Creating World of Frozen at Disneyland Paris - Full Panel

0:00 What an exciting day today at Disneyland Paris.

0:05 I have the honor of leading the Imagineers here at Disneyland Paris

0:09 who created what you're here to see today including the world of Frozen.

0:16 But today we're going to have a nice

0:18 discussion that's going to be very very unique.

0:21 We have on the stage with me today the leaders of Walt Disney Imagineering

0:26 but we also have the people who created

0:29 the Frozen films and the music for Frozen.

0:33 So we're going to have a very nice discussion

0:35 between how we create things in 3D in the films.

0:37 It's going to be a great discussion.

0:39 It's been 12 years now since the original film came out.

0:44 Was there a point in time when you realized it

0:46 was going to be the smash sensation that it has become?

0:51 Well, I mean I think the whole journey

0:53 has been um wonderful surprises all the time.

0:57 I mean it's still continuing to surprise us.

0:59 Look where we are.

1:00 I think the one thing we were we were talking about this.

1:03 I we always like to say what's something that we

1:05 can bring you in a little too you know,

1:07 those days when it was just us and we had um uh there were two things.

1:12 We had an audience preview.

1:13 It was the first time we showed it to an audience about this many people.

1:17 And um the response was that we kept hearing this is

1:24 so pleasantly surprising and people just kept rumbling and they kept talking

1:28 about the music and and we're like this is something's happening

1:32 and there was a lot of just this this this this buzz

1:36 that we what we were kept being told is like these tropes

1:39 we were flipping that we didn't even kind of realize we

1:41 were flipping and and um so there was there was something

1:45 where we all looked at each other and we went what's happening?

1:48 Yeah, I I remember people warned us because it's

1:51 in black and white and it's not fully done.

1:53 No one's going to laugh at the jokes.

1:55 No one's going to respond to the story.

1:58 been through that with Winnie the Pooh.

2:01 [laughter] definitely happened and people were just laughing and laughing.

2:03 It was rolls of laughter.

2:04 It was just engagement.

2:05 It was beautiful.

2:07 And the best was the moment the first audience that ever saw

2:11 spoiler alert if you haven't seen Frozen that Hans was the villain.

2:17 [laughter]

2:17 And then sitting [clears throat] in an audience with 300 people going what?

2:22 [laughter] Was so magical.

2:23 Yeah, and the last thing I just have

2:24 to to say long before that though we showed to about

2:29 a group this this never folks it at Disney

2:33 at all the Disney company a live performance of Let

2:38 It Go which was about a year before the movie came out a little more than a year

2:42 and everyone's like this is the most spectacular thing

2:46 and we wrote rewrote the whole movie around that song.

2:49 So I think Let It Go really did did something for all of us too.

2:53 So An interesting thing about Let It Go just as a side

2:56 our children were very young at that time and they were our test audience.

3:00 We would play things like this is what we

3:02 did today and we'd play it for them and if

3:05 they were like I don't want to hear it again we're like we got to go back to the

3:09 [laughter] drawing board but they kept saying play Let It Go again again again

3:13 and I was like I think we something weird is happening with this song.

3:19 So our I give the credit to our young

3:21 children for being our first test audience on that one.

3:25 You know, there's one more Let It Go story because back

3:29 in those days we Imagineering wasn't really invited over until the movie was

3:34 done and usually waited to see how an audience reacted then if

3:37 it was a hit that's when we would start working on a ride.

3:40 Now fortunately the very close relationships and we can talk about

3:43 that more in a minute but we're we're throughout the process we're exposed.

3:48 This was a case where very early on there was a pencil test so you know,

3:52 very crude of Let It Go and Chris Montan and other executives

3:57 over at the studio came over and said okay, we know it's early.

4:01 It's going to be black and white.

4:02 They were warning us the same thing but they said you've got to come

4:04 see because we think we've got something here and I felt the same way.

4:08 I mean I felt like your kids but in that audience

4:11 because you just sat in the theater and literally you know,

4:14 I just saw the the Academy Award up there but I did turn to Chris Montan who was

4:17 sort of the head of coordinating the music

4:19 at the studio at the time and I was like well,

4:22 the Oscar goes to I mean there was no doubt in my mind

4:24 and I also said I don't even care what the rest of the movie's like.

4:27 We can work with that.

4:31 [laughter]

4:29 So it was great.

4:30 It was a real moment.

4:32 Just one last Let It Go story.

4:34 After it came out we were hiking deep in the desert

4:38 of Arizona and suddenly out of nowhere we hear libérée libérée [laughter]

4:45 and someone was singing it in French.

4:48 We never bumped into them but we heard them.

4:51 [laughter] One last question.

4:54 Why do you think the relationship between

4:56 Anna and Elsa resonates the way it does?

5:00 Well, that that's a great question and I don't

5:02 think we knew that was going to be the case.

5:04 I will say like to us it meant a lot they were sisters.

5:07 I think Anna and Elsa I mean I'm not sure if anyone here's done that.

