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Tag: Disney

  • 93rd Academy Awards: Pixar’s ‘Soul’ wins Best Animated Feature award

    By ANI
    WASHINGTON: The 2021 Oscar for the ‘Best Animated Feature Film’ was taken dwelling by Pixar’s ‘Soul’, turning into the one movie ever to win that award with out enjoying within the US film theatres.

    Last October, with the COVID pandemic having closed many of the nation’s cinemas, Disney introduced that it could launch ‘Soul’ as a Christmas launch completely on its streaming service Disney+. The film centered round a jazz musician who’s making an attempt to reunite his by accident separated soul and physique.

    This marked the primary time a full-length Pixar characteristic had been launched for dwelling viewing with out first enjoying in film theaters.

    Before its win on the Oscars, ‘Soul’ had already made historical past on different fronts. It was the primary Pixar characteristic to have a Black protagonist, voiced by Jamie Foxx, the primary with a predominantly Black solid and the primary with a Black co-director Kemp Powers.

    The film had additionally swept up Best Animated Feature awards from a number of critics teams and movie societies, together with the Golden Globes, BAFTA, the AFI, the Art Directors Guild, amongst others.

    ‘Soul’ directed by filmmaker Pete Docter, apart from Foxx, options the vocal abilities of Tina Fey, Phylicia Rashad, Questlove, Angela Bassett and Daveed Diggs. It additionally options authentic jazz music by Jon Batiste, and a rating composed by Oscar winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

    The 93rd Academy Awards are being held at each the Dolby Theatre and Union Station. The ceremony is going down two months later than initially deliberate, because of the affect left by the COVID-19 pandemic on the leisure business.

    The nominations for the 93rd Academy Awards have been introduced on March 15 this yr. This is just the fourth time in historical past that the Academy Awards have been postponed.

    ‘Mank’ leads the nominations this yr after being nominated for 10 accolades whereas ‘The Father’, ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’, ‘Minari’, ‘Nomadland’, ‘Sound of Metal’ and ‘The Trial of Chicago 7’ have been nominated in six classes.

  • INTERVIEW | ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ was made largely from house on account of pandemic

    Express News Service
    Much occurs within the creation of an animated movie. Apart from the same old filmmaking processes like scripting, storyboarding, lighting, and enhancing, right here, there’s additionally idea artwork, pre-visualisation, texturing, animation, rigging, rendering and compositing. Such intensive work naturally calls for a lot manpower—which is why animated movies are made by means of the collaboration between many, many divisions. With Disney’s newest movie, Raya and the Norman Joseph and Archana Senthilkumar from Disney, who allow us to into the making of this movie and discuss to us about what it took to finish this movie in the course of the pandemic:Last Dragon that has come out to nice opinions, this whole course of needed to be improvised. Here’s

    Excerpts. Could you increase upon your responsibilitiles?Norman Joseph: As a General Technical Director, I help manufacturing and develop the instruments utilized by artists in manufacturing. Among these we associate with, embrace artists, manufacturing and expertise management, technical administrators, and software program engineers. The instruments we develop assist facilitate the pc graphics animation course of.

    Archana Senthilkumar: I work because the bridge between the software program growth groups and the artist manufacturing groups. At the start of a challenge, we spend time creating software program that the artists will use after the manufacturing goes into full swing. At the top, we swap absolutely into help mode to assist them with all of the little tweaks. 

    NJ: I additionally develop the workflow that will get utilized by artists from a number of departments to contribute in direction of making the movie. I additionally assist with the workflow to create all of the vegetation you see within the movie; I additionally create a workflow for the group division artists to have the ability to share their character information with animation and technical animation division artists, so that every division is ready to entry character efficiency with instruments they’re accustomed to. What does an everyday day at work entail for you? AS: We use scripting languages like Python and C++ in addition to 3D software program packages like Maya, Houdini, and Nuke. An everyday day at work entails growth duties and dealing with a queue of help tickets from artists who’re presently working in manufacturing. Sometimes, it’s a small challenge that may be fastened in 5 minutes. Some others take us down a rabbit gap that take weeks and want the assistance of a dozen different folks.

