Director Jon Favreau Takes Audiences On a Wild Ride Back to the Jungle #JungleBook

Jungle Book Takes Audiences on a Wild Ride.

By Catheryn

“Many strange tales are told of this Jungle.
But none so strange as the tale of the cub we called Mowgli” … ~ Bagheera

I am fascinated how a film can, when done correctly, invoke feelings within such a short amount of time. Happiness, loss, pride and true emotional investment to the stories characters, how often can you say a film has done this for you? I was invited by Disney to get a sneak peak of the soon to be released The Jungle Book last month, here’s a little on what to expect from this cutting edge film that I am very excited to see with my family!

In this day of computer generated everything, feelings sometimes get lost in the over the top spectacle of it all. Things are just so far beyond belief sometimes that you are literally too busy trying to process it all. Mash the two together, the ability to create something that stirs emotions yet is beyond reality and is totally believable, That’s is The Jungle Book.

A few words from the creative genius behind The Jungle Book Jon Favreau and Visual effects supervisor Rob Legato.

“When I think about Disney’s legacy, I relate to Walt’s original dream,” says director Jon Favreau.

Walt Disney’s work has influenced my work. He was considered high-tech for the time. He was the first person who locked soundtrack with picture, so the characters
were perfectly choreographed to the musical score—something that absolutely blew
people’s minds. Disney was on the cutting edge of technology.”

According to the director, every choice was made with the audience in mind. “The
audience has to be taken on a ride. They want thrills, adventure, excitement, laughs.
And they want emotion. I tried to make a movie that I’d want to see. 
There’s a flavor to it” added Favreau referring to the musical score and it “Ticked all the boxes” when it came to his memories of the Original Disney classic.

Employing the very latest iteration of movie magic, which would allow his director the freedom to push the limits of what’s possible in film making. “It’s a photo-real film grounded in the real world,” says Legato. “There’s something very interesting about that.” He also went on to add,

“The audience will feel the grandeur of the Indian jungle,” says Legato. “They’ll
experience this exotic land. That’s part of the fun of going to the movies—seeing a
place you’ve never seen before. Living it. Walking through it.”

Photo Courtesy: Disney Films

My initial thought after the viewing and the Q & A session, I was beyond impressed with the visual journey I know this film is going to take us all on. I truely enjoyed listening to the Director Jon Favreau and the visual effects supervisor Rob Legato describe their passion for the film and their efforts on this project in such laymen’s terms, I was truly drawn in and could have listened to them both all afternoon.

This being my first ever insider preview of an incomplete film, well I hadn’t any idea what I was in for or any idea of just how interesting it all is!  The sheer talent that is needed to be a part of a team on such a project is amazing. I was enthralled and hung on every word shared with us. I now have the greatest appreciation for all the crafts involved, not just those who perform in front of the camera.

It takes a very special mind and a great amount of talent as Jon Favreau has. To say that he had some big shoes to fill creating a new Jungle book after the genius of Walt Disney is an understatement. The technologies though worlds apart in creating both the original and the new to be released film truly show that no matter the technology, the film must have a heart and a soul to bring it to life, I’m pleased to say that in my opinion The Jungle Book is Reborn!

Photo Courtesy: Disney Films

The Jungle Book movie is based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories while being inspired by Disney’s 1967 animated classic. The film features state-of the-art technology that immerses the audience while seamlessly blending live-action along with photorealistic CGI animals and environments. Transporting movie goers using up-to-the-minute technology and storytelling techniques in an enchanting and lush world, it’s an adventure you have to see to believe!

Here’s one of the trailers for the film THE JUNGLE BOOK to tide you over till it’s opening in theatres everywhere in 3D, RealD 3D, and IMAX 3D on April 15th!

Catheryn~

Catheryn studied Interior Design at the L.A Campus of F.I.D.M then life thew her and her husband of 28 years a curve ball when they took in their little angel and life as they knew it would be forever changed….for the better of course. Her girl is 8 now and has high functioning Autism. She was the driving force for Catheryn to start blogging 2 years ago about ASD friendly places in So Cal. I hope you find inspiration or a new great find on her site to spark the inner cleverness in you. www.cleverlycatheryn.com

Meet the Residents of Zootopia!| #Zootopia

Meet the Residents of Zootopia!

By Erin

*I was invited as a guest of Disney to the early press day of Zootopia for purposes of this post*

ZOOTOPIA – FLASH, THE FASTEST SLOTH AT THE DMV -- When rookie rabbit officer Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) has only 48 hours to crack her first case, she turns to scam-artist fox Nick Wilde for help, but he doesn't always have her best interests at heart. Their investigation takes them to the local DMV (Department of Mammal Vehicles), which is staffed entirely by sloths. Directed by Byron Howard and Rich Moore, and produced by Clark Spencer, Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Zootopia" opens in U.S. theaters on March 4, 2016. ©2015 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Last month I introduced you to the World of Zootopia, a city filled with different neighborhoods that celebrate the various animal cultures. So who lives here then, you’re probably thinking?  Zootopia is a melting pot where animals from every environment live together—a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew, you can be anything. Let’s take a look then at some of the critters we will find running around in Zootopia!

