Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Up With the Mouse House Story Crew

This a.m. I was hanging with story artists at Disney Animation. The crew working on Princess and the Frog got their first viewing of all the story reels late last week, which now run in toto a little under an hour and a half. The group I talked to were happy with what it saw.

"It needs some trimming, but it's got a twist and it works," one artist said. Another crew member related: "I've seen it twice now, and it's growing on me. John said it was one of the best first passes he's seen..."

Shortly, Princess and the Frog (plus crew) journeys to Emeryville for yet more feedback and notes.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

"John said it was one of the best first passes he's seen..."

Which John did you mean? Musker or Lasseter? thanks!

Anonymous said...

Mr. Lasseter broke into tears? Good sign!

Anonymous said...

i hope i'm wrong, but i'm sure the dipshit execs at disney will find a way to remove anything good from the film.

Steve Hulett said...

"John said it was one of the best first passes he's seen..."

Which John did you mean? Musker or Lasseter? thanks!


You think I should? Somebody's going to jump on here and say that I'm revealing secrets and skulking around the studio and being an unbridled pain.

John Somebody. We'll leave it at that...

Anonymous said...

Okay, I'll add to the fun.

"One of the best first passes I've seen..."

I can't tell you how many times I've heard that in my career.

Anonymous said...

I hope they can pull it together and get that studio back on track. Maybe this is the one????/

Anonymous said...

"One of the best first passes I've seen..."

I can't tell you how many times I've heard that in my career.

Bitter martini coming right up lady.

Unknown said...

Bitter or not, Floyd's right. That statement has been said after almost every first screening that I've ever been to and I assume it's not just my experience.

Hopefully it's not just hyperbole this time and is an actual statement of fact.

Steve Hulett said...

Okay, I'll add to the fun.

"One of the best first passes I've seen..."


Ron Clements used to joke about Katzenberg and Eisner raving about how great a story pitch was and then, a week later, cancelling the project.

Nothing ever changes.

OTHOH, there's that old, classic memo from Darryl Zanuck:

I've just read Arthur Caesar's script "Golden Dawn."

It made me vomit.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know what character Andreas Deja has been assigned?

I'm really curious to find out.

BTW, Floyd Norman rules! I'll always have deep respect for the man.

Anonymous said...

John Schwartzbaum, the new intern.


Do we need weekly updates on each pencil stroke?

Nothing to see here, folks. Move along. Let them write their movie and we'll review it when it's done.

Floyd Norman said...

I'm a cartoonist.

Can't you guys tell bitter from funny?

Anonymous said...

Floyd: are you kidding?

In other words--NO.

(just kidding).

Anonymous said...

Do we need weekly updates on each pencil stroke?

Nothing to see here, folks. Move along. Let them write their movie and we'll review it when it's done.

You've couldn't say it better. Its so funny how people start to analyze or comment on a film that has just started, its a continuous process. Back off!

Unknown said...

"Okay, I'll add to the fun.
"One of the best first passes I've seen..."
I can't tell you how many times I've heard that in my career."

my favorite is "The advance screening of our movie tested higher than any other in Studio X's history!!" :)

but yes, I agree, let's not get ourselves in the usual 'I hear SomeMovie is in real story trouble!' kind of talk. We're all on the same side here!

Anonymous said...

That's what I love about this business.

Once you start any movie, and I do mean any movie anywhere -- you're already in trouble. It's just the way this business works.

Still love it, though.

Anonymous said...

Hey Mr. Norman,

What do you think of all the stuff that's been going on over at Walt Disney animation? You think Lasseter's on the right track?

Anonymous said...

"One of the best first passes I've seen..."

The advance screening of our movie tested higher than any other in Studio X's history!!"

HA ha....these must be in the executive manual under "Tricks for Keeping Morale Up"....

I've heard these myself.

The most blatant lie was when they showed us a long list of projects planned for the next ten years at a town meeting at the big D...of which none seem to have been greenlit thus far, it was all smoke and mirrors.

Well, then if it's like that, I have five mayor features in the planning stage myself...

rufus.

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