5:10 We kind of go are you an Anna are you an Elsa?

5:13 And it's like they they they're a lot of people talk

5:16 about being able to see parts of themselves in these girls.

5:19 They're flawed.

5:20 They're real.

5:21 Elsa has an incredible power but fear that comes with it which

5:25 I think a lot of people have about are my greatest strengths.

5:30 Um something I can give to this world and then there's

5:32 Anna who is an ordinary hero like a lot of us.

5:34 She's not perfect.

5:35 She messes up and yet she is smart as heck and she is worthy

5:39 of being a leader and I think those kinds of things um that we question within

5:45 ourselves and to see these two women fight for each other and succeed without it

5:50 having to be perfect I feel like is something we've heard a lot from people.

5:53 Now we need to know are you an Anna or an Elsa Jen?

5:57 My Elsa's here.

5:58 My sister is here and I am so Anna.

6:02 I mean the first time we were out here my microphone

6:05 was all rolling down the stage so and he's the Elsa.

6:09 We asked who's the Elsa Anna in each of these relationships.

6:13 I'm an Anna.

6:13 I I that's how I I feel like I'm the Anna.

6:18 [laughter] I want to be Olaf.

6:17 I'm an Olaf.

6:22 I want to be Oaken.

6:24 [laughter] Well Bruce the we have a long tradition

6:29 of of collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and the animation studios.

6:33 Can you can you give us a little

6:35 bit of uh understanding of how that process works?

6:38 Yeah, and I just sort of tipped a hat there but a little

6:40 bit but there was a time where this goes way back.

6:44 You know, Michael Eisner was CEO but we we would wait to see if

6:48 the movie was a hit and then then Imagineering would start working on things.

6:52 Over time we realized the collaboration would be best if we

6:55 just start working closely together early and that relationship is great.

7:00 Um and especially being able to work creators to creators and have that dialogue

7:04 because no matter what we create the parks um a lot of it has

7:08 to be modified and changed uh and and from what is on the screen

7:12 in order to work in a park

7:14 because you're making dimensional worlds that you know,

7:17 people walk into and have to go through rides.

7:19 You have animated figures and there's limitations and constraints

7:22 and constraints make for the best design but you know,

7:24 we want to make sure we we deliver in a respectful way

7:27 what everybody loves about the films and so it is essential that we

7:31 work closely with the directors and writers and and people who create

7:34 the music because it will change and have them help us maintain the integrity.

7:40 The one thing I will say I get a question

7:42 a lot from from the creators of of the films, you know,

7:47 how what how will I how will this get into the parks because I think that is

7:50 kind of a goal is to get things into the parks and we always say look,

7:54 you need a you need a really great

7:56 character or characters that the guests want to meet.

7:59 You need an a helps if it's a fantastical

8:01 world that you can't go anywhere else not

8:03 like a city or something that you could go

8:04 visit but it actually it's a place that is

8:06 only from the imagination you've only seen

8:08 in the film and then we can go go create

8:10 that and then the other piece is really great

8:13 songs because music I always say you know, the

8:17 [clears throat]

8:17 long form media like a movie or something

8:19 really installs the sort of software in people's

8:22 heads and but the music a couple of notes of a great song all you

8:28 need is like two or three and it'll trigger the memory of how to feel

8:31 and we and we don't have much time

8:32 like you go ride the the Frozen attraction here.

8:36 You know, it's not nearly long as long as a movie.

8:37 It's minutes.

8:38 So we have to get you there fast and you're probably coming from God knows what.

8:41 You've been walking through the park and and maybe distracted

8:44 by something or your kid is upset and so we've

8:46 got to get you right in that mode which the movies

8:48 do so well and the music really is the trigger.

8:50 So if you talk about a perfect formula for us

8:53 this movie unbelievable characters a beautiful place to go to.

8:56 I mean just look at it how it comes to life at the park and you

8:59 should stay and see it at night if

9:01 you haven't cuz it's absolutely gorgeous at night.

9:02 But then you know, the music that you know, just so many songs too.

9:05 So it's this was a real rich rich product

9:08 for us to jump into and and and bring to life.

9:12 Well, Michelle you were the creative director for the first Frozen attraction

9:18 that opened only 3 years after the film in the Norway Pavilion in Epcot.

9:23 So can you tell us how you collaborated

9:25 to bring that first uh attraction to life?

9:28 Yeah, well that project started with me going to the studio

9:32 in Burbank where there was a screening of the film.

9:34 We're talking the summer of 13.

9:37 Uh and I remember the film was not quite quite in its final stages yet.

9:42 I believe there were a couple of songs also in there

9:44 that were later cut and so it was a very interesting well,

9:49 for me also interesting to see that process because

9:52 of course it is different than our process of designing attractions.

9:55 Uh but and I knew that the film I knew that the film was in production.

9:59 I knew the the image of Anna and Elsa that was released,

10:03 but I didn't know but immediately recognized in the theater

10:07 is that uh the design was inspired by Scandinavia and Norway.

