From Ariel to Tiana, via Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas and Mulan, it is animator of Disney Princesses. He told us all about his latest creation.
In Princess and the Frog, you have facilitated three characters for the price of one: Tiana adult children Tiana and Tiana frog. Can you tell me about this challenge?
was actually a challenge, and something unique to Princess Tiana. We had to invent three different styles, which gives a little more work. But most important is that when it is a frog, it's always the same character. She did not have the same face, but it's always Tiana, who resembles a frog. These are the challenges of this movie.
You lively Ariel, who is both human and siren, and Mulan, a girl, but at times a soldier. At what level did he helped manage the various aspects of the character Tiana?
Obviously, having worked on these movies and characters I helped in the way of looking at different solutions. But each is different. We had to get the paper and define a style. We started with Tiana human: what is she as a girl 5 / 7 years? And of course, what she looks like as a frog? It would be a very attractive frog. She might be cute, but it had to be very attractive. He had to get the job and work hard to find styles that would suit the film, and finally animate the whole.
Can you tell me about the "style" of your work on Tiana?
One thing we did: With a group of key animators, filmmakers and visual development of some artists, we spent a weekend together. We left in a hotel all weekend. We spent our time talking about all the characters, and everyone has the hands-on and shared ideas. We spent a morning at about Tiana, an afternoon on the Prince Naveen and other characters. It was a very important milestones. The rest of the time, we used the results of this famous weekend, and in my case, I spent much time drawing and showing my drawings directors, who said what they liked and what they disliked. Then I took what they did not like what they had pressed my beloved and I started doing some tests animation. We have worked with the voice of Anika early in production, so I could enjoy his recordings to animate a few scenes tests to see if the style and voice agreed well with the character.
Facilitate a princess involves a lot of constraints. You can not really "let go". Is that the side "frog" Tiana allowed you to have some fun with his animation?
Yes, absolutely. It was definitely the fun part of the animation Tiana, because being a central character, a human being rather realistic, we can not do too much. By cons, with Tiana frog, you can go further, a little more fun in animating it. Tiana and even the little girl. As a child, she could go further. There was a way to do something. But there are other aspects that made the animation Tiana adult was also very interesting and even fun.
How have you worked with Randy Haycock on common scenes between Tiana and Prince Naveen, who is quite a character different?
It really depends on the stage. Most of the time, there is a character who dominates a stage. In this case, one of his animated character we first gave the result to another who added his party. It is a simple return. Sometimes I work on a scene, animate Tiana vaguely indicating the location should be Naveen and then Randy came and added the Prince. If at any time that is Naveen took over, I could adapt my game. Or if it's the opposite: he hosted the first scene with Prince Naveen, I added Tiana and we were back and forth to adjust everything.
Tiana is somehow "perfect in every way," while Prince has some Naveen through. Randy Haycock and how you found the right balance between these two facets of the game?
It's interesting that you see as Tiana. You can not blame him, I grant you. She is very disciplined, more than the Prince Naveen, but at a point where it is so focused on her dream that she puts the rest of his life aside. So, it does not have as much fun as Prince Naveen. And indeed, everyone brings something to the other in their relationship. Prince Naveen needs a little bit more discipline, and Tiana needs it inspires a little joy to live. And everyone in this learning, there is love, which is essential in the theme of the film. It is precisely the thing that Tiana had forgotten, the thing his father tried to teach her when she was a child. And yet it is something she has forgotten, and had to relearn. She learned during her affair with Naveen.
Some of the artists who worked on The Princess and the Frog have consulted the "Disney's Animation Research Library" to study the style of Disney classics like Lady and the Tramp. As host of Tiana, have you done the same?
No depth. John Lasseter told us to beginning of production that his vision and his idea of the film is much closer to the golden age, years 40 and 50: Peter Pan , Lady and the Tramp ... These films represent for him the "style" Disney, with well-drawn characters, attractive, fully drawn and animated. We therefore examined Lady and the Tramp for several reasons. From the perspective of the animation, the idea was to take characters well-designed, well proportioned, and faithful to the animated Disney. That's something we always wanted to do, and we have always done, since I work here. But it the mandate given to us by John Lasseter, the way he thought we were apprehending this film.
