Behind the Scenes with FROZEN Animation Rigging

Time for another episode of "What the Heck TV Mom Was Doing in L.A. Last Month" and more coverage of Disney's Oscar winning animated film, Frozen! This time, we head to the Animation Rigging Lab under Animation TD Supervisor Greg Smith.

Welcome to Disney Animation Studios Rigging Lab!

First we sat down and were treated to a neat presentation about the way the CG animation worked and how the team for Frozen had some challenges that they actually created new software to overcome. For instance, Elsa's hair, and to a lesser extent Anna's, was rigged with individual clumps of hairs, totalling more than 400,000 individual hairs--which is about four times what a normal human being has on their heads and at least double what Rapunzel had in Tangled! This gave the animators a chance to actually "style" the characters' hair in much a similar manner as real hair. And speaking of hair, Olaf too had some "hair" issues that the animators had to deal with... he only had sticks for hair remember, but they had to be bouncy and full of life. You'll find out more about that by watching the video below (which, I promise, is only around seven minutes long).

Presentation on Anna's clothing from patterns!

Other obstacles included clothing--each female character wears full undergarments and petticoats, and they're all animated separately based on the type of fabric they are supposedly made from! Since fabric moves differently based on what type it is, that posed yet another challenge for the animators, which they touch on in the video below.

An animation rig! Dual screens, yo.

Being the geek that I am, when given the opportunity, I asked what operating systems they used for their various animation programs. Our Olaf hands-on demonstration (at the end of the video you can see a minute of my "animation" work!) was given to us on PC, and they used a Mac for their presentation (as well as I noticed on our tour that they were omnipresent on desks throughout the department)... and they responded just as I thought they might... Linux! He couldn't remember what breed of Linux system they used, but it was Linux-based. To those of you whose eyes glazed over or skipped this last paragraph entirely, I apologize, but I thought it was super interesting. It's why I asked... and immediately texted TV Dad to let him know, being that he's a Linux guy.

You can see in the picture above just how many different controls there were to move Olaf around, and how detailed his face animation can get. It was fascinating and I likely could have spent far longer in that room than anyone would have been comfortable with being that I'm not a Disney employee... but I digress.

So, here's the moment you've all been waiting for... the VIDEO! It's super short, and of course I didn't think to start taping until after the comment about Elsa's hair, but there is lots of interesting information to be gleaned from a mere seven minutes! Again, sorry for the video quality (iPad!), and your sound needs to be all the way up to hear it, but since we were in a smaller room, it's more clear than the Director/Producer interview video. Enjoy!




Finally, a funny story! So, as we were walking out after our session, one of the other bloggers asked for a photo of the three guys who gave the presentation. They giggled and asked if she needed them to pose a certain way, and she asked them to stand nicely or something, which they gladly obliged. I, being the not-too-swift-on-the-uptake gal that I am, also tried to grab them for a photo (one walked away), and jokingly, I told the two guys who remained they didn't have to pose any particular way for me. So, this is what I got:

This is why you should ALWAYS have them pose!

Yep. One smiled like a goof (what computer guy ISN'T a goof?) and one hid from me entirely. I couldn't help but crack up and told them that it was absolutely perfect for my needs. And it is. So, thank you awesome computer animator guys for indulging the silly side of my blog!

Stay tuned for more Behind the Scenes looks at Frozen here at TheTVMom.com, including (hopefully!) video of ME voicing Olaf in the recording studio! Plus, continuing coverage of my L.A. trip: The Pirate Fairy, Saving Mr. Banks, Disney Studios Lot, and the Animation Research Library and Archives!



Disclosure: I received a trip to LA in exchange for my unbiased coverage of the Frozen Blu-ray release. Please see my Disclosure tab for more information.

Disney's Prep and Landing on Blu-Ray

Image courtesy Disney (c).

It's that time of year again. Time for the holidays to barf all over the airwaves! But maybe you're not a Grinch like me and you enjoy that sort of thing. If that's the case, then you'll probably want to snag a copy of Disney's Prep and Landing "Totally Tinsel Collection" on Blu-Ray combo pack, out new this year. It's chock full of Elven goodness!

Check out my full review at the About.com page!

The Lorax on BluRay and DVD August 7th!

