General

Why For: The Disney Princess royal processional that you almost got to see

Published

14 years ago

April 29, 2011

In honor of William & Kate’s wedding today, I thought that it might be fun to circle back on a royal-related story that I briefly mentioned on this site back in November of last year. As part of a Why For column that talked about a sequence that was originally considered for “Fantasia 2000” which was to have starred ALL of the Disney Princesses.

Over the past 15 years, I’ve talked with a number of folks who had been actively involved in this project, among them Disney Legends Marc Davis & Ward Kimball. But to get the definitive account of this abandoned “Fantasia 2000” sequence, I recently reached out to David A. Bossert. Who’s currently the Creative Director for Special Projects at Disney Animation. But back in the early 1990s, David was the artistic coordinator and special effects supervisor of what was then known as “Fantasia Continued.”

Now before we get to Bossert’s portion of today’s story … You first need a crucial piece of this puzzle. Which is that it was then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner who initially came up with the idea that Sir Edward Elgar‘s “Pomp and Circumstance” should be included in the Studio’s revamped version of “Fantasia.”

Why For? As animation historian John Culhane explains in his excellent making-of book, “Fantasia 2000 : Visions of Hope” (Disney Editions, January 2000), it was ..

… a college graduation ceremony (that inspired) the choice of music (for this sequence in the film). The Walt Disney Company Chairman Michael Eisner listened as graduates received their degrees. ” ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ probably has more pleasant associations in people’s minds than any other piece of music, because it is always being played when you or someone you love are achieving something,” reflects Eisner.

So obviously when Disney’s Big Cheese comes in and says “I think that you should consider using ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ as part of ‘Fantasia Continued,’ ‘ the people who were then working on this ambitious animated feature immediately gave Eisner’s suggestion some very serious thought. Because – as an employee of a massive multi-national corporation – it always pays to try & make the guy who signs your paycheck happy.

Michael Eisner and the Disney Princess that started it all, Snow White.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

But that said … It was the second half of Eisner’s “Pomp and Circumstance” suggestion (i.e. that this number in “Fantasia Continued” be built around a stately procession of Disney Princesses and their princes) that gave this film’s production team pause.

“You have to understand that every other sequence that we were considering for ‘Fantasia Continued’ at that time was art for art’s sake. We were always looking to marry a great piece of music with stunning visuals to then create this memorable movie-going experience,” Bossert explained. “And what Michael was asking us to do with ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ was kind of out of step with the rest of this film. His Disney Princess procession idea was almost nakedly commercial.”

But – again — because it was their then-Boss who suggested this idea, the “Fantasia Continued” production team gave it the old college try. George Scribner (best known as the director of Disney’s 1988 animated feature, “Oliver and Company“) was assigned to develop a story of the Disney Princess version of “Pomp and Circumstance.” And from what David tells me, George did the very best that he could with this concept. Creating a pretty entertaining storyreel.

Disney Animation veteran George Scribner

“As I recall, this sequence was set outside. And the Disney Princesses that were supposed to appear in ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ started with Snow White and then went all the way up to Princess Jasmine in ‘Aladdin (Disney Special Platinum Edition) ,’ ” Bossert continued. “And as they all marched along with their princes and their children, you’d then get these quick cameo appearances by other famous Disney characters.”

Which brings us to the other gimmick that was supposed to have been associated with this Disney Princess-based version of “Pomp and Circumstance.” In that this proposed sequence was going to be the part of “Fantasia Continued” which would have featured scenes that were animated by genuine Disney Legends.

To be specific, Disney wanted to recruit the surviving members of the Nine Old Men (which – at that time – were Marc Davis, Ollie Johnston, Ward Kimball and Frank Thomas) to come work on “Pomp and Circumstance.” With the idea that each of these legendary animators would animate one short scene which starred their signature Disney character.

Ward Kimball draws Jiminy Cricket during the production of “Pinocchio.”
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

“As I recall, Marc was going to animate a scene featuring Tinker Bell. Ward was supposed to animate a scene with Jiminy Cricket. They wanted Frank to do something with the Fairies from ‘Sleeping Beauty. And I don’t remember what Ollie was supposed to have done,” Dave continued.

Now these scenes that were to be animated by the surviving Nine Old Men were then supposed to be folded in with footage that had been created by the modern masters of Disney hand-drawn animation. We’re talking about super-talented people like Glen Keane and Andreas Deja, who’d create cameos for the most famous Disney characters that they’d ever worked on, like Ariel from “The Little Mermaid” and Scar from “The Lion King.”

“A lot of the comedy in this version of ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ was to have come from Donald Duck. Who was wreaking havoc behind-the-scenes because he was attempting to get his hands on that magic hat that Mickey wears in ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,’ ” Bossert said. “But if I’m remembering this storyreel correctly, there was a quick scene where you got to see the Fab Five all standing together. And another one where you saw a number of the Villains observing this Disney Princess processional from a distance.”

