A Magical Voyage Across the Pacific
In what is set to be the 56th film from the Walt Disney Animation Studios, Moana will set audiences on a magical voyage across the tropical pacific. Inspired by the deep-rooted sense of community in the South Pacific, Moana will prove to be one of the best Walt Disney Animation Studio films yet. I was fortunate enough to attend an early press day for Moana and this is what I learned about the upcoming film.
MOANA – (L-R) Directors Ron Clements and Jon Musker present at the Moana Long Lead Press Day on July 27, 2016 at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, CA. Photo by Alex Kang. © 2016 Disney. All Rights Reserved.
Directed by Legends, Voice Cast by Stars
Moana is directed by the highly acclaimed duo: Ron Clements and John Musker of The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules and tons of other insanely popular Disney movie fame who made their writing and directing debut in 1986. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and new up-comer Auli’i Cravalho voice the two main characters of the film as the legendary demi-god Maui and Moana, the 16 year old adventurous teenager respectfully. The combination of the latest state-of-the-art computer generated animation, with classic directors and a voice cast that can embody the strength and empathy to carry the movie will be dynamite to watch on the big screen. To say that I am beyond thrilled to see the film in entirety is an understatement. I may or may not be planning a trip to the south Pacific because I have been so inspired by Moana.
MAUI visual development. Artist: Bill Schwab, MOANA Art Director, Characters.
MOANA – (L-R) Jared Bush (Screenwriter), Dave Pimentel (Head of Story) and David Derrick (Story Artist) present at the Moana Long Lead Press Day on July 27, 2016 at Walt Disney Animation Studios – Tujunga Campus in North Hollywood, CA. Photo by Alex Kang. © 2016 Disney. All Rights Reserved.
The Wayfinders
The story of Moana was inspired in part by the oral histories of the people and cultures of Oceania. Three thousand years ago, Polynesian voyagers, which were undoubtedly the greatest navigators in the world voyaged across the Pacific discovering thousands of islands. These voyages were made without modern instruments but by their knowledge of the stars and ocean waves and currents. However, and seemingly out-of-nowhere their voyages across the ocean stopped…and no one knows why they stopped or why they started back up again. BUT there are lots of theories about it. In the story of Moana, the heroine known as Moana (which means “ocean”) is at the heart of the rebirth of wayfinding.
Pua, Moana, Maui and HuaHua
Meet The Characters
Moana, which means “ocean” is the heroine of the story. She’s a smart and spunky teenager who has a deep connection to the ocean. Her father Tui, the chief of the village warns Moana to not go out past the reef. In true Disney form, Moana has a loveable side kick named Pua, her pig whereas HuaHua, the stupid chicken provides comedy and possible complications (I’m not going to tell!). Gramma Tala serves as a guidance to Moana and provides great comfort to follow her soul. Lastly, there is Maui, the demi-god with a charming air of confidence…or is it ego? Stay tuned for a more in depth analysis of Maui coming to The Funny Mom Blog soon.
The Oceanic Trust
When first thinking of setting an animated feature in the beautiful Pacific Islands, directors Ron Clements and John Musker recalled from their youth beloved novels and paintings about the Pacific. But once they began exploring the incredible tales within Polynesian mythology a few years ago, the filmmakers realized they needed to dive much, much deeper. They knew they needed to go to the islands of the Pacific to see the places and meet the people in person. So Clements and Musker, along with a group of Disney Animation artists, traveled to the southern region of Oceania over the course of two fully loaded trips. Clements, Musker and several members of the production team ventured first to Fiji, Samoa and Tahiti, and later to New Zealand. “We wanted to meet people who grew up on islands; we wanted to listen and learn what makes these Pacific Island cultures so remarkable.” Among the many people they met, one meeting stood out, recalls Clements. “An elder on the island of Mo‘orea asked of us something so simple and so revealing: ‘For years, we have been swallowed by your culture,’ he said. ‘This one time, can you be swallowed by ours?’” The research trips opened the filmmakers eyes and they realized in order to create a fictional story set 2,000 years ago they needed to invite the experts they met during the trips to be a part of the creation of the film. That is how the Oceanic Story Trust was created. Filmmakers wanted their voices to influence the film for everything from the story, to the look of the environments, to the characters. The Oceanic Story Trust included a team of experts such as anthropologists, academics, educators, linguists, master navigators and cultural advisors all who collaborated with Disney’s creative team.
MOANA visual development. Artist: Jin Kim, Visual Development Artist.
The Story of Moana
When her island is threatened by a terