With swirling autumn maple leaves and icy landscapes, the Canadian animators on B次元官网网址淔rozen 2B次元官网网址� were immersed in a familiar world while working on the highly anticipated Disney sequel.
ThereB次元官网网址檚 a strong Canadian contingent behind the second instalment in the blockbuster animated musical film franchise, which stars Idina Menzel as Elsa, queen of Arendelle who has magical ice powers sheB次元官网网址檚 trying to control, and Kristen Bell as her plucky younger sister, Anna.
The storyB次元官网网址檚 setting is inspired by Norway but at times resembles Canada in its fall and winter wilderness.
B次元官网网址淪eeing those maple leaves, I have to say it really transported me back to my Canadian roots,B次元官网网址� said Jackie Koehler, a Calgary-raised animator on the film.
Quebec City-reared Normand Lemay, who was head of story on the film, said his heritage was an asset as he worked on both the two-time Oscar-winning original B次元官网网址淔rozenB次元官网网址� and the sequel at the California-based Walt Disney Animation Studios.
B次元官网网址淚 asked (co-director) Chris Buck when he was working on it, B次元官网网址榃hy was I cast in this movie?B次元官网网址� And I think at some point he was just saying, B次元官网网址榃ell youB次元官网网址檙e from the north, you know that lifestyle,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Lemay.
B次元官网网址淚t kind of took me by surprise but thatB次元官网网址檚 true. There are certain things, when you live in a northern country, that you would think of first. I do feel connected with the cold and how you would behave in it.B次元官网网址�
Other Canadians who worked on B次元官网网址淔rozen 2,B次元官网网址� which hits theatres Friday, include Montreal native Christophe Beck, who did the score.
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Ottawa-born Trent Correy was animation supervisor; Andrew Ford of Humboldt, Sask., did animation; and Gregory Culp of St. Catharines, Ont., served as lighting supervisor.
Another element that may resonate with Canadians is the Indigenous reconciliation theme. It happens while Elsa is exploring their family roots and trying to figure out why she has magical powers.
Her journey to seek the truth is guided by a mysterious voice thatB次元官网网址檚 singing out to her from far away and leads her into an enchanted forest. Following her is Anna and her boyfriend Kristoff (played by Jonathan Groff), goofy snowman Olaf (played by Josh Gad), and Sven, the non-speaking reindeer.
California-based Lemay said the storyline was inspired and informed by the Sami Indigenous people of Scandinavia.
B次元官网网址淲e worked closely with the Sami, especially in Norway,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址漌e sat down a few times with them and kept in good relationship with them and went back and forth, especially Peter Del Vecho, our producer, went back and forth many times.
B次元官网网址淲e were really trying to stay as authentic as possible, to never try to impose things just for the storyB次元官网网址檚 sake, to have it come from a real place, any type of history or even mannerisms.B次元官网网址�
Jennifer Lee, who wrote the screenplay, co-directed B次元官网网址淔rozen 2B次元官网网址� with Buck. Newcomers to the cast include Sterling K. Brown, Evan Rachel Wood, and Martha Plimpton.
Overall the sequel, which is set three years after the first film from 2013, takes on a more mature tone and explores themes of maturation and transformation.
As the sisters try to figure out their identities in their early 20s, Elsa is also trying to save her kingdom from a looming threat.
ThereB次元官网网址檚 rampant speculation online about ElsaB次元官网网址檚 sexual identity, but that isnB次元官网网址檛 revealed in the film.
B次元官网网址淗er character is not defined B次元官网网址� and the story is not defined B次元官网网址� by her romantic relationships,B次元官网网址� said Koehler, who lives in California.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 more about her strengths and her commitment to her family, so itB次元官网网址檚 not necessarily serving the story for us to delve into that sort of information.B次元官网网址�
KoehlerB次元官网网址檚 work on the film included one of the biggest sequences, involving Elsa singing B次元官网网址淚nto the Unknown.B次元官网网址� She also helped create the Nokk, a magical water/ice horse that B次元官网网址渨as a huge collaborative effort between multiple departments.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 probably one of the more challenging things IB次元官网网址檝e ever animated,B次元官网网址� said Koehler.
Water plays a prominent role in the new film and is depicted in spectacular fashion, with crashing waves and a roaring ocean that seems incredibly realistic.
Koehler said Disney Animation Studios B次元官网网址渁s a whole has become a lot more collaborativeB次元官网网址� since the first B次元官网网址淔rozen.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭here are a lot of barriers that were broken down between departments,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淪o my department in animation, we work very closely with effects and lighting and technical animation down the road, but theyB次元官网网址檙e very separate departments. So being able to communicate more freely and having better rapport between those departments was a really big asset on this film.B次元官网网址�
Victoria Ahearn, The Canadian Press
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