10:12 The the whole production design of the film

10:15 had these touches everywhere that I recognized.

10:18 You know, I recognized instantly when I saw the first shot

10:21 of the castle of Arendelle that it was inspired by stave church.

10:26 So, so you know, in my brain I kind of you know,

10:30 there went something off like, "Oh,

10:31 that's interesting." And and that's how that whole project uh started.

10:35 And it started tremendously humble, I would say, in the beginning.

10:40 Uh but as soon as that film came out in theaters and it

10:43 went off like a rocket and it just took over the world,

10:46 we were basically just running to keep up with it.

10:51 And the project grew and grew and grew and grew.

10:53 And at some point we had to put this you know, a line in the sand like,

10:57 "Okay, this is what we're going to build."

10:59 Uh and that's what that project became.

11:01 But yeah, it was uh it was a very exciting uh exciting moment and you know,

11:06 working with uh Jennifer and uh Mike Giaimo uh uh

11:12 the the the production designer for the film uh and of course also

11:16 uh the Lopez's because they changed a little bit of the lyrics

11:20 of the of the music uh was just a wonderful experience.

11:23 And you know, it's those are the same thing.

11:26 If we you the reason we went to Norway was because

11:30 you identified this overlap and confirmed it with everybody creating the movie.

11:34 But we if we had to start from scratch once the movie opened,

11:38 it would be years before you saw an attraction.

11:40 This was a way to get something we knew our guests

11:44 and would want as fast as possible into the park.

11:47 And uh and that attraction needed to be refurbished anyway.

11:50 So, it was just a great fit.

11:52 We were a little nervous at first.

11:53 We were like, "Well, this not really Norway.

11:55 Should we do this?" You know,

11:56 once we saw what how big the movie was going to be,

11:58 it was like, "Well, let's like you said, it was just a moment where you say,

12:00 just go for it." And we're very glad

12:02 we did obviously because that's the first of three.

12:05 Yeah, I mean it was a interesting conceit because you have the Norway pavilion.

12:10 Go to World of Frozen here, then it's all you know,

12:14 the inspiration is Frozen the film, right?

12:16 And the Frozen film is

12:17 in the the the the the scenery is inspired by Scandinavia,

12:22 but we are inspired by what the team did for it and then built our land.

12:27 The North the project in Epcot was uh a little bit of a mixture

12:31 of both where we even created a a small attraction next to the existing existing

12:36 pavilion where we kind of did it the other way uh and placed Anna

12:42 and Elsa in a meet and greet house that we actually found in real Norway.

12:46 So, so it was a it was an interesting start of uh uh

12:50 of of the Frozen adventure that took over our theme parks as well.

12:54 So, uh but it's still very popular today

12:56 and we are we just changed some of the mechanics

13:00 of the audio animatronic characters in that attraction and it

13:04 will be ready for many many years [snorts] to come.

13:08 A fun story about writing the lyrics for that ride,

13:12 we learned so much about the genius of Imagineering um because

13:17 what sometimes in certain rooms the boat is just completely going through,

13:23 you know, four lyrics and that's okay.

13:25 Yeah, when it's when it's one boat per room,

13:27 you can design what they hear from beginning to end.

13:30 But when there's multiple boats in a room,

13:32 you can't control what lyric they hear first.

13:35 So, every lyric in that room has to be a good first lyric.

13:39 Everything needed to be circular.

13:41 It was like a strange poem puzzle that we had to do.

13:44 Where and it usually was like, "Hello.

13:46 Welcome." Yeah, there was a lot of hellos and you're here.

13:49 [laughter] Well, speaking of animation, good segue Kyle.

13:55 I think you developed some new state

13:57 of audio animatronic figures for this attraction, right?

14:01 We did and and I think, you know,

14:02 as Imagineers we're always striving to translate

14:06 the filmmakers vision into a physical experience and we made a big leap forward

14:12 in terms of audio animatronics with this particular

14:14 project because we were moving from projection

14:18 on faces into these fully articulated faces now that bring this new level

14:23 of authenticity um and emotion to every performance.

14:27 Um and so each advancement, whether it was in the number of of of motors

14:33 now that allowed for wrists to move, it became more and more real and to try

14:38 and help realize the creative vision that Michelle had.

14:41 The first Never After was actually the first attraction that we did

14:45 at Walt Disney Imagineering where all

14:47 the audio animatronic figures were fully electric.

14:49 So, it was the first attraction that had that.

14:52 And ever since all our audio animatronics are that way.

14:57 So, it was really in a way it was a little bit of a test case

15:02 and and an R&D process and we learned

15:04 so much from that project and every you know,

15:09 heavily figure centric attraction we did ever since is based

15:15 on the technology that was um developed for that attraction.

15:19 And and they had to be electric.

15:21 The other [clears throat] methods we use hydraulics and other methods

15:25 you can't get the fluidity and so much of these characters' expressions,

15:28 especially Elsa's, through the hand gestures and little moments

15:32 and and their wrists and arms are very thin, which is beautiful.

