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THE ART OF THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG: Interview with author Jeff Kurtti

Whether you're an avid reader of books or an aficionado of Disney DVD / BluRay, you could not miss Jeff Kurtti. It is a famous Disney historian. He has authored over 20 books, mostly on the Disney animation and Imagineering, which have become references. He is also director and producer of some of the best bonuses that can be seen on Disney DVD.

He is the author of the highly anticipated book on the art of the princess and the frog, which reveals the very rich concept art and illustrations that inspired the animators of the film through the character design, storyboarding, color pastels and sketches of complex scenes, and behind the scenes stories and ideas of the film's creative team.

What interested you in writing the book "the art of the princess and the frog?
I'm a fan of Disney animation since my childhood, and I wrote in the past many books related to animation, and therefore when I was asked to write "art of the princess and the frog," I was very flattered and very excited at the same time!

You started to write about Imagineering and the Disney parks. What led you to animation (through documentaries and books)?
I actually started writing about subjects parks and Imagineering, Disney but my interest has always been broader culturally. Child, film and animation me much more accessible, and the research much easier. That is why my first search was on Disney's biography Studios and Walt, and the basics of animation. It was only later that I could expand my scope in the study of Disneyland and later Walt Disney World.

Since when have you been interested in a personal view in the movie "The Princess and the Frog"?
I think like most fans of Disney animation, my interest began when I heard that Ron and John were reminded of Walt Disney Animation Studios, so we had let him go for a while. I knew that such a change was not made without wanting to use their talent and their talent is surely going to emerge as a new interesting project.

At what stage in the creation of the film did you start working on the book?
I started in late 2008, about a year before the theatrical release.

How long have you worked on?
My friend Richard Sherman had responded to a similar question: when asked how long it takes him to write a song it says "all your life, more time to put it down on paper." I studied animation for decades and have written books and produced documentaries, there are a lot of preparation that is nothing compared to actually write the book. I spent several weeks interviewing more than thirty people from the production team, and then several more weeks to prepare the manuscript. Then there was a lengthy editorial process, because the manuscript has been revised and redesigned to fit into the whole book

How were the interviews with Disney artists?
In most cases, it was really a happy reunion with people I met, with whom I had worked or known before. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, and everyone was really enthusiastic and optimistic to return to Disney for a film drawn by hand.

Have you given carte blanche to choose the people with whom you meant?
The producer and the filmmakers have chosen the key members of the team for my interviews, their help and their views were essential, otherwise I sailed blindly, and worked much harder to know who had the good information and good production steps.

Can you tell me more details of your meetings with creators of the film?
I worked with most of these artists on previous projects, and it's always fascinating to sit and talk with them. To witness the dynamic between Ron and John is interesting, the way they share a conversation gives a good idea of how they work in teams, how to organize their thoughts together, and where they diverge to create the successful duo that 'they are now for many years and many projects.

I noticed that most people I talked, in addition to their artistic talent, spend much time studying and think about what they do, how they do, what it means. They do not just place of production sequences, but really go inside the technical process of the cultural and historical significance of what they do.

result is a pleasure to interview, and the depth of dialogue and information that we share and we'll go to the reader, is more than a simple interview question / answer, but gives an overall view of perception their art.

What is the atmosphere that you felt when you met the artists? You feel a special excitement about the movie?
There was really excitement and optimism as well as gratitude. Not only have the opportunity once again to make a film Disney hand-drawn, but also to work with a variety of talented people.

What kind of equipment you have access?
Virtually everything that has been generated for the film. In most cases, I let the decisions on the art of film creators and designers of books, because their added value was equivalent to mine for the final product. In the case of a book on the art of .. "In fact, the images are more important than the text. The text should be there to serve art and create the proper context for the reader.

The design of the book, Glen Nakasako Smog Design Inc.. Has really done a remarkable job, both in terms of organization of art or harmonious internal organization of the book itself.

