General

Waise the woof! It’s a special going-to-the-dogs edition of Why For

Since he’s already in the doghouse with so many JHM readers, Mr. Hill decided to go totally canine with this week’s column. As Jim now answers your questions about how Pluto really got his name, who actually came up with the basic premise for “Lady & the Tramp” as well as revealing some of the better Disney spoofs that are hidden in the “Teacher’s Pet” movie

Published

18 years ago

August 24, 2006

Jim Hill

First up, Greg O. writes to say:

Jim,

I’m a long time reader and quite honestly I don’t understand the brouhaha regarding your site. I don’t particularly have an interest in the business side of the WDC, but I agree with you, news is news. I think the biggest gripe is that it appears you have been spending far more time on the business side of the WDC and not the entertainment and creative side. But me personally, I’m glad to read ANYTHING about the mouse company.

Now to the real reason I’m writing. I read earlier today that the astronomy eggheads decided that Pluto is no longer a planet. Now if I were a sharp person working in the PR department at Disney, I would be releasing a press release stating that while the astronomy world no longer considers Pluto a planet, the Walt Disney Company still considers Pluto a dog, Mickey’s best pal, and a STAR in it’s universe. If a lowly ******* manager at a *** firm can think up something like that, why can’t those high-priced suits at Disney do it?

Greg O.

Dear Greg:

As it turns out, the people who work in Disney’s PR department are pretty sharp. Literally minutes after I got your e-mail, this press release popped up in my in-box:

In reaction to news today that Pluto was demoted to the status of “dwarf planet,” the Seven Dwarfs issued their own short statement:

“Although we think it’s DOPEY that Pluto has been downgraded to a dwarf planet, which has made some people GRUMPY and others just SLEEPY, we are not BASHFUL in saying we would be HAPPY if Disney’s Pluto would join us as an 8th dwarf. We think this is just what the DOC ordered and is nothing to SNEEZE at.”

Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises

As Mickey Mouse’s faithful companion, Pluto made his debut in 1930 – the same year that scientists discovered what they believed was a ninth planet. Said a white-gloved, yellow-shoed source close to Disney’s top dog, “I think the whole thing is goofy. Pluto has never been interested in astronomy before, other than maybe an occasional howl at the moon.”

Now — as I mentioned in Tuesday’s “Really? But I thought that you hated the Walt Disney Company” column — I normally don’t reprint press releases at JHM. But — in this case — I’ll make an exception. Why For? Because I’m kind of intrigued by what the Mouse is trying to do with this particular press release. Which is attempt to clear up a pretty common mis-conception about this Disney character.

To explain: Check out this rather intriguing sentence. Which appears toward the end of yesterday’s press release:

Pluto made his debut in 1930 – the same year that scientists discovered what they believed was a ninth planet.

“So what’s so intriguing about that?,” you ask. Well, it’s not so much what that sentence says. But — rather — what it doesn’t say.

You see, until relatively recently, it was always part of the established Disney Company mythos that Pluto (the cartoon character) was named after Pluto (the planet). Which was a story that — when taken at face value — sort of made sense. After all, the ninth planet in our solar system was discovered back in 1930. Which was the exact same year that Pluto made his initial appearance in a Mickey Mouse short called “Chain Gang.”

Except that … If one were to actually watch “Chain Gang,” you’d notice that it’s not one dog that’s trying to track down Mickey after he busts out of prison. But two …

And then — when you get the chance to look at these dogs up-close later on in this same short — you’ll see that these two are really supposed to be bloodhoods. Which makes sense. Given that this pair of hounds has been sent out into the swamp to track down prisoners.

Mind you, later that same year, another dog did appear in a Mickey Mouse short, “The Picnic.” Only this time around, this cartoon canine was supposed to be Minnie Mouse’s dog and his name was then Rover.

It wasn’t until 1931 that a new dog character appeared in a Mickey Mouse short, “The Moose Hunt,” where Mickey actually called that character “Pluto.” And to hear animation historian John Canemaker tell the tale on “The Complete Pluto: Volume One” DVD set, Pluto finally got his name not because anyone at the studio wanted to pay tribute to the newest planet in our solar system. But — rather — because Walt himself then supposedly had a dog that was named Pluto.

Which is why one day in early 1931, when the studio’s storymen were struggling to come up with a proper name for this dog that was making an appearance in “The Moose Hunt,” Walt supposedly said: “Pluto’s a good name.” And then the storymen (who were obviously anxious to please the boss) immediately said: “You’re right, Walt. Pluto’s a great name for a dog. Let’s call him Pluto!”

So that’s how Pluto really got his name. Walt was allegedly paying tribute to his own pet, not the newest planet in our solar system. Which is why it’s nice to see that Disney’s PR staff didn’t use yesterday’s press release to perpetuate this particular tall tale.

Because — Lord knows — the Mouse’s marketing department has dropped some real whoppers in previous press releases. Take — for example — this e-mail that I just got from Alicia P. Which talks about the press releases that Disney Studios sent out for the first theatrical release of “Lady & the Tramp.”

Jim,

Don’t be so quick to label all of the press releases that the Walt Disney Company sends out as junk. I’ve been collecting Disney press kits for several years now and I find them to be truly fascinating reading. Where else am I going to be able to learn about the real-life inspiration for “Lady & the Tramp”? That Christmas when Walt gave his wife a hat box. Only when Lily opened up the box, she found that there was a cocker spaniel puppy inside.