Image courtesy Universal Studios Home Entertainment (c)

The Lorax was the first film I took my son to as a Mommy-Son date in a theatre. He had already seen the 3D version of Star Wars Episode 1 with me and my husband, and had done well with it. A rainy day last spring, we decided to hit the early bird special and see it together while Daddy was at work. We actually had the entire theatre to ourselves. It was magical. If you haven't already seen it, check out my parent guide site on About.com's Kids TV & Movies page and read Carey's review of the film.

What I liked about it, was that it took the beloved story by Dr. Seuss further. It showed what happened when the seed was planted, and what happened when the Once-ler finally realized what the Lorax was trying to tell him. And Danny DeVito as the Lorax? Perfection.

However, today I'm going to review The Lorax on BluRay (also available on DVD and BluRay 3D) combo pack. I was given the opportunity to have a special sneak preview* of the BluRay combo pack from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, and I have been spending the good part of a day playing with it so far.

The BluRay is loaded with fun special features, including three new mini-movies. There is your usual fare for special features: a deleted scene, concept art, screen tests, and behind the scenes interviews and featurettes. I'm a cinema geek in that I love seeing the "making of" segments and learn about the process behind he film I just watched, and the "Seuss to Screen" segment delivered.

There is a fun "Get out of Town" game (available only on the BluRay version) that I still can't quite get the hang of, since you use the arrow buttons on your player remote to move, and it's rather involved with having Ted jumping and changing direction to avoid O'Hare and his henchmen. Younger kids might get frustrated with it, but older kids will love it. I fared better in the "Truffula Run" game, where you guide the Lorax through the Truffula tufts while avoiding stumps. It has a difficulty level setting at the beginning which will appease the younger players in your group far better. "The Once-ler's Wagon" feature lets you play with things that fall out of the wagon when the Lorax kicks it. It's cute, but you run out of new things to play with very quickly. There's also a cute music video sing along to the Let It Grow song from the credit part of the film with pop up words to follow along with, and the artwork scrolling behind without the distraction of the credits, which lets you take in the beauty of both the art of the film and Dr. Seuss' original story.

The mini-movies are downright adorable. "Wagon Ho!" takes you on a joy ride with two Bar-ba-loots as they snag the Once-ler's wagon and donkey with hilarious consequences. "Forces of Nature" was supposed to be a scene in the film according to the little "Making of the Mini Movies" featurette, but they decided instead to take it out and let it be a stand alone tidbit, featuring the Lorax trying to scare the Once-ler into doing the right thing with the help of Pipsqueak the Bar-ba-loot. Finally, "Serenade" is about two Bar-ba-loots who want to win the affections of a cute girl Bar-ba-loot by engaging in a sing-off. I have to say, "Serenade" was my favorite of the three.

Other fun features include a tour of Truffula Valley and Thneedville (only available on the BluRay version), that lets you learn more about all the characters, watch interviews with the film creators or voice actors, and even learn to draw the Lorax and a Bar-ba-loot.

My drawing from the "How to draw the Lorax" segment... how'd I do?

My favorite special feature has to be the "Grow Your Own Truffula Tree", in which you plant a seed and the tree grows as you explore the menus of the disc. I kind of wish it was real!

There is also the opportunity, available only on the BluRay disc, to view the movie with "O'Hare Vision", which will interrupt the movie with special hilarious O'Hare commercials like the one presented to him in the film.

If you liked the film, the BluRay or DVD is a must buy. It's such a heartwarming film, and there is so much to do on the Special Features menus, it's definitely worth adding to your film collection. Plus all three versions feature a Digital Copy of the film to add to your iPad, computer, or smart phone. You can't beat having a movie to take with you on the go!

Finally, today the Home Depot held a special Lorax event, where kids could build a cork board and learn more about the BluRay and DVD. We trekked over to our local Home Depot in Grove City, OH to get in on the fun.

We're in the right place!

However, it was a very popular event, and when we got there, they had run out of the cork board projects. We were given a tool box to build instead. But TV Boy didn't mind!

Hammering away, while I secretly prayed he didn't hit my fingers!

Paint time!

Placing our stickers very carefully!

It was a fun way to learn about tools while making something we can actually use! TV Boy was so proud of his little tool box, and I'm proud I didn't walk away with any injuries. We're definitely going to start visiting the Home Depot Kids' Workshops more often now that TV Boy is old enough. It was a lot of fun, and FREE!

