new moniker for this radically revamped section of the park, the Mouse didn’t have to spend the thousands necessary to change out all of the other signs around property that featured the “Tomorrowland” name.

Think about it, Wally. How many hundreds of signs, posters and maps are there around Walt Disney World property that prominently feature the name “Tomorrowland”? And let’s not forget about all those WDW pamphlets, brochures and info books that would have had to have been reprinted to reflect the “Discoveryland” name change.

So – given the expense involved here – is it any wonder that Disney officials still approach these sorts of name changes with extreme trepidation? After all, there are still reportedly some Mouse House execs who continue to foam at the mouth whenever anyone reminds them about all the money that was spent in changing “Mickey’s Birthdayland”‘s name from “Mickey’s Starland” to (finally) “Mickey’s Toontown Fair.”

So, technically, WallyBoag is right. There was no real cost savings within WDW’s Tomorrowland itself when that area’s old, original name was kept in place. Where the money was actually saved was outside of new Tomorrowland – from all the other signs & posters that DIDN’T have to get changed out in and around the Magic Kingdom as well as elsewhere on WDW property.

Some other readers also found fault in my “Pirates Under Attack” piece. For example, Matt McLean – in addition to saying “bad reporting Jim… bad” – attempted to set the record straight by pointing out ….

Haunted Mansion corrections… I think. Pluto Nash has been sitting on the rack finished for close to two years. Warner Brothers hated… everyone hated it… it was doomed from the moment it was green lit. And this in no way effects Mr. Murphy’s commend at the Box Office for family movies. Look at Dr. Dolittle 2. Mr. Murphy seems to have great luck with more family fare.

Yes, Matt, Eddie Murphy has had a pretty amazing run of hits when it comes to family friendly films. “Nutty Professor,” “Nutty Professor II,” “Dr. Dolittle,” “Dr. Dolittle II.” Not to mention his voicework for “Mulan” and “Shrek.”

So Disney execs – in spite of “Pluto Nash”‘s spectacular tanking at the box office this summer – still seem confident that Eddie will be able to pull in the kiddies (as well as their parents) when the “Haunted Mansion” movie finally hits the big screen next October.

Yep, you heard right. In spite of my earlier report that Disney Studio officials were giving semi-serious thought to postponing “The Haunted Mansion” (perhaps pushing back the start of production by as much as a year), it now appears that all systems are ghost … er .. I mean “Go” for the HM movie at the Mouse House. Sets for the film are already reportedly under construction over at Barwick Studios in Glendale, CA. If the current scuttlebutt proves to be true, production of Disney’s “Mansion” movie could get underway as early as the middle of next month.

So why the sudden change of heart by execs inside the Team Disney Burbank building? Well, while it is true that studio personnel are still smarting from the public’s less-than-enthusiastic response to the company’s first based-on-a-theme-park-attraction feature film (“The Country Bears.” Which – to date – has earned less than $16 million during its domestic release), Disney still have somewhat high hopes that their Murphy-in-the-“Mansion” movie might make some moola.

Why for? Well, part of the company’s confidence in the project comes from “Mansion” ‘s well crafted script. Screenwriter David Berenbaum has supposedly put together a story that actually makes fairly clever use of a lot of the more colorful characters and settings found in this venerable old Disney theme park attraction. In addition to having a good story that allegedly builds on the Haunted Mansion’s mythology, Berenbaum’s script also supposedly still gives Eddie (who reportedly plays a less-than-reputable realtor in the film) plenty of opportunities to cut loose comedically.

Given director Rob Minkoff’s extensive CG experience (I.E, helming “Stuart Little I ” & “II”), we should expect to see a ton of first rate FX work in this film. Which is why it now appears that all the necessary ingredients are already in place for Disney’s “Haunted Mansion” movie to become a fairly entertaining family flick …

Of course – this time last year – Mouse House execs were saying the same thing about “The Country Bears.” That’s why the pressure is really on “Mansion” producer Don Hahn right now – to make sure that his HM movie avoids the “Country Bears”‘s grizzly box office fate.

This is actually going to be a lot harder for Hahn to do than one might realize. How so? Well, though Don has been the strong hand behind many of Disney’s most successful animated films for the past decade, “The Haunted Mansion” will be Hahn’s first ever live action feature for the Mouse House. Which is why Don isn’t all that eager to screw this assignment up.

And why exactly is that? Well, provided that Hahn can actually deliver the goods with Disney’s “Haunted Mansion” movie, Mickey’s already got another live action feature that the company would like Don to do. And what’s that? Would you believe … a live action version of the company’s 1991 animated hit, “Beauty and the Beast”?