It’s those sorts of colorful little ancedotes that you’ll only find in Disney press releases. Which is why you — as a guy who makes his living writing about Disney history — should always make a point of reading them. So that you can then take these stories and fold them into the articles that you write for JHM.

I think that your decision to deliberately disregard Disney’s press releases is a wrong one. Please reconsider.

Alicia —

I think you’re a little confused. In Tuesday’s article, I didn’t say that I totally disregard Disney’s press releases. Only that I didn’t like to reprint them unedited on my website.

Though — that said — the story you cite in your e-mail (I.E. The cocker spaniel puppy in the hat box story) is a perfect example of why you really have to be careful about accepting unquestioned the stories that Disney’s PR department regularly churns out.

You see, the real inspiration for “Lady & the Tramp” wasn’t that cocker spaniel puppy that Walt supposedly gave Lily one long-ago Christmas. But — rather — veteran Disney storyman Joe Grant‘s dog. Who was an English Springer Spaniel, by the way. Not a Cocker Spaniel.

In the late 1930s, Walt supposedly saw a sketch that Joe had done of his family’s dog (FYI: This English Springer Spaniel actually was called Lady. Mostly because of the way Lady’s fur hung off of her hind quarters. Which made it appear as the Grant’s family dog were wearing a furry skirt). Disney reportedly saw some real potential in that sketch. Which is why he asked Joe to do some additional sketches, see if there was actually enough material there to do a full-length feature on the life of a pampered house pet.

Well, it took Joe over five years to finally flesh out Walt’s idea. But eventually in June of 1943, Grant was actually able to show his boss the series of storyboards that he’d put together for a proposed feature that Joe was already calling (in honor of the Grant family dog) “Lady.”

This cartoon (as Joe envisioned it) was supposed to have chronicled the life of a very pampered Springer Spaniel named Lady. This dog’s homelife had recently been disrupted when her owners (Mr. & Mrs. Fred) had had a baby. But Lady was starting to get a handle on things … Until, of course, Mr. Fred’s mother-in-law arrives with her two terrible Siamese cats, Nip & Tuck, in tow.

As for the rest of this film’s story (Which was reportedly directly inspired by events from Grant’s own life. This veteran story artist had noticed how out of sorts his dog had become after Joe & his wife, Jennie, had had their daughter Carol. How Lady — who had once been the center of attention in the Grant household — really had trouble adjusting to her new place in the pecking order once Carol came along) … Grant tried mightily to insert some real drama into this storyline. He even had Lady do battle with a rat that had snuck into the house and was threatening the new baby.

But in the end, the 1943 version of “Lady” was shelved because Walt felt that the story (as Joe had originally laid it out) was just too soft. Sure, the Springer Spaniel character that Grant had created was cute. Charming, even. But charm all by itself wasn’t enough to sustain a full length animated feature. To do that, you needed conflict.

It wasn’t ’til nearly two years later, when Walt read Ward Greene’s “Happy Dan, the Cynical Dog” article in “Cosmopolitan” magazine, that he finally found what he was looking for. That somewhat cynical, antagonistic character that could then serve as a counterpoint to the overly sweet Lady. But even then — having discovered the vital ingrediant that this dog picture was missing — it would still be another decade before “Lady & the Tramp” finally made it into theaters.

Now as to that Cocker-spaniel-puppy-in-a-hatbox story … Well, that may have actually happened one Christmas in the Disney household. But as for that one event supposedly providing the true inspiration for “Lady & the Tramp” … I’m afraid that Carol Grant Grubb (I.E. Joe Grant’s daughter) would vehemently disagree with that.

And speaking of disagreeable things, Lane S. wrote in this week to complain about a 2003 Walt Disney Pictures release:

Jim,

I just read your story about how Disney Toon Studios is really cutting back on the number of video premieres that they’re going to make each year. I think that this is really great news. I can’t wait for Disney to stop turning out these pieces of trash. Did you ever see that “Teacher’s Pet” movie? It was really ugly and full of all these mean-spirited spoofs of classic Disney animated films. If that’s really the best that this studio can do these days, then I agree. Just shut down that entire arm of the company and don’t do any more of these awful cheapquels.The only way Disney will ever get back its traditional animation audience is if it stops making awful movies like “Teacher’s Pet.”

Lane S.

I’m afraid that we’re just going to have to agree to disagree when it comes to “Teacher’s Pet.” I — for one — loved this Timothy Bjorklund film. Especially because it made use of Gary Baseman‘s signature style to send up such classic Disney films as “Pinocchio,” “Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs,” …

… “Cinderella” & “Sleeping Beauty.”

Of course, if you were to ask the folks who were actually working at Disney Feature Animation back in 2003 about what their favorite moment from the “Teacher’s Pet” movie was, I’m betting that it might be when the Disney lot is depicted as a “Home for the Insane” (If you look close at the image capture below, you can actually see the grim little skeletons that are serving as the pillars for this macabre version of the Team Disney Burbank building). Or — better yet — that blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene from the very end of this animated feature. Which shows animators with incredibly bloodshot eyes struggling to finish working on the “Teacher’s Pet” movie.

And speaking of finishing … That’s pretty much it for this week at JHM, folks. Special thanks to those of you who hung in there after all the uproar on Monday & Tuesday. Here’s hoping that next week won’t be quite as tumultuous.

Have a great weekend, okay?

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

10 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

10 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