At one point in the book, the supervisor of the story, Don Hall said that the table creation story had no text for the story should be told first visually. Can you tell me about the visual strength of the film?
Typically, the animation is a visual medium, the work on the history base is still a little early or simultaneous with the script and dialogue. This is one reason why the animation is really an art form internationally. Ideas are transmitted through shapes, colors of light stagings.

There are many ways to approach a "making of" and "art" of a movie. You have chosen to organize our travel geographically, New Orleans, Garden District and the Bayou. How did you come to this (brilliant) idea? Can you explain why and tell us a bit more?
In fact, the idea comes from the original publisher of the book, Sarah Malarkey, and it was a logical organizing principle because the locations are crucial to the story and the anchoring of the characters. Each location also provided a natural way to organize both character development and the process of the art of film.

Much has been said that "The Princess and the Frog" is a return to classic Disney. But I like the way Ian Gooding present it to the end of the book, saying he is trying to "reinvent the wheel". It is not just a rediscovery of traditions is really reinvent. What did you perceived by the artist, when you realize your book, which could explain this sentence?
Since the animation by hand has evolved into a method, in its most recent reincarnation in the mid 80s, there was a certain level of production processes that have been established. When Disney animation was stopped by hand, all the processes and everything possible to make the film at hand has been dismantled, including the drawing board leaders and paper drawing animation.

So in addition to rediscover the traditions, the filmmakers were given the responsibility restore all production procedures, and for many people the luxury to comply with what existed, became cumbersome and less able to adapt to rapid changes and amendments at short notice.

artists who worked on "The Princess and the Frog" drew some of their inspiration from the film "Lady and the Tramp," the latest animated film from Walt Disney who wanted to be realistic, before the films more stylized as The Sleeping Beauty and 101 Dalmatians. So the end of an era "Lady and the Tramp" has helped bring forth a new era (and fortunately, a new golden age of animation hand). It's fun, is not it?
The biggest advantage that Disney has at the animation is the institutional commitment to the medium and the ability to draw nearly a century, this type of support, purchasing methodology, technique and inspiration. Each new project is a step above it, whether through technology or by the memory of an artist who has seen a Disney movie as a child.

Each chapter of your book is presented with words from songs by Randy Newman. In the same spirit, the last chapters of your book are entitled "Coda," which is also a musical term. Can you tell me about the idea of having such a coda, which is very unusual compared to other books "The Art of .." published by Chronicle Books?
It seemed that there was a need to go beyond the structure of the "art" and tackle the skills of production, because this film is a kind of resurrection a place for film makers to express what they could do with their art, and to present some evidence that emotions and almost all have mentioned.

What was the best time in creating this book?
Personally, for me, the best time or best moments were the idea of returning to Disney Animation, and being there to talk with Ron and John, Eric Goldberg, Mike Surrey, Mark Henn, Andreas Deja, so that few years ago, I thought I'd never again with them.

What are the best times you had during the interview?
In most cases, the people I interviewed are so turned to their art in a comprehensive manner (form, history ..) that we went away from the paths of production and, at the end we discussed films and artists he are tens of years or our previous work together on productions past.

Can you tell me about your future projects, whether in video or in writing?
I just finished a very good job, perhaps the pinnacle of what I did, I was the original creative director and consultant content, and media producer for the show at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. The girl and the little son of Walt Disney wonder for such a project, and spent five years to tell me the life of Walt Disney in a way that speaks to all generations, was simply awesome.

I now work on some big projects for my friends from the Disney Cruise Line and their spectacular new ship, the Disney Dreams which will be inaugurated in January 2011, and I also do a book on the ship for Disney Editions.

Finally, now I am working on the "art of Rapunzel" for Chronicle Books, due out at the same time as the new Disney animated film in December.


With thanks to Jeff Kurtti and April Whitney Chronicle Books. Thank you to Carol for the translation!