Strange but true, kids. I know that – just on the face of things – a live action version of this much beloved animated feature sounds pretty bizarre. But anyone who’s ever seen “Beauty and the Beast” on Broadway (or any of the show’s many touring companies for that matter) already knows what a powerful punch this story still packs even when it’s live actors who are performing the parts of Belle, Gaston et al. So is it really so much of a stretch to imagine that Disney’s highly successful stage version of “B & B” could eventually be adapted to the big screen?

So is there an official timetable in place yet for production of this proposed live action movie version of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”? Not really. Not yet, anyway. So far, all that Don has done is chaired a few development meetings for the project. But – to date – that’s really it.

So will this project actually ever go forward? A lot depends on whether Eisner remains enthusiastic about the idea of Disney doing a live action movie version of “B & B.” The success of Hahn’s “Haunted Mansion” movie (and – to a less extent – “Pirates of the Caribbean”) will also factor into the decision as well.

And – just for the record, kids – Disney officials ARE continuing to put pressure on Hahn as well as Jerry Bruckheimer (the producer of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie) to keep production costs down on both “Mansion” and “Pirates.” (Though – to be fair – Don & Jerry aren’t under nearly as much pressure as the guys who are producing “The Alamo” for Disney. Those folks are being asked to shave as much as $70 million off of the price tag for this proposed live action epic.)

And – finally – on a more personal note, here’s an answer to Brian8871’s query to the JimHillMedia.com discussion boards:

Does Jim still write columns for the Orlando Weekly? I haven’t seen one of those in a while. If he does, when can we expect the next one?

Sadly, no, Brian8871. I no longer do a regular column for the “Orlando Weekly.” My last regularly scheduled “Eye Drive” piece ran back on August 15th.

So why did I give up such a great gig? The short answer is: I didn’t. At least not voluntarily.

You see, the editor that initially hired me to work at that paper – Jeff Truesdell – ended up getting fired from OW earlier this spring. In Jeff’s place, “Orlando Weekly”‘s publisher hired Bob Whitby, a newspaper editor who hails from the Broward County – Palm Beach section of Southern Florida.

Once Bob came on board at “OW” back in late July, he decided that he really wanted to shake things up at the paper. So, the process of “shaking things up,” Whitby pulled the plug on my “Eye Drive” column (reportedly the most popular feature at OW’s website) as well as stage managing the “retirement” of “Orlando Weekly”‘s signature columnist, Liz Langley (AKA Juice).

So – yeah – that’s kind of sad news. Much more so for Liz (Who had labored at OW for 10 years now) than for me (I’d only worked for the paper since June 2000). But these things happen all the time in the publishing world. New management comes in … and old writers quickly get kicked to the curb.

Am I angry? Hurt? Nah. More philosophical, really. So I lost a relatively steady, moderately well paying writing gig. Don’t worry, kids. I’ll find another one. I feel that the best thing to do – at least in a situation like this – is just to pick yourself up and quickly move on to the next project.

Which (Now here’s the funny part) might actually involve writing more stuff for the “Orlando Weekly.” How so? Well, immediately after he’d taken away my weekly column, Bob then asked if I’d be interested in contributing an occasional feature to “OW.” So I’ve been knocking around a few ideas (Perhaps an overview of the history of Walt Disney Imagineering, which officially celebrates its 50th anniversary this December) that I might pitch to Whitby in a few weeks or so. (Right after I’ve finished pouting, that is).

Anyway … If you really liked my “Eye Drive” columns, then I suggest that you make a trip over to the “Orlando Weekly”‘s website ASAP and give that stuff one final read. By that I mean: All of those old stories are still readily available for anyone who visits the OW site … But who knows how long things will remain like that?

I mean, this is the Web we’re talking about, people. A place where things can disappear overnight without warning. (And – no – that’s NOT a DCACentral.com slam.)

ANYWHO …. This extremely rambling piece is sort of a dry run for that “Ask Jim” column that Michelle and I were talking about me doing for JimHillMedia.com on a semi-regular basis. Would something like this work for you guys? If so, let us know..

Beyond that … Thanks again for all the praise and support that you nice folks have heaped on us over the past four weeks. Michelle, Jon and I genuinely appreciate all of the kind words that you’ve tossed our way. That said, we’ll still continue to work hard over the next few months to make sure that this site remains entertaining, informative and fun for our regular readers.

So – you’ve got any suggestions as to what we can do to improve JimHillMedia.com – feel free to lob them our way.

That’s it for now, gang. Sorry to be so short here today. But I gotta get back to work on tomorrow’s column for this site. What’s that story going to be about? To be honest, I have no idea … yet. But I’m sure that – whatever this article turns out to be – that it will semi-pseudo-sort-of fun to read. (I hope)

See you tomorrow.

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