15:35 But we look at that and go, "Oh, no." But with electric,

15:38 you know, because you have to get all these cables and everything through there.

15:40 But with electric and new skins too so that they actually move,

15:43 we were able to do that.

15:44 So, it was a great convergence of what we happened

15:47 to be working on in the lab at the time, which wasn't really, we didn't think,

15:51 ready to go into an attraction,

15:52 but there was no choice because these characters

15:54 needed the fluidity and the you know,

15:57 the just the scale of the characters.

15:59 We weren't able then to do the faces, that's why we projected at that time.

16:03 Um and fortunately now we've advanced so much that we can actually do all

16:07 the faces that don't have to be projected so that it's all you know,

16:11 skin and the eyes and the and the facial expressions.

16:14 But you know, she's singing a song that everybody's watched a billion times

16:18 and you know every little facial feature and eye movement and hand gesture.

16:22 So, we have to do our best to sort of uh meet that in the attraction.

16:26 And it it also allowed an amazing collaboration,

16:28 not just in music and storytelling, but our animators could actually bring

16:32 those those little movements into the rig.

16:35 So, Elsa, who is animated by Wayne Unten on Frozen 1,

16:39 Frozen 2 and he'll be on Frozen 3, actually animated Elsa for that attraction.

16:43 So, she moves, looks,

16:45 sounds just like Elsa and it allowed the highest collaboration.

16:49 And that's ultimately our goal.

16:50 It's right, it's to make these characters feel more present,

16:54 um more expressive and and connect to our guests.

16:58 Because every 3-year-old knows the choreography.

17:01 Let it go.

17:04 Yes.

17:04 [laughter] Uh Well, I know Michelle,

17:07 you talked about the the trip to Norway was helped inspire the attraction,

17:12 but I understand you guys did some travel as well to Norway for the film.

17:18 Would you like to talk about that a bit?

17:20 Yes, so it's a sore subject for Trent cuz I'm still waiting for my trip.

17:25 [laughter]

17:25 Um I actually didn't get to go on the research trip on my first Frozen.

17:30 Um but our production designers went to Norway

17:32 and that was a huge inspiration um for the film.

17:36 And then we got to go between 1 and 2 to to Norway,

17:39 Finland and Iceland and we really started to learn um Elsa is Iceland to us,

17:46 the power of nature,

17:47 the power of her powers and then the intimacy

17:50 and warmth in Norway and the forests in Finland.

17:53 All of that was really tied to Anna.

17:55 We got to go to a reindeer cedar.

17:57 So, we had the reindeer running in circles around us.

18:00 We got to walk on a glacier.

18:02 Um Just just keep rubbing it in.

18:05 I mean, Jen, I'm fine.

18:06 Yes.

18:06 Uh yeah, we got What else did you do?

18:10 Some of us ate reindeer though.

18:12 I didn't.

18:12 No.

18:13 But it was what was amazing about it is

18:15 one of the things I think that's so critical [laughter]

18:18 is the um for for we always say at Disney

18:21 Animation is we don't want to create um a realism,

18:26 but we do want to ground it in something that's believable.

18:29 And so for us the idea of the inspiration

18:31 of Norway that is it's in every aspect of the rosemaling,

18:34 the stave churches that you'll see with the vertical designs.

18:37 Everything about that gives it a sense of it's it's it's like an authenticity,

18:42 but yet we take it to I always say

18:44 Mike Giaimo would as the production designer and Brittany Lee,

18:47 who's the production designer with them now,

18:49 they would transcend and transport us into something

18:52 that sort of go gets larger than our real life.

18:56 And what's been so amazing and and you know,

18:58 when I think back, we talk a lot about Walt Disney,

19:01 the inspiration of the combination of storytelling and innovation together

19:05 all the time is every single thing in you know,

19:09 the world of Frozen that this collaboration is

19:12 it goes all the way down to you know,

19:14 in animation you got to make that jar of lutefisk yourself.

19:17 You're not going to go buy it.

19:18 You have to pay attention to those details and that relationship

19:23 back and forth that brings it to life through technology,

19:26 but stays true to every aspect of the design that came into it.

19:31 All of that started with you know,

19:33 those walks in the forests and in in the small towns.

19:37 There's an Arendelle in in Norway.

19:39 And so it's it's a amazing thing now that once that starts,

19:43 that it's almost like that thread never breaks.

19:46 I also want to um Well,

19:49 our research trip was going on the Frozen cruise to that started

19:54 in Scotland and then went to Norway and and Iceland.

19:58 Um but I wanted to talk about that amazing moment on your research trip.

20:02 Jen had this sort of flash inside a cave.

20:06 Inside of a volcano.

20:08 Inside a volcano and an ice cave that led to the story of Frozen 2.

20:13 So story comes from everywhere and inspiration comes from everywhere

20:18 and Jen came back and was like there's there's a journey.

20:21 There's a journey that Elsa's going on and it's

20:24 going to be deep into something icy.

20:30 [laughter] Here's a picture where I thought of it.