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THE TOP VIDEO: Interview with supervisor of history and director of The Special Mission Doug, Ronnie del Carmen

We were all affected by Top Here, early in the remarkable and very moving opening sequence, telling wordless life of Ellie and Carl and Enrico Casarosa and we had explained, it is due in large part to the work of Ronnie del Carmen. Ronnie del Carmen

joined Pixar Animation Studios in the summer of 2000 during the production of Finding Nemo, as a story supervisor on the film. He has done production design on the short film nominated for an Academy Award: One Man Band, but also work on the history of the movie Ratatouille, which won an Oscar and was the head of the history from up there, also the leader short film "The special mission of Doug" destined for the DVD and Blu Ray.

He grew up in the Philippines, and from an early age he was fascinated by the animation, religiously watching cartoons, especially Disney's Wonderful World of Color. He appreciated especially Donald Duck. He loved this eccentric character with a fiery character and well tempered. Fantasia, Dumbo and other Disney cartoons have provoked the need to go far to Ronnie. His interest in animation led him to art and movies. He was influenced by various sources such as tapes Carl Barks comic, monsters and science fiction films, the films of Alfred Hitchcock and David Lean, illustrators, graphic designers, and artists such as Bill Peet, Ollie Johnston and Mary Blair. It has even been hired to work as a painter on the set of Apocalypse Now, shot on the spot when he was only fifteen. Ronnie Del Carmen

went to the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines where he obtained a degree in Fine Arts in Advertising. He began working as director of advertising for newspapers and television campaigns, but he knew that his heart led him back to the cinema. He then moved to the States States in 1989 and was hired as a storyboard artist on Batman: The Animated Series. He then worked for Dreamworks as a supervisor of history. Occasionally tried his hand at comic books for DC and Dark Horse and even self published his own works. Here's what he said on the High when we joined a virtual roundtable initiated by Walt Disney Home Entertainment:

Up there is the tenth film Pixar has received many congratulations, the best that Pixar has had on his films. In your opinion, what are the elements of history that have led to the success of High Here? Pete Docter
requested a story about an old man who was holding an armful of colorful balloons. None of us could have dreamed that the film would be so well received. At that time our whole desire was directed on how to tell the story of an elderly man who is flying his house to keep a promise. As part of the team that created the film, I'm too close to be objective, but here's what I think: it's because of the emotional truth of the trip Carl. The fantasy elements, moments of fun, and deliver dialogues experience nice and impressive, but we all feel that we felt something true in this trip.

What is the level of development projects Pixar in terms of history and what kinds of resources are necessary to ensure that Pixar continues to provide story also acclaimed by the critics?
All stories take a long time to be developed. Sometimes a director wrote a pitch the story to him alone for a while. After that pitch, John Lasseter leads the story with the director and writer. Andrew Stanton is also involved and also gives other layers to the story. We design the first draft, write scripts and make drafts of history, again and again. Then we display for the whole company, and so we have notes of the entire studio. Then we have the "Brain Trust" (including the directors, officials of the history and the management team and more) that give their feelings and comments to help this draft. We also have a public test, which looks at the film and ask them what they think: this is a very very long journey.

Are there elements of the top where you have placed particular emphasis and / or you fought to have them in the movie?
Between Pete Docter, Bob Peterson and me, we all tried to approach the story in a way that is close to us. Our work is throughout the film. I gravitated to the drama and emotional weight of scenes or moments. The third act featured a lot of challenges that I helped to refine throughout the film. The history of Muntz is particularly troubling because it appears very late in the film. We also tried several ways to finish the film. I'm sequences that explored for viable that I really believed. It worked, but eventually we took some elements of exploration and we have amalgamated to the end that you see in the film. You'll get to see more of these explorations in the DVD and Blu ray.


What is your favorite scene in High Here? My favorite scenes
are scenes without words: life wedding where we tell the whole story of the life of Carl and Ellie, and the scene at the end of the second act, when Carl sits in his empty house in Paradise Falls, to leaf through the book adventures of Ellie. I tend to get dramatic scenes on movies I do. This was especially important because I had to pass history and emotions without dialogue. I remember watching the drawing of Carl's book of adventure and experience emotions in the drawing. I had to pause because I was too involved in the moment and I cried. When we look at our drafts of stories, I saw people quietly wiping a tear. You know you've found something when a handful of line on paper made people cry.