What do you mean by the "style" Disney?
Disney style is exactly what John was thinking, what he had in mind for this film. Everything must be animated, the style is not limited, anything that moves has to move. But it also involves very complex personalities, strong identities. The landscapes and backgrounds are very rich. There is a balance between realism and a sense of artistic rendering of things. This is one reason why we looked Lady and the Tramp because found there all these elements. The film is very simple, and yet there is a great balance between simplicity and detail in landscapes and characters.
Which part of the personality of Tiana you identify most?
I think what I appreciated most in Tiana is its sense of humor. I also can relate to his discipline, his tenacity, his perseverance to follow his dream, really. But I really enjoyed his sense of humor, which is increasing gradually as the film, when she feels more comfortable. Commme it was said here: when she defeated her hair and she relaxes a little, it becomes a very sympathetic character.
Music has a very important place in this film. How did you approach the songs? You are afraid
song in a scene exactly as you approach all the others. I have not worked on the stage of "The Field of Dreams" which is a stage of dreams. Eric Goldberg took over because it has a real taste for music and to do animation with music. I made the introduction and conclusion of this piece, and also all the other pieces at the beginning and end of the film. But there is no real difference in approach compared to other scenes. Be aware of timing and tempo, make sure the movements are rhythmically to the music, not going against him.
As the designer and the head of its animation, you've brought a lot to Tiana. But, what did she learn?
is a good question. I learned to balance my life as it needed to balance his own. I sure had to be disciplined and well keep my goals in mind. I am also committed to enjoying life once at home, for the few hours that I spent there, especially in the last six months we worked very hard to finish the film. That kind of balance she taught me. Tiana did not have that balance at the beginning, and has learned. I made sure to have a good balance between my work and the joy of family life at home.
After working on Lewis the Robinsons , it was doing what to return to traditional animation by hand?
Well, I'll be honest. I did not like computer animated much as I love drawing. Drawing is what I did for over twenty years when I had to learn to do by computer. The excitement of watching a scene come to life on screen is the same computer, but the process is not as interesting and satisfying for me as an artist. I really love drawing. So when they announced they would resume work on 2D films, most 2D animators like me were very, very happy, happy to draw again. For me is like breathing. This is something natural and more satisfying than moving the mouse of a computer.
You met John Lasseter at Cal Arts. What was it like to find him in command at Disney? I have known John
a little at Cal Arts, but then our paths have separated. I knew even then, by his knowledge (and truth), that John Lasseter was for something unique, and occupy a special place in our industry. I could not tell exactly what, but I knew he had a gift, a gift for storytelling. I just knew he would make a very special career because of it.
What did you enjoy most during the production of The Princess and the Frog ?
Just being able to do so. The fact that after almost five years told by the studios "We will no longer 2D animation, more hand drawings," it was just a 2D animated film by hand. This is probably the strongest memory, and also the most fun because we had the challenge of having to relearn the process from the perspective of the studio. But for me as an artist, go back, turn pages, draw by hand, lead on paper, was the strongest memory.
What was the most rewarding stage on which you worked?
one that comes to mind first is when Tiana child is at her window and she made the first wish his good fortune. I found this lovely little sequence. But I also loved his adult equivalent, where Tiana is on the balcony of the house. In her life, she is cornered. She finished her song and made a wish once again to his lucky star. Then she meets Prince Naveen into a frog and then there is this little passage where it occurs and where it hits him on the head with the book. I also love the scenes where she is and where the frog prince Naveen and is constantly launching peaks. It was really fun to animate.
You talked about the happiness of animate 2D. Will you be the next film of Winnie the Pooh?
Yes, I will be responsible for the animation of Winnie!
Thanks to Angeline for the translation!