20:32 And we went to Norway as well.

20:33 We went in the footsteps of the filmmakers

20:35 and did a trip ourselves for our projects.

20:39 Not only to see with our own eyes what the filmmaker saw.

20:43 Uh and like I said our main inspiration of course is the film.

20:47 Uh but it was really helpful for us to also see um you know we

20:52 went only to Norway but uh to see that country and to see the architecture,

20:56 to see the the culture.

20:59 Uh because for us of course as a as theme

21:01 park designers uh our audience is walking through what we design.

21:07 They can look left, right, up, down.

21:10 Uh so there's a lot that we have to sort of invent that although

21:15 of course the film makes provided a lot uh um we there's still

21:18 things that we have to think about and sort of like make up

21:22 and then create what actually really like

21:24 what you said like a believable world, right?

21:26 And and also when you see well the Frozen there's

21:29 there's some things that of course that are almost one

21:32 to one from the film and of course we have

21:34 the iconic uh statements that uh that we recreated from the film.

21:39 Uh but we also needed to add some buildings

21:42 to our village that had functions that we couldn't

21:46 really uh copy from the film because you know

21:49 that the doorways were too small or you name it.

21:51 So but believability is key here also for us because when

21:55 you look at Arendelle uh you know we can't have people

21:58 walk a day and a night into the bitter cold to get

22:02 to the ice palace uh as Elsa did in the movie.

22:06 So our ice palace is right there next

22:08 to the Arendelle castle you know above the village.

22:12 And you don't really think about like oh yeah these things are like

22:16 also close to each other and in the movie they're like vast distances.

22:20 But you look at it and you accept it

22:21 and you accept it because it's done in a believable way.

22:26 Can I mention one thing when you go um that blew me away just in the in terms

22:31 of how beautifully it's designed which is if if you stand back and you look

22:35 at the you get the shot of the entire land you've got um Elsa's ice palace

22:42 this this her isolation um her palace of isolation

22:45 up there against the mountain with the cold.

22:49 Then you have the warm of Arendelle that's completely Anna.

22:51 And then when you look at the ice palace

22:54 I mean the the castle you've got uh they

22:57 they chose to do the version that's the end

23:00 of Frozen where Elsa has put her ice accents.

23:03 So the castle shows the end of the movie where you've

23:07 seen the unity of these two girls able to come together.

23:10 So you're actually watching emotionally when you

23:12 look you're seeing the story of Frozen just

23:15 taking it in by looking at the landscape and I thought that was so beautiful.

23:20 Thank you.

23:20 And there's there are just it is interesting when you get into designing things

23:24 that you know you don't have to do in the movie because literally and I'm

23:27 sure when you guys first got involved

23:29 with Imagineering you probably didn't think we'd

23:30 come and ask the question of what does a trash can look like in Arendelle?

23:35 [laughter]

23:34 But you know at the end of the day we have to think about those things.

23:40 They are beautiful trash cans.

23:42 Waste please Anna.

23:43 Michelle is very good at that.

23:44 We're so proud recommend throwing something away [laughter]

23:48 in the Frozen Arendelle world.

23:52 Um [clears throat]

23:55 So you invented new locations you but you picked things that were existing

23:58 in the film to provide landmarks and icons throughout the throughout the land.

24:04 But uh it's uh it's quite inspiring how how you created

24:08 things that didn't exist in the film like the restaurant for example.

24:11 There's no restaurant in the film but you created one here or the boutique.

24:14 Yeah and that's where those trips were really handy because I saw

24:17 details there in the architecture that we then incorporated in our design.

24:22 We designed our own buildings with the functions

24:25 that it needed to have and also a composition.

24:28 I mean it the thing is in in the movie you guys are like blessed that you can

24:36 [snorts] uh curate every shot exactly how you want it.

24:38 Uh but for us uh it's a lot

24:41 harder because we have all kinds of different sightlines.

24:44 Sightlines actually are quite challenging for us.

24:46 You approach things from many different ways.

24:49 Uh so the composition of the village uh and the other buildings that we

24:54 that we designed really you know was quite a puzzle to make that make look

25:00 good and I'm so happy with the silhouette of the land uh as you approach

25:05 from Adventure Way the end of the promenade you see it reflecting in the water.

25:09 It's just beautiful.

25:11 Uh but yeah you play with uh you know the the toolkit

25:14 from Frozen uh and we placed all the the monuments

25:19 from Frozen there the things because you have to establish of course

25:22 to our guest that they're stepping into the kingdom of Arendelle.

25:24 Uh that's what people come for.

25:26 That's what they they want to see.

25:28 Uh but if you really you know analyze it of course

25:32 the composition and how we position things is different from in the film

25:36 but we have to kind of do that to create a silhouette

25:40 uh and an environment that works within the context of the theme park.

25:46 And a lot of the storytelling that uh you

25:49 do is done through audio animatronics and special effects.

25:53 Um can you tell us a little bit more about that?

25:56 Sure.