ZOOTOPIA – JUDY HOPPS, an optimistic bunny who’s new to Zootopia’s police department. ©2015 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Judy Hopps

Zootopia’s first bunny officer Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) is the first bunny ever to join Zootopia’s police department, but is sidelined into a boring career as a meter maid as she is not as big and tough as other members on the force. Judy is determined to prove herself and she jumps at the chance to crack a case, even if it means teaming up with a con-artist fox. 

ZOOTOPIA – NICK WILDE, the scamming fox who Judy reluctantly teams up with to crack her first case. ©2015 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Nick Wilde

Con-artist fox Nick Wilde is voiced by Jason Bateman and is a charming, small-time, con artist fox with a big mouth and a lot of opinions. But when he gets outsmarted by a rabbit cop, he suddenly finds himself helping her solve a mystery.

HAVE YOU HERD? -- Zootopia's biggest pop star Gazelle will be voiced by Grammy?-winning international superstar Shakira in Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Zootopia." Shakira performs an all-new original song, "Try Everything," for the film. Directed by Byron Howard (?Tangled?) and Rich Moore (?Wreck-It Ralph?), and produced by Clark Spencer (?Wreck-It Ralph?), "Zootopia" opens nationwide March 4, 2016.

Gazelle

International superstar Shakira is the voice of Gazelle, and performs an all-new original song, “Try Everything.” Gazelle is very popular in the world of Zootopia, and has many adoring fans, including Judy Hopps and Clawhauser. She is very socially-minded and is all about acceptance and equality for all.

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Welcome to the World of Zootopia!| @DisneyZootopia #Zootopia

Welcome to the World of Zootopia!

By Erin

*I was invited as a guest of Disney to the early press day of Zootopia for purposes of this post*

Zootopia56031c046bb5c

The other month, I had the pleasure to meet a few friendly critters… like Judy and Nick here—who are a rabbit and a fox—natural enemies by definition, so they don’t exactly get along at first. They come to the relationship with ideas about each other—beliefs that aren’t informed or accurate. They’re a little pushy… but definitely *NOT* camera shy! 😉 They both live in a magical place called Zootopia, which I was able to get a first look at while I was visiting.

Erin-Miller

Zootopia isn’t like any other city you’ve ever been to before. It is made up of neighborhoods that celebrate different cultures. There’s ritzy Sahara Square for desert animals, Tundratown for the polar bears and moose, the hot and humid Rain Forest District, Little Rodentia for the the tiniest mice, and Bunnyburrows for the millions and millions of super adorable cute little bunnies. The downtown area, Savanna Central, is a melting pot where a wide array of mammals from every environment come together—a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew, you can be anything. When Rookie Officer Judy Hopps arrives, she finds out that being the first bunny on a police force that is run by a lot of big, tough animals isn’t so easy. Having a deep desire to prove herself, she jumps at the chance to crack a case, even if it means partnering with a fast-talking, scam-artist fox, Nick Wilde, to solve a mystery…

So what do these different neighborhoods look like exactly in Zootopia? Before going into more depth of the characters (in a future post), you’ll want to have a better understanding about the layout of the land! 😉

THE BIG SIX

Filmmakers had endless possibilities to explore when it came to creating different lands for Zootopia. They needed to narrow down the districts of Zootopia. Ultimately, six key areas were agreed upon, giving each a specific color palette and details.

ZOOTOPIA - Concept Art by Matthias Lechner (Art Director, Environments). ©2015 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

ZOOTOPIA – Concept Art by Matthias Lechner (Art Director, Environments). ©2015 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Sahara Square: The glitz! The Glamor! The lights! Sahara Square is made up of sand dunes and buildings that are shaped like sand dunes. “The heart of Sahara Square is inspired by Monte Carlo and Dubai,” says Matthias Lechner, art director of environments. “We learned that desert animals are mostly nocturnal because it’s too hot during the day. So we built lots of nighttime activities—casinos and a giant palm-tree hotel with an oasis surrounding it.”

ZOOTOPIA - Concept Art by Dave Goetz (Production Designer) & Matthias Lechner (Art Director, Environments). ©2015 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

ZOOTOPIA – Concept Art by Dave Goetz (Production Designer) & Matthias Lechner (Art Director, Environments). ©2015 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Sahara Square is filled with a warm palette of reds, oranges and yellows.

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