Be sure to pick up your copy of The Lorax on BluRay, 3D BluRay, or DVD combo pack this coming Tuesday, August 7th!

*Full Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of The Lorax on BluRay combo pack from Universal Studios Home Entertainment for evaluation purposes. All views and opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not in any way influenced by my receipt of the free disc.

Celebrate The Lorax on BluRay and DVD!

Celebrate the release of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax on BluRay combo pack and DVD August 7th by downloading a free Lorax Activity Sheet for your Littlest Tree Lover! Also, check out the trailer with a first look at the all-new mini-movies at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DXU1348PHg

A review of the BluRay and all its cool extra special features is coming soon to The TV Mom! Stay tuned!

Sid the Science Kid

My first post of a show not in my header... come on, you know you're impressed!

Today we're looking at Sid the Science Kid. This show is a Jim Henson production. Yes, the very same Jim Henson who came up with the Muppets on Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, etc. However, this is a very different animal than your run-of-the-mill Muppet show. Sid the Science Kid is 100% CGI, or Computer Generated Images. (And now you know what CGI means if you didn't already!) The other thing this show is... motion capture. This is initially what creeped me out about the show, and why I didn't start watching it until recently. MoCap rubs me the wrong way sometimes. But, after watching it for some weeks now, my son has fallen in love. It still took me watching the "making of" video before I could stand to watch it.





See, now you feel better about it too. Science is fun. Or you may be more freaked out than before seeing Sid as a skeletal machine around a tiny woman, I don't know.

The story follows Sid, "the kid who wanted to know everything about everything", as he goes through his day. We start out usually in Sid's home with his parents and younger brother. Sid stumbles upon a scientific problem and asks his parents about it. They start his lessons by giving basic information, like a parent usually does, but then it's time for Sid to go to school and con his teacher Susie into making her lesson plans all about what he wants. I will interject here that one of the things that still bugs me is that apparently Susie never has her own lessons planned and lets the kids do whatever they want. As a former teacher myself, I know child-led learning is important, but so is having lesson plans. I guess it works for her though.

Sid rides to school with his mom, and finds his friends Gerald (pink skin), Gabriella (curly red hair), and Mae (glasses). He then introduces his idea of the day to them, and they follow along in wanting to learn all about it. Susie calls everyone in for "rug time" with a song, and they share what they want to learn about. Susie then leads them in a scientific experiment, encouraging the kids to observe, compare, contrast, and write in their science journals. The show usually interjects film of real kids performing the same experiments and writing in their journals here. That's a feature I really like, because it shows your child that they can do these very same things at home on their own. After this, the kids invite her to sing a song for them about their daily topic, she invites them to play with their new ideas outside, and then Sid's grandma picks him up from school. Sid's grandma usually shares a story on their ride home of some time in her past that she had experience with the topic which Sid is learning about. They get home, play with his family for a little while, and then Sid gets ready for bed and reminisces about his day and what he has learned.

This show is aimed at kids in high levels of preschool all the way through elementary school. The appeal is obviously there for younger kids too, as my two year old enjoys the singing, dancing, and fun voices of the characters. Kids older than elementary may find this show a little on the slow side though.

The program airs on PBS channels, which is available with any basic over-the-air television. Check your local listings for times and channels. There are also plenty of DVDs available for travel and non-air time watching.

The educational value of this show is pretty obvious. It teaches your child about the scientific method, and about how our world works. Your child will also likely walk away with some big "science" words like "estimation", "hypothesis", "experiment", and so on.

What your child learns:

• Science: How to follow the scientific method, testing, experimenting, journaling their experiences, making guesses, how the world works, nature, astronomy, inventions, testing, compare/contrast, asking questions, and science terminology.
• Social and Emotional Development: Family bonds, being a good friend, listening to a teacher, caring for the world around them, feelings and empathy.

 As a parent, really the only thing that draws me to this show is knowing the science behind it (see video above). Other than that, I do enjoy that they show real children doing the things the animated characters are, so that it makes the program easy to relate to. It also gives me great ideas for things to do with my future homeschooling. As a child watching, the bright colors, happy animation, and fun personalities of the characters are attractive, and for the most part, younger kids won't be able to detect that they're actually learning something by watching. It's worth a watch or two. As long as it doesn't make your skin crawl.