25:56 I mean I think we're always trying to use technology in support of the story

26:01 and and right now this represents uh kind of a new chapter for us.

26:06 The pace of change within our industry is happening faster than ever.

26:11 And so we've got this incredible team that is in uh Zurich,

26:15 Switzerland our R&D Imagineering team that is building software

26:20 that helps us translate the work that is done

26:23 uh from an animation perspective to these complex audio

26:27 animatronics in a way that we've never done before.

26:30 So it allows us to develop these um

26:32 these figures in a the most authentic way possible.

26:35 So it's really something that we're kind

26:37 of precision uh engineering these advanced materials,

26:41 these small motor electrical motors are

26:43 being created um and they digital animation really comes together to um create

26:49 something that's emotionally resonant and really sophisticated.

26:53 And then from a from a uh special

26:55 effects perspective you guys have continued to push um

26:58 the boundaries of what you're doing um inside

27:01 the park to bring those experiences to life as well.

27:04 Uh yeah I mean we use special effects of course

27:07 to enhance uh you know our scenes and enhance our experiences.

27:11 Uh You know we always use the use the technology

27:16 with the notion that uh it's uh the story first, right?

27:21 So uh so it's it's driven by what we want to achieve from a story perspective.

27:28 Uh but yeah we are so blessed

27:31 with the opportunity with the possibilities these days

27:34 of in technology what we can do uh versus 20 years ago or so.

27:39 Uh it's just like it's almost like the sky's the limit these days.

27:42 Uh which I think some people have probably already noticed of so

27:47 online of you know something new in the lineup that is just amazing.

27:52 I think we have a video of uh Elsa if I'm not mistaken from the attraction.

27:58 So.

28:04 And there she is.

28:05 There she is.

28:07 Well done.

28:09 Guess what she's singing.

28:11 I can I can hear it.

28:14 [laughter] So um obviously one of the newest inventions I think

28:18 everyone's probably seen this on social media is uh Olaf, right?

28:23 So uh what can you tell us about our dear friend Olaf?

28:27 Well Olaf is uh our most advanced uh

28:32 robotic character that we've built to date and we've

28:35 had this history of course over the last few

28:38 years of building these robots um faster than ever.

28:43 We had our BD-X droids that were uh over two

28:46 years ago that were developed by our team in Zurich.

28:49 Um we also launched Herbie the robot uh for Fantastic Four to support that.

28:54 But this is our first animated character that we brought

28:57 to life and so of course people have expectations that when

29:01 they meet Olaf that he's true to the uh film

29:05 and and ultimately we want to deliver something that meets those expectations.

29:10 And so the animation has to be incredibly precise

29:13 in order to do that and we were able to partner

29:17 with Walt Disney Animation Studios in order to do

29:20 that and the actual animators that worked on the film,

29:23 Hyrum Osmond and and Daryl Johnson um to take

29:27 that artist intent uh and map it to that particular robot.

29:32 Now Olaf obviously is very popular.

29:34 Um I think the um more popular than we had originally expected.

29:40 The response has been overwhelming.

29:42 And so you'll have an opportunity to see him

29:44 um in the lagoon in front of the castle,

29:47 um looking uh working hard and so unfortunately today he won't be here.

29:54 It's a shame that that he's here because he's working so hard.

29:59 He's he's got a lot of work to do in order to be able to do that.

30:02 So you have to be able to go ahead and see him on the land but it's What?

30:09 What?

30:12 I guess we couldn't do a show and not bring Olaf of course.

30:15 [laughter] But what's amazing is obviously we've done so much work

30:21 to bring him to life and it's really a version of artificial intelligence

30:26 called reinforcement learning that brings

30:30 this incredible character to life and if

30:32 you see he's sitting on a two beautiful snowballs and I don't know.

30:38 Is his voice not working?

30:41 Somehow he has lost his voice.

30:44 He's been working too hard.

30:46 too late.

30:46 Yeah, I guess so.

30:47 It was a long night last night.

30:50 But those two snowballs in his feet he actually was walking quite loud

30:58 and the the team in in Zurich used

31:02 reinforcement learning to incent him to walk quieter.

31:06 It's like my 6-year-old daughter upstairs.

31:08 I'd like her to walk a little lighter

31:10 but what she what he does now is is perform

31:13 in a way that is is true to how he walks as a part of that overall experience.

31:19 the walking was interesting.

31:20 Our other robots they just pick up their feet and go flat.

31:22 He has to do a heel toe walk otherwise again you just don't he

31:27 doesn't look right you know because you know what he looks like in the movie.

31:30 Yeah.

31:30 He can't talk but he can give a high five.

31:32 High three.

31:33 High three.

31:33 High three.

31:34 High [laughter] three.

31:36 Well done Olaf.

31:37 If you want to hear Olaf you're going to have to go to World of Frozen.

31:43 [laughter] Yeah.

31:42 I Speaking of the movement.

31:46 No, it's never going to happen.

31:47 He's going to leave me hanging.

31:48 No, no way.

31:49 Yeah.

