It was a crucial part of our work that we could see each other daily. What other challenges did you come across when bringing the story together during the pandemic?įawn: From our department, we usually work really closely together. So yeah, it was quite the task, but I have to say, it took a lot of us. Kumandra has five different lands, so it was broken up into groups of different artists working together but separately, from home, and feeding the different layers of the pipeline like layout and look, rigging and animation – to keep the machine going. We worked tirelessly with him and Mingjue Helen Chen in the art department to bring their amazing 2D artwork to life in a 3D space and have it work from every single angle. I have to give a shoutout to my modelling supervisor, Eric Provan. All Rights Reserved Liza, how did you go about building this beautiful world? We had different aspects but landed on trust being the most challenging and interesting theme. Along the journey, we were trying to find an angle into how you build community. What were the main comparisons that the story was trying to make?įawn: In the beginning, we were interested in the theme of 'community' concerning the source of inspiration from Southeast Asia's cultures. There are so many themes at play that mirror what's happening in the real world. Liza: No, I think someone at Disney has a time machine. But when you began making Raya, you could never have predicted a global pandemic? Yes, the world has felt very divided for some time. The story and journey were very enriching to me as a person as well. And when we were in the story room, that was very nuanced and very difficult to talk about – convincing someone to trust again. She is brave and strong and has overcome obstacles, and I think it's just really timely – particularly right now, having that kind of role model and kind of message.įawn: Yeah, what's interesting about the subject we're trying to tackle is this theme of trust. Liza: It follows a young warrior in a fragmented world. Before we talk more about how Raya was made, can you tell us what strikes you most about this story? I've spent three or four years on this film, and I want to create something that my team and I can be proud of. We know these films will probably outlast us, to be enjoyed by many generations to come, so there's a lot of love and care that we put into the storytelling. With so many curious questions, we spoke to Fawn Veerasunthorn, Head of Story, and Liza Rhea, an environment modeller, to discover more about the creative process, what was involved, and how they managed to pull off such an incredible animated masterpiece, all from home and during a global pandemic. It's a visual feast, and it's in cinemas, where available, and on Disney+ with Premier Access, from today, 5 March. There's even a new approach to costume design, as they use draping-based designs rather than the pattern-based ones of previous films. To fill this fantasy world, the Crowds Animation department animated more than 72,000 individual elements, including 18,987 human characters and 35,749 non-human characters. And the five Lands of Kumandra are distinct and filled with their own unique cultures and creatures. For instance, combat sequences throughout the film were inspired by martial art forms specific to Southeast Asia's cultures.
#The last dragon movie scenes movie#
The new movie features an all Asian voice cast, which also includes Awkwafina, Ross Butler and more, and will be released in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access on March 5th.There are so many fascinating stories behind the making of Raya. Glamorous! I remember there were days when there was construction happening, my internet was cutting out, there was always something going on,” she said on Jimmy Kimmel Live. “I recorded in a makeshift fort at my boyfriend’s apartment, which was made of sound blankets taped to the wall with duct tape. Raya and the Last Dragon star Kelly Marie Tran recently opened up about where she recorded the voiceover for the role during the pandemic. “Lead The Way” will be played during the film’s end credits, and will be featured on the soundtrack, which will be released next Friday (February 26). The new clip features the new original song “Lead The Way” by Jhené Aiko, and shows a little backstory on the movie’s title character. A brand new teaser clip from the upcoming Walt Disney Animation film Raya and the Last Dragonwas released!