Carl and Russell are at different stages of their life, how did you write the dialogue between two characters so that there is a certain chemistry between them?
is the story of Carl and how he has hardened and would not help anyone. As writers, we are familiar with the fact of putting our characters in the trees and throwing stones, so to speak. Russel is a big stone that we have thrown at Carl. It is the direct opposite of Carl: free, unfettered and wanting to help everyone. In addition it needs the badge "assistance for the elderly." We know it will surely exceed someone like Carl. This type of conflict is fun to watch and write.

You are well known in history as an artist, but you have many other credits.
I of production design, writing and direction, all the talent to be a writer .. When we started, we had no demarcation work, we just started trying to solve creative problems. That means I had to draw, design, make plans for cameras, write and illustrate. It helped all of us to touch all parts of the film at the same time. Ricky Nierva is production designer Here Top , and I, we sat side by side and we were discussing both production problems that sequences in history. Throughout production I drew freehand solutions for the film, in terms of design, and writing. It was great, I miss it!

What is the impact that your study tour in Venezuela had on the movie, and you think that the film could have been as good without this experience?
This trip has been invaluable to us. It would have been easier to simply image and video Tepuis, but we are on default places we experience. Otherwise we would have made mistakes and then we would never been able to fix it later. We did not know how point was a truth to be there. We need to know how would the behavior of Carl at the top of Tepuis and we could not represent it without reservations if we had not experienced for ourselves. And tepuis are a unique place. They have no equivalent in the world: beautiful and dangerous. It is compelling and full of apprehension at the same time. We went on one of them: Roraima, and we walked on its top. We went to Angel Falls, the real falls on which the film falls Paradise Falls High There are copied. The scenery, the sounds, the emotions we have felt During this expedition we have helped recreate the experience of Carl on his journey.

Among the books published at the same time as the movie, you have illustrated the book "My name is Doug. Can you tell us more about this book?
I enjoyed working on "My name is Doug. Kiki Thorpe wrote this fantastic story about Doug when seeking the bird. This book goes well the film Doug's special mission because they take place both before Carl and Russell arrived. I was consulted on all books related to the highly developed at the same time the film, that's why I knew about "My name is Doug. I suggested to others to support the illustration of the book but had no time. I decided then, thinking that my job as supervisor of history came to an end, I will have time for these drawings. It was wrong of course. So I had to do these drawings at night and on weekends for a few months.

Kiki was very generous to share her story with me, so I made models for the book to see how the story unfolded, a bit with the idea that I wrote a sequence for a cartoon . This collaboration has proved that you can earn a great success. But I had to work hard to do the job well. If you are familiar with the images you will see that there are many leaves. I created a library of leaves and I could populate the drawings of trees and things without having to draw each time from scratch. I've also created digital brushes to ensure that the lines are like a medium dry as chalk.

Does Doug is the equivalent of the Pixar tradition of Disney's Animal argue, or do you see it more as a character in itself?
Doug was established early in the development of the idea of the film earlier than Russell. There was a talking dog, and we do not know why or how he could speak, he just did. He was always there as a support player. It has always been part of the story of Carl. Of course after Doug developed a way so adorable, it seems that this character deserves his own story, right? That's why I wanted to tell his story in "The special mission of Doug."

What interested you most about the character of Doug? Doug is a
nice dog and has his heart on his paw. Because of that we take him. In an army of dog, there is absolutely no place, because of its cute and adorable side. You have empathy for him, as soon as you see it. More characteristic of the voice that Bob Peterson gave the character makes you adorable immediately.

Why did you decide to give Doug his own adventure in a short film rather than another main character?
Doug landed in the movie High in speaking of a special mission, and we could never speak again in the film. I immediately asked what had happened. The special mission of Doug is really telling of how Doug remembers these moments. Doug attention so fragmented that the continuity is not really his forte. Doug is arguably the most endearing character in the film, and you have only one desire is to know more about him. I'd like to stage one day Alpha, whose voice is played by Bob Peterson, as well as Gamma with the voice of Jerome Ranft. These two characters make me crack. Maybe one day I'd be using.