31:50 To what Kyle mentioned the movement is so authentic.

31:54 I'm not even going to try.

31:57 [laughter] It's so authentic and and like you

31:57 said animators from the animation department that had

32:00 animated Olaf for years worked with the team

32:03 and really try to capture that innocence

32:05 of how he moves that childlike waddle that he has is so perfect and one

32:10 of the movements I love is when he looks up at you as a guest.

32:13 His little belly kind of counterbalances things and I was talking to Kyle about

32:17 that the other day just like you guys

32:18 nailed that little movement and it feels so Olaf.

32:21 It does and and you know part of what's so important right?

32:26 he It was a union break.

32:28 [laughter] He's out of here.

32:29 He's out of here.

32:35 [applause] And now you're stuck with us.

32:37 I know.

32:38 And and really again I think what's what's incredible Josh did the voice.

32:42 Oh yeah.

32:42 Absolutely.

32:43 We worked closely with Josh Josh in order

32:45 to Josh Gad in order to bring him to life

32:49 in the most authentic way possible and he's recording

32:51 lines specifically for the show here in in Paris.

32:56 We have a great you know in order

32:58 to bring this character to life it takes a village

33:01 and the team obviously in Zurich and then there's the team

33:05 there really worked hard to to do so but we

33:09 have great partnerships with technology companies like Nvidia

33:13 and the ability to deliver that character really comes from using

33:19 the latest and greatest in chips that they produce as well

33:23 as software to help simulate and bring him to life.

33:27 So It is interesting in that little snowman is some of the most

33:31 advanced technology being used in AI and other places in the world.

33:34 We think we're doing it for a very good reason

33:37 bringing joy and happiness and warm hugs to the world.

33:39 So it is a great relationship to have.

33:41 The other thing to know about characters like Olaf

33:43 and where these kind of advancements are are so important.

33:46 We in the earlier days we had to introduce Olaf

33:50 as a walk-around character with a human inside an outfit which

33:54 you know you could hug but the scale is so off

33:57 and so much of what makes a character is the scale.

34:01 It's the same thing we talk about how the proportions of Elsa

34:06 and Anna and the other characters you

34:08 know are so important to deliver correctly.

34:10 It's the same thing with a character like Olaf.

34:13 Out of scale that you lose the charm.

34:16 You get it the scale right and all

34:18 the animation and motion and everything else right and it

34:21 really you know helps you suspend disbelief and I

34:23 think everybody really believes they've met Olaf which I guess

34:26 And how we how do we know there's not a child in there?

34:30 [laughter] How are we sure?

34:31 A child would have been louder I think.

34:35 And this is really just the start.

34:36 We're we're going to have more characters wandering our lands in the future.

34:42 So storytelling obviously is also told through music

34:46 and we have a new show here at our World

34:49 of Frozen that doesn't exist elsewhere a celebration

34:52 in Arendelle and you created a new song for that.

34:55 So how did you how did you do that?

34:58 Well I'm not sure we would have done it if we hadn't

35:00 known Donna Harrell who runs entertainment

35:03 for Disneyland Paris and we worked with

35:06 way back on a live show back in a decades ago.

35:10 And and we worked with Matteo and Fanfan to to find

35:16 a a moment for the song in the snow flower festival.

35:20 Our first job was was Finding Nemo the musical in Orlando

35:24 and it we just have so many great memories of being

35:27 in the parks and writing stuff and seeing the guests enjoy

35:30 it that we wanted to have that experience again with this.

35:34 And they had come up with the salmon

35:35 comps festival the snow flower festival and because we've

35:41 been in the parks as guests and with our own

35:44 family we really loved we wanted to capture just joy just the joy of what it

35:49 feels like when kingdom divided comes together through love

35:55 who over fear and that joy is hopefully

35:59 in the in the hands up We want people dancing.

36:06 We want people feeling joy cuz I think the world

36:09 needs a little bit more of it right now.

36:12 Amen.

36:16 [applause] And by the way we all love Donna Harrell too.

36:20 So So now we're here.

36:25 We have our World of Frozen opened.

36:28 The guests are visiting it.

36:31 We got to see it in the last couple of days

36:33 got to experience it the the the film trans translated into 3D.

36:38 What are your what are your reactions?

36:40 I'm I'm throwing this out to everyone.

36:42 Well I'll say walking in the park was was amazing the attractions the look

36:46 but it's the details that I love you know little things we were

36:49 able to find a Bruni the salamander hiding below the lighthouse but also

36:55 one of my favorite things was the queue to go see Anna and Elsa.

36:59 There's a little height chart from when they were

37:00 young girls and I love that detail cuz it just adds history but I think we need

37:05 a week in the park to really soak up everything.

37:08 That can be arranged.

37:12 [laughter] Yeah and I I I mean obviously I um I

37:15 have cried maybe seven times and he makes fun of me.

37:18 Much more.

37:18 Much much more.

