Have you ever wondered how many Disney employees worked on Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon while at home or how animators brought to life Jon Batiste’s piano skills in Disney and Pixar’s Soul? To celebrate Disney+ on select Rogers Infinite, Ignite TV and SmartStream bundles, we peeked behind the castle to reveal some fascinating facts about the Disney stories and characters you know and love.
1. “Get ready, your life is about to start.” – Joe Gardner, Disney and Pixar’s Soul
The best creations often appear deceptively simple. To animate the instrumental musicians in Disney and Pixar’s Soul, multiple cameras were setup to capture footage of real-life performer Jon Batiste’s fingers on the piano keys. New technology lit up the piano keys based on the music, allowing animators to place the main character Joe’s fingers perfectly.
2. “The green shoot has grown up to the sky, and her ancestors celebrate her in the vault of the heavens. The girl became a soldier. The soldier became a leader. And the leader became a legend” – Zhou, Disney’s Mulan (2020)
This live-action movie features complex martial arts battles. Approximately 4,000 weapons were made for Disney’s Mulan (2020), ranging from aluminum to soft versions for cast-on-cast fight scenes. The total armory includes spears, shields, bows and arrows, double-edged Jian swords and fearsome daggers. The impressive and complicated sword work is a type of Wushu style, which is very difficult to master!
3. “There’s a million things you think you can’t do. All you need is a chance to try.” – Giulia Marcovaldo, Disney and Pixar’s Luca
Talk about a quick commute! Jack Dylan Grazer (voice of Alberto) recorded every single line of dialogue inside his mother’s closet. In contrast, the filmmakers traveled to Italy as a team to research the local culture, architecture and overall feeling of the movie’s setting.
4. “I made you look like a prince on the outside, but I didn’t change anything on the inside.” – Genie, Disney’s Aladdin (2019)
Disney’s Aladdin (2019) is a lavish musical feast for the eyes, with far reaching desert landscapes, vibrant markets and opulent palace interiors. To film these exquisite details, Director of photography Alan Stewart leveraged numerous cameras simultaneously and even went as far as to fix a GoPro camera to Mena Massoud’s waist. This footage was used to emphasize Aladdin’s experience as he runs and jumps through narrow alleys and rooftops. Fortunately, Aladdin’s sidekick Abu didn’t need to fuss with GoPro cameras, as the Capuchin monkey was entirely digital.
5. “Have you ever done a group project, but there’s like that one kid who didn’t pitch in as much, but still ended up with the same grade?” – Sisu, Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon
2021 has been the year of making group projects work, especially from home! This is true for Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon, a recent animated Disney+ release whose shot production took place almost completely from the homes of more than 450 artists and crew members. In total, more than 900 employees from Walt Disney Animation Studios worked remotely contributing to this movie and other upcoming projects.
To check out these movies and more, including series, across six iconic brands available on Disney+, take advantage of exclusive Disney+ offers available with select Ignite and Rogers Infinite plans. To learn more, visit here.