Now you have to admit that the idea of a musical number — which was supposed to be animated by the very best animators, past and present — that featured every animated Disney character ever created does sound kind of cool. So why didn’t this version of “Pomp and Circumstance” actually go into production?

To answer that part of the question … I must now launch into a somewhat adult story. Which I want to stress that I DID NOT hear from David Bossert. But – rather – from someone who was actually in the room when the Disney Princess version of ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ hit the skids.

To explain: When the folks at Walt Disney Animation Studios decided that they seriously wanted to pursue this idea of having the surviving Nine Old Men come in & work on “Fantasia Continued,” they then staged this elaborate pitch meeting. Where Marc, Ollie, Ward and Frank were all limoed onto the Disney Lot and then taken into this room that was loaded with concept art for the “Fantasia” follow-up.

And given that Michael Eisner had come up with the original Disney Princess / “Pomp and Circumstance” concept … Well, he made a point of sitting in on this particular pitch meeting as well.

Anyway … After everyone was served a light lunch, the formal pitch for this proposed “Fantasia Continued” sequence began. And at some point, the lights were turned down and the Disney Princess “Pomp and Circumstance” storyreel was shown. Afterwards, the room was deadly silent. Marc, Frank and Ollie shot each other sidelong glances, wondering what they should say.

But leave it to the always bombastic Ward Kimball to break the silence. Who reportedly said to the entire room: “That’s the stupidest f*cking idea I’ve ever heard.”

Ward Kimball and his train collection. Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc.
All rights reserved

Needless to say, the idea of bringing the surviving Nine Old Men back on the Lot to work on this project died that afternoon. And shortly after this infamous story pitch, the “Fantasia Continued” production team began casting around for an entirely new story concept for this film’s “Pomp and Circumstance” sequence.

“But you have to understand that this is how the development process at Disney Animation works. Not every idea that we come up with works. But we keep refining things, trying different ideas, different combinations of characters until we eventually do come up with something that works,” Bossert stated. “I honestly don’t know if we would have come up with the idea of making Donald Duck Noah’s assistant – which is the concept that we eventually used for ‘Pomp and Circumstance” in the final version of ‘Fantasia 2000’ – if we hadn’t first explored that idea of Donald being the character who was causing all of those problems behind-the-scenes during the Disney Princess processional version of this sequence.”

The other thing that’s great about Disney is that – while an idea may not always work out for feature animation – it can eventually find new life in another part of the Company. Do you recall that Donald-trying-to-get-his-hands-on-the-magic-hat-from-the-Sorcerer’s-Apprentice story thread? Does that concept sound familiar? It should. WDI took that idea and ran with it while it was developing “Mickey’s PhilharMagic” for the Parks in the early 2000s.

And – yes – just in case you’re wondering. It was George Scribner who not only developed the storyreel for “Mickey’s PhilharMagic,” but he also wound up directing this 3D Theme Park Productions film.

So – in the end – things all worked out. Michael Eisner got what he wanted. Which was “Pomp and Circumstances” in “Fantasia 2000.” And Bossert & the production team of this ambitious animated feature got what they wanted. Which was a version of “Pomp and Circumstance” that was much more in sync with all of the other new sequences that WDFA had created for this “Fantasia” follow-up. Which weren’t crassly commercial. But — rather — married stunning visuals with memorable music to create a truly memorable movie-going experience.

But that said … You still have to wonder how this Disney Princess processional sequence would have been received by the public. Well, David actually found out. Sort of. You see, as part of a “Fantasia” – themed presentation that Bossert gave on the Disney Cruise Line back in 2009, he screened this version of the “Pomp and Circumstance” storyreel. And the results were … Well, mixed.

“Some people in the audience laughed because they were really enjoying what they were watching. But then there were these laughs that came in very weird places. Which meant that there were people out in the audience who were laughing AT the movie. Rather than laughing with it,” David said.

But this is why you should always go out of your way to try & catch a David Bossert presentation. He always screens the most amazing things. Which David usually uncovers while digging deep down into the vaunted Disney Vault.

Speaking of which … This Sunday night at 7:30 p.m., David Bossert and Don Hahn will be presenting their fourth annual Disney Rarities screening at the Newport Beach Film Festival. And if you’re an animation history buff, then you really owe it to yourself to get to the Lido Theatre. Where you can then enjoy a 90-minute-long presentation where David & Don will be screening some of the stranger animated featurettes that Walt Disney Productions created back in the 1940s, 1950s & 1960s.

Anyway … That’s the story of the Disney Princess royal processional that hit the skids. Mostly because Ward Kimball supposedly told Michael Eisner & Co. that he thought this proposed “Fantasia” addition was ” … the stupidest f*cking idea that I ever heard.”

But even so … As you sit there later today and watch the hours & hours of coverage coming out of Westminster Abbey, I bet you’ll be wondering: Instead of William & Kate, would it have been more entertaining to watch Snow White & her prince, Cinderella & her prince, Aurora & her prince, Ariel & her prince, Belle & her prince as well as Jasmine & Aladdin – along with all of their royal offspring – strolling down the aisle in an animated royal procession.

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

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