    We start an animation movie as an everyday movie: we ideate, get suggestions from the crew, analysis consultants and consultants. If a selected scene might resonate effectively with the viewers, we are able to begin engaged on it even when the scenes surrounding it should not within the closing stage but. We can give you completely different variations of the identical scene and make modifications at numerous levels, so there’s a number of flexibility relating to animation. And then, there’s additionally a manufacturing administration division that makes certain that we aren’t constantly making modifications until the deadline.  At which stage of manufacturing do you be part of the crew? NJ: Technical administrators work with all of the departments by means of the manufacturing. We begin working from the beginning of manufacturing and as extra departments are available line, extra technical administrators be part of the manufacturing. I joined the manufacturing when the ‘crowd and effects’ departments had been beginning to get busy on manufacturing pictures. 

    AS: People with supervisory roles roll on at a a lot earlier stage in order that we are able to discuss to the director and ideate with the script together with what’s technically achievable. Once that’s fleshed out, I crew up with the remainder of artist manufacturing.  How completely different is Raya and the Last Dragon, say, from a Frozen 2, by way of technical challenges?NJ: The greatest distinction between the 2 movies is that Raya and the Last Dragon was made largely from house, as a result of pandemic. We are fortunate to have so many wonderful folks working with us and it’s wonderful how all of us got here collectively to create this movie from house. We constructed a number of new instruments and workflows to help our wonderful artists, so all of us might have what we wanted to make this movie. Much just like the theme of this movie, we trusted one another and got here collectively to deliver our greatest to our work even after we all needed to do it from house. All we had was video conferencing to attach with one another. 

    AS: From a technical standpoint, this movie has a number of motion. Numerous motion choreography went into the character’s animation. For instance, in a sword struggle, you need the character’s actions, motions and expressions to be easy although they’re shifting quick. There are additionally a number of completely different environments on this movie. Kumandra (the fictional world during which the movie relies) is made up of various kind of lands—proper from desserts to port cities and icy mountains. Dealing with completely different form of terrains for a similar movie was technically difficult.  Tell us a bit of about your subsequent challenge.NJ: I’m presently working with the workflow group on the studio to construct the subsequent era of instruments for use for our future initiatives. The work entails experimenting with new software program and instruments, and attempting issues that we have now not tried earlier than, so we are able to be taught to see what’s attainable sooner or later.AS: The subsequent movie we’re engaged on is Encanto. I’ve simply began engaged on that movie and it’s a completely completely different setting that speaks of a special tradition. I’m very excited to work on it.

  • ‘Raya is the most badass Disney Princess’

    Express News Service
    Disney’s push for Asian illustration triggered a stir with the controversial launch of Mulan final 12 months. So it’s solely pure to marvel if their subsequent, the sprawling animation epic Raya and the Last Dragon, will ship on its phrase. Set within the fantasy world of Kumandra, it’s the primary Disney journey impressed by Southeast Asian tradition. It follows Raya, a fallen princess questing to search out the final dragon and stop the apocalypse. The fantastical world is rooted in cultural specificity, highlighting the mythology, artwork, delicacies and structure of nations like Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, and others.

    “We let the story guide our research and inspirations,” says co-director Carlos López Estrada. “We didn’t want the film to just tick off boxes. We didn’t want it to say, ‘Here’s us showing diversity or representation or strong female leads.’ It really comes from a core — which I hope comes across in the movie.”

    For the movie, Carlos has teamed up with Don Hall, co-director on previous Disney movies like Winnie The Pooh, Big Hero Six, and Moana. Like the Polynesian protagonist of the final, Raya too is a Disney Princess — and the primary of Southeast Asian origin. Hall, for his half, locations her fairly excessive within the pantheon. “Raya is probably the most badass of all the princesses,” Hall says. “Being a warrior, she identifies more as a guardian of the dragon than a princess. But she has a lot of other traits — vulnerability, humour, love of family —- that connects her to other princesses.”

    A significant through-line in Raya’s journey is her relationship with belief. Having misplaced her kingdom to feuding factions, Raya has misplaced religion in humanity. She has each purpose to: her greatest pal, Namaari, is now her nemesis, and she or he encounters thieves and tricksters each step of the best way. “The world is too messed up to trust anyone,” she tells Sisu — the goofy titular dragon — once they meet. Yet Sisu (who can take human type) reverses that logic. “Maybe it’s messed up because you don’t have trust?”

    “That scene hit me hard,” says Kelly Marie Tran (The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker), who voices Raya. “I think what makes it powerful is that they are both kind of right. It’s really about them trying to understand where the other person comes from.”

    Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians, The Farewell), who voices Sisu, provides, “That line for me summed up the entire movie. It holds such weight when you apply that thinking to the world we live in.”The actors weigh in on the illustration debate surrounding the film. “I never want to play a character who reiterates any sort of stereotype about a group of people,” assures Kelly Marie Tran, whose dad and mom are Vietnamese however who grew up within the US. “Even if it’s not an Asian-centric cast,” ventures Awkwafina, “it’s important for me that my character is not one-dimensional. More than anything, I look for the heart of a story and what’s it trying to tell.”

    The makers of Raya and The Last Dragon enlisted a staff of anthropologists to flesh out the world of Kumandra. Given the Southeast Asian setting, the affect of India and China inevitably spilled into the movie. “There’s Sanskrit that’s shared among some of these countries,” particulars producer Osnat Shurer. “Also, many of our crew members were Indian. So when we were working on the wraps of the clothing, for example, we were referring to the dhoti as well as other styles.”

    Indeed, a lot of the movie’s look crosses the normal with the fashionable. Hall says he wished to push the know-how by way of lighting and efficiency, but retain the signature Disney look. “This is a particular look we felt suited Raya really well,” he says. “But that doesn’t mean other films down the line need to look the same.” López Estrada factors to the movie’s vibrant prologue as a nod to previous types. “It gave us an opportunity to create something that’s reminiscent of flat or 2-d animation. So yes, you can expect a lot of different visual styles filtering through the film.”

  • Hollywood actress Emma Stone appears to be like unrecognizable within the first ‘Cruella’ poster

    By ANI
    WASHINGTON: The first film poster of Disney’s upcoming movie ‘Cruella’ is lastly out and it options Oscar-winning actor Emma Stone channelling her sinister aspect.

    Raising followers’ pleasure, Walt Disney Studios on Tuesday launched the poster for the corporate’s long-awaited prequel to 101 Dalmatians that serves as an origin story for the puppy-powered basic’s iconic villainess.

    Sharing the teaser poster, the makers captioned the put up, “Hello, Cruel World. New Trailer Tomorrow.”

    Hello, Cruel World. New Trailer Tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/kWXxbjaF4b
    — Disney (@Disney) February 16, 2021

    The film poster options Stone in a never-seen-before avatar, rocking Cruella’s signature two-toned coiffure, darkish lipstick, and smokey eye make-up. The poster additionally has the movie’s launch month written on it: May 2021.

    In August 2019, Disney had shared the primary look of Stone from the movie. The first look of the ‘La La Land’ actor as the long-lasting 101 Dalmatians villain Cruella de Vil was unveiled in the course of the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California.

    In the primary look picture, Stone sported de Vil’s signature two-toned coiffure, gothic darkish eye make-up, and a daring pink lip. Dressed in a leather-based jacket, she may very well be seen whereas strolling three Dalmatians within the image, whereas co-stars Joel Fry and Paul Walter Hauser may very well be seen standing within the background.

    According to Entertainment Weekly, Stone revealed that Cruella can be a “punk rock” live-action origin story for the basic villain, happening in Nineteen Seventies London. The upcoming movie additionally stars Emma Thompson and is directed by Craig Gillespie.

    The upcoming prequel will discover how Cruella, who began out as a designer, became a lady obsessive about sporting a coat manufactured from pet pores and skin.

    For the unversed, American actor Glenn Close initially introduced Cruella de Vil to life in 1996’s ‘101 Dalmatians’ and within the 2000 hit movie ‘102 Dalmatians’. She additionally serves as an government producer on this new adaptation.

  • Disney nonetheless dedicated to launch ‘Black Widow’ in theatres

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: Disney CEO Bob Chapek has insisted that Scarlett Johansson-front superhero film “Black Widow” remains to be heading in the right direction to make its debut in theatres worldwide.

    During an investor name on Thursday, Chapek mentioned the corporate has no plans to ship the Marvel Studios undertaking to its streamer Disney Plus, as per Deadline.

    “We are still intending for it to be a theatrical release. We are going to be watching very carefully to see whether that strategy needs to be revisited,” he mentioned.

    “Black Widow”, that includes Johansson in her final look as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow, was initially scheduled for launch in May 2020 however was delayed as a result of coronavirus pandemic.

    The movie is at the moment slated to launch on May 7 this 12 months.

    During the pandemic, Disney has made some daring strikes to compensate for the closure of film theatres.

