Disney’s original way: then and now

Walt Disney's passion for hand drawing started a legacy for greatly told stories. His stories weren’t just about happy endings and villains that were put in there place, they were more about the realness of characters and the childhood aspirations that each one of us will hold on to forever. The thing that makes the classic Disney films so captivating is the sense of simplicity that is displayed on screen. Walt took what he saw in his head and drew it out on paper, bottom line. His stories and characters were exactly the way he envisioned them, nothing more, nothing less.
Disney's first full animated production was the tale of the famous Disney princess “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. Disney knew he wanted to take his talents of art animation to a whole new level. Working diligently by hand Disney along with his crew created the first full length animation film ever using simple 2D animation. As Snow White was released on December 21, 1937, people flocked to the theaters for the cost of a dime to view this now timely classic. It was Disney’s 2D animation that started it all. From "Snow White", "Bambi", and "Cinderella" to "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast", his pen and paper brought them all to life.



As the years went by, the Disney Company started to take advantage of the digital world. Partnering with the Pixar Company, they took the Disney animation to brand new highs. They together created movies such as "Toy Story" and "Monsters Inc." which use computers and digital animation to create the characters. As Disney movies evolve, they continue to amaze audiences with their loveable characters and stories.
As I am always up for new and the updating of old ways, sometimes it is nice to revisit how original things once made me feel. It warms my heart when I hear a favorite song from the past or watch a television show that I used to watch over and over again. In 2009, Disney gave their fans a small treat as they returned to the famous 2D animation that originally started the company.

I was thrilled to hear that Disney was going back to drawing by hand for the fairytale “The Princess and the Frog". This decision was made by the Disney Company as a way of coming in touch with their roots. They wanted to bring back the magic that started it all. From the characters to the old style music, Walt Disney would have been extremely proud of this film. All of the artists felt as though they were giving back to Walt himself, as they designed their characters with pencil and eraser.


I thought I would share this story not only because of the current film but because this shows that the Disney Company has yet to forget where they came from. Making a movie that brings back those heart filled memories that were there as a child, is one of the things that keep people coming back. It shows that yes, the Disney Company does care about their viewers and fans and that recreating these memories is only the
beginning.


The Princess and the Frog: Return To Hand Drawn Animation - Awesome video clips here

References:

The Disney Company. (2010). Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Retrieved from http://disney.go.com/vault/archives/movies/snow/snow.html.

Metacafe Inc. (2010). The Princess and the Frog: Return to Hand Drawn Animation. Retrieved from http://www.metacafe.com/watch/3092419/the_princess_and_the_frog_return_to_hand_drawn_animation/

Manila Bulletin. (2010). Disney Returns to Hand Drawn Animation in ‘the Princess and the Frog’. Retrieved from http://www.metacafe.com/watch/3092419/the_princess_and_the_frog_return_to_hand_drawn_animation/