When did you start working on a special mission to Doug and how time it took to finish the short film?
I had the idea of the short film once the film went into production, from the layout phase. I quickly storybordé a rough version and I explained to Jonas Rivera and Pete Docter in late spring 2008. I thought I had finished with the load of the main story and I could attack the short film. But the third act of the High skated, and I had to work harder. (I also had to illustrate the book "My name is Doug," my eyes are bigger than your stomach.) We had the approval of "The special mission of Doug" by Disney in January 2009 and we are immediately entered into production. We finished in June this year.

What is difficulty he had to keep the special mission by Doug under 5 minutes?
There was a lot of torture and challenges for Alpha Beta and Gamma. My favorite moment, and one I will remember for a long time is when Doug falls from an airplane and crashed into the other dogs like a bomb. He had to go. There was a lot of text lines and jokes that Bob Peterson had played during the recording that I could not use and I had to leave out. Each frame of the animation is crucial. On another level there is the end, which dialogue of Carl and Russell and the scene from the movie are high. We could not change that because it would have been expensive and troublesome. Similarly we could use only the engineering work that Michael Giacchino did for the movie. No new music. All these constraints have really helped the short film to be better. I enjoyed working on it and I would do it with pleasure.

What is your favorite part in the direction of the special mission of Doug? And what was the difficult part pus?
Well I had to run a story that intrigued me when I had to develop the film. Doug is such a perfect character, that people involved in short films have enjoyed working with him. I had to work with Pete Docter and Bob Peterson on the story when they were just finishing the movie. John Lasseter looked and gave me some cool tips. I had to work with great people who were there to find creative solutions to the story I was trying to tell. And for a good part, well, that's the story that I thought, but while working with the stress of making a movie that only lasted 4 minutes and a half.

Have you worked on "the special mission of Doug" with Pete Docter and Bob Peterson?
I worked with Pete Docter and Bob Peterson on "the special mission of Doug." Their involvement was crucial because we all three still took part in telling the story of the great movie. It was supposed to go see them for their opinion. Pete Docter could see more potential in ideas, and Bob Peterson could represent me immediately Doug's character and its nuances fun. It was a dream. This worked great to work with these guys, and I hope we will together on another project soon.

Does a dog of your friends has particularly inspired the creation of Doug? Are you a dog lover?
Doug is specifically a creation of Bob Peterson. Bob is Doug. I had to use my own experience with dogs to draw scenes of Doug. I grew up with a German Shepherd in the family. It was a great dog, trained and alert. It was more like Alpha really. But when we played it was just a nice dog. So I used those memories as a reference.

Doug brings to mind classic comedians as Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton and Stan Laurel. To what extent this has been intentionally written, and how the character comes from the performance by Bob Peterson?
We love the films of Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton and Stan Laurel. As facilitators, we are gravitating between visual communication and behavior, so we like to play. Bob Peterson as one of the writers of the film was created and wrote most of Doug. We have used other ideas of the team here or there, but initially it is Bob who created it. During the recording sessions, we improvised and experimented, and we used that much, because in fact this man is funny! A special mission for Doug, I wrote the story and dialogue, and Bob Peterson came to the aid giving performance of Doug and advice. I am a happy man.

With the special mission of Doug included on the DVD and Blu Ray to come, you would like to see a sequel or some sort of suite or maybe Doug and Doug Russell, or even Russsel and other dogs in the future?
I absolutely continue to do stories about Doug. I have a scene in the original storyboard special mission where Doug can be seen flying a plane. We cut because of time, and because it seemed at odds with other gags. But I still wish one day see an airplane. There are stories dan my head that tells how he joined the clan Muntz. Doug in this clan, it looks like a mistake. I would tell the story that unfolded at the very beginning and that would tell how he got there. Certainly Muntz and Doug, Russell and Doug ... Doug and Carl too!

Many thanks to Carol for her translation!

And our best wishes to all for 2010!