    It took the choice of sending its big-budget dwell motion film “Mulan” to Disney Plus.

    The studio additionally despatched animated function “Soul” to the streamer, whereas one other film “Raya and the Last Dragon” might be debuting concurrently in theatres and on Disney Plus for an additional USD 30.

    “Some films we will take theatrically. Some films we will take to Disney Premiere Access. And in some cases, we will take it directly to service (Disney Plus). It’s really about flexibility. We’re going to steer our decision making over time given (the needs) of our subscriber base,” Chapek mentioned.

  • Disney to close down ‘Ice Age’ franchise animation home ‘Blue Sky Studios’

    By ANI
    WASHINGTON: The Walt Disney Co. is closing their ‘Blue Sky Studios’, the animation manufacturing home behind the much-loved collection Ice Age, Rio, and plenty of extra.

    The American diversified multinational mass media and leisure conglomerate, Disney has made a transfer to shut the studio that churned out greater than 13 iconic movies since Fox purchased it in 1999.

    According to Deadline, this determination got here after Disney confronted an financial disaster because of the COVID-19 induced pandemic. Not solely this but additionally because of the financial losses, the corporate shut down its theme parks and cruise traces.

    However, the pending venture of the Ice age collection from the studio library will likely be helmed by Disney itself.

    An Ice Age collection for Disney+ that was first declared throughout a 12 months in the past’s monetary backers gathering, is as but being developed. The ‘Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild’, highlighting the voice of Simon Pegg, is scheduled to indicate up early by 2022.

    Whereas, the much-anticipated animation function drama based mostly on the novel by Noelle Stevenson ‘Nimona’, was likewise eliminated utterly from Disney’s schedule and can now not be launched. The movie was one other Fox title and had 10 months left of creation. It was final scheduled for theatres on Jan. 14, 2022, reported by Deadline.

    Blue Sky Studios was initially based in 1986 by Alison Brown, David Brown, Michael Ferraro, Carl Ludwig, Dr. Eugene Troubetzkoy, and Chris Wedge, based on the studio’s web site. In their early days, the staff labored on photorealistic CG results on Joe’s Apartment (1996), A Simple Wish (1997), Alien Resurrection (1997), and Fight Club (1999). Bunny grew to become their first of what would later develop into a set of quick movies in 1998.

    As per Deadline, the final day for the Blue Sky studio will likely be in April. The variety of staff being affected numbers 450. Disney will likely be working with the workers on the Greenwich, CT-based studio to discover open positions on the different inner studios.

  • ‘Raya And The Last Dragon’ to launch in India on March 5

    By Express News Service
    Disney’s first Southeast Asia-centered animated movie, Raya And The Last Dragon, which chronicles the search to seek out the final dragon in a fantastical world, will launch in India on the large display screen in March.

    The Disney movie will launch throughout theatres in India on March 5. The trailer of the movie offers audiences a glimpse of Raya (voiced by Kelly-Marie Tran) as she rallies her warrior crew and con artists on her quest to seek out the legendary final dragon.

    The movie additionally consists of Awkwafina, Sandra Oh and Gemma Chan as voice solid, and is directed by Don Hall and Carlos Lopez Estrada with Paul Briggs and John Ripa co-directing it. It is written by Qui Nguyen and Adele Lim.

    The official description of the movie reads: “A lone warrior, Raya, must track down the legendary last dragon to stop an evil force that has returned after 500 years to once again threaten her homeworld, Kumandra.”

  • WATCH | Trailer of Disney’s ‘Raya and The Last Dragon’ out

    By Express News Service
    The trailer of Disney’s upcoming animated function movie, Raya and the Last Dragon, was launched yesterday. The new trailer delves deep into the lifetime of a lone warrior, Raya (voiced by Kelly-Marie Tran), who should monitor down the legendary final dragon to cease an evil drive that has returned after 500 years to as soon as once more threaten her homeworld, Kumandra.

    Disney’s first Southeast Asian-centered animated film additionally stars Awkwafina, Sandra Oh and Gemma Chan because the voice forged. 

    The movie is directed by Don Hall (Big Hero 6) and Carlos López Estrada (Blindspotting) together with Paul Briggs and John Ripa co-directing it. Produced by Osnat Shurer and Peter Del Vecho, it’s written by Qui Nguyen and Adele Lim (Crazy Rich Asians).