37:19 Cuz it was like it'll be the little things like even I mean obviously

37:22 it's taking the world in when I got to meet Olaf for the first time

37:27 but but it's the little things like

37:28 the attention to details and there was someone commented

37:31 on one of the what I love is all of the cast members take Arendellian personas.

37:36 They they name themselves and they become Arendellians and and this you know

37:40 meeting a cast member and meeting Oaken

37:43 Oaken's there meeting Marshmallow see the troll.

37:46 It's like they they're family and they it is so truly immersive.

37:51 You really feel like you're in Arendelle and I and for me and all of us

37:56 as filmmakers and and and those who built

37:59 it and it's one reaction but also thinking

38:01 about if I got to be that child that came into Arendelle and it being able

38:07 to truly immerse myself in that world I

38:11 think that's part of what gets me really emotional.

38:13 I I turned around to Jen and she was

38:15 just staring at a cast member's jacket just crying.

38:21 [laughter] Because of because of that detail.

38:22 I mean it's incredible.

38:24 I also think about myself as a child

38:27 you know dressing up Little House on the Prairie

38:29 was a big thing when I was growing up and I would go to second

38:32 grade fully dressed like Laura Ingalls Wilder and I I I feel when I step

38:38 into Arendelle that same magic and inspiration

38:43 that I I am a princess in this place.

38:47 I can feel what it feels like to be in the movie

38:50 and to feel like I'm I'm part of something really special

38:53 and magical happening and so I hope every kid and every adults

38:58 feels that second grade Laura Ingalls

39:00 Wilder inspiration when they [laughter] Gas plate.

39:03 cross that bridge except Anna and Elsa.

39:09 I think for me it's like a mixture of emotions because I have

39:14 been fortunate to be part of this Frozen adventure for 13 years now.

39:21 13 years of my career every single day I have been

39:26 involved in these wonderful stories and so today is when we open

39:35 it to the public and now you guys all own it

39:38 and so it's a little bit of like handing over the baby.

39:43 And so, yeah, it's it has been an amazing Yeah, like I said,

39:50 adventure that I would have want to have missed for a lifetime.

39:54 So, it's it's I'm so grateful.

39:57 And I'm so glad that as a European also, we have this wonderful World of Frozen

40:02 here also in our European Disney destination.

40:06 So, it also makes it a lot easier for family and friends to come see it.

40:11 So, I'm very grateful for that, too.

40:14 And and I hope everybody will enjoy it.

40:17 Well, I think you're going to have you'll be a very proud father because we

40:20 were at rope drop this morning at 8:00 and the smiles on the guests' faces,

40:27 they were just beaming, glowing, looking at all of those details that you worked

40:32 at the team worked so hard on to make happen.

40:35 And right and that's ultimately what we do it for.

40:38 Yeah, I know, it's true.

40:39 Where we say our product is ultimately emotion even though we, you know,

40:42 create these beautiful things and I really is this day

40:45 I think is the most special day more so for Michelle

40:48 and the team that actually built this but for all of us

40:50 at Imagineering to be able to a bring such a powerful,

40:54 you [snorts] know, franchise and characters and worlds and music into a new

40:58 medium and allow the guests to actually go in and kind of role play,

41:01 you know, is special but ultimately it's the it's

41:04 the reactions of the the guests that we we look for.

41:07 I will also add, you know, Michelle has been on this journey for a long

41:10 time and if you think what he's done,

41:12 everyone is a different personality attraction is basically, you know,

41:16 the same or very similar but in creating these worlds

41:19 when you think about if you ever go to Hong Kong,

41:21 there there is an Arendelle and the World

41:23 of Frozen there but you have to discover it and it's it's sort of embraces it

41:27 a different way and there's a mountain behind it.

41:29 It's very different.

41:29 Here, this needed to be something different.

41:32 It needed to be something that would draw the icon that would draw

41:34 people back and be powerful enough to make people want to, you know,

41:37 just go all the way back to in the back

41:39 side of the park and I think he's done that beautifully.

41:42 Opens up in a different way.

41:43 The storytelling of the mountain that you described so beautifully, Jen.

41:47 All of that, you know, it isn't just hey Michelle, do what you did in Hong Kong.

41:53 It's like, no, do it again but do it differently and as powerfully

41:59 and and make it unique to this site, which it is.

42:02 I mean, this is a a very special World of Frozen and I think just the they have

42:07 that body of water where we can have

42:09 the the the sunflower festival and and just it's really amazing.

42:14 And I think with each one we learn

42:16 and that's what's great and I'm excited to go watch

42:19 the guests today cuz that's really what we look

42:21 forward to and just see just see that reaction.

42:23 We we tend to watch the guests watching, you know,

42:26 what we create as to bring us the joy.

42:32 Well, that brings us to a close.

42:36 I want to thank you very much for the inspiration

42:40 of the Frozen films and for the majesty of what we've just created

42:45 out in the in the park and I hopefully all of you

42:48 have had a chance to go see it and if you haven't,

42:50 I hope you hope you rush directly to go see it.

42:52 But can we give a round of applause and thank our guests?

42:55 This is great.

42:57 [applause]