    Raya and the Last Dragon might be launched throughout theatres in India on March 5.

  • ‘Raya And The Last Dragon’ in Indian theatres on March 5

    Image Source : TWITTER/@DISNEYRAYA ‘Raya And The Last Dragon’ in Indian theatres on March 5
    Disney’s first Southeast Asia-centered animated movie, Raya And The Last Dragon, which chronicles the hunt to seek out the final dragon in a fantastical world, will launch in India on the large display in March. The Disney movie will launch throughout theatres in India on March 5. The trailer of the movie offers audiences a glimpse of Raya (voiced by Kelly-Marie Tran) as she rallies her warrior crew and con artists on her quest to seek out the legendary final dragon. 
    The movie additionally consists of Awkwafina, Sandra Oh and Gemma Chan as voice forged, and is directed by Don Hall and Carlos Lopez Estrada with Paul Briggs and John Ripa co-directing it. It is written by Qui Nguyen and Adele Lim. The movie is produced by Osnat Shurer and Peter Del Vecho.
    “On March 5, be a part of Raya on her quest to seek out the final dragon. See Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon in theaters or order it on 
    @DisneyPlus with Premier Access on March 5,” The official Twitter deal with of Raya and the Last Dragon wrote. 
    On March 5, be a part of Raya on her quest to seek out the final dragon. See Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon in theaters or order it on @DisneyPlus with Premier Access on March 5. Learn extra: https://t.co/VbE7d6KNRP pic.twitter.com/54wfglZWMQ

    — Raya and the Last Dragon (@DisneyRaya) January 26, 2021

    The official description of the movie reads: “A lone warrior, Raya, must track down the legendary last dragon to stop an evil force that has returned after 500 years to once again threaten her homeworld, Kumandra”.
    Earlier, the official deal with introduced ‘Raya And The Last Dragon’ new poster. “Check out the brand-new poster for Raya and the Last Dragon. Experience the movie event in theaters or order it on @DisneyPlus with Premier Access March 5.”
    Check out the brand-new poster for Raya and the Last Dragon. Experience the film occasion in theaters or order it on @DisneyPlus with Premier Access March 5. Learn extra: https://t.co/VbE7d6tctf pic.twitter.com/BA2IXIQvLZ— Raya and the Last Dragon (@DisneyRaya) January 26, 2021

    (With IANS Inputs)

  • Walmart, Disney droop contributions to US lawmakers who opposed Biden certification

    Walmart Inc, the world’s greatest retailer and Walt Disney Co joined different main corporations in indefinitely suspending donations to US lawmakers who voted towards President-elect Joe Biden’s election certification.
    The Arkansas-based firm stated on Tuesday that in mild of final week’s assault on the US Capitol, its “political action committee is indefinitely suspending contributions to those members of Congress who voted against the lawful certification of state electoral college votes.”
    Disney, the leisure firm, stated in an announcement that within the “immediate aftermath of that appalling siege, members of Congress had an opportunity to unite — an opportunity that some sadly refused to embrace. In light of these events, we have decided we will not make political contributions in 2021 to lawmakers who voted to reject the certification of the Electoral College votes.”
    Other blue-chip corporations together with AT&T Inc, Amazon.com Inc and Mastercard Inc introduced comparable strikes previously a number of days.
    General Motors Co stated on Tuesday it had paused all political contributions after the Capitol occasions.
    It joined different companies akin to JPMorgan Chase & Co, Alphabet Inc’s Google and Union Pacific Corp in withholding contributions from all members of Congress, moderately than concentrating on those that opposed Biden’s certification.
    The bulletins point out that some company donors, which often give cash to Republicans and Democrats alike, are reassessing their technique after supporters of outgoing Republican President Donald Trump attacked the Capitol final week, aiming to forestall Congress from certifying Biden’s win.
    Five individuals died, together with a police officer.

    Before the assault on the seat of Congress, Trump urged supporters to march to the Capitol to protest the Nov. 3 election outcomes, which he has falsely claimed had been “rigged.”
    When lawmakers reconvened after the incident, 147 Republicans within the House of Representatives and Senate voted to problem the Democratic president-elect’s victory in Pennsylvania or Arizona, though each states already formally licensed the outcomes and election officers say there have been no vital issues with the vote.

    It is unclear whether or not the businesses’ selections can have an enduring influence. The time interval instantly after an election is often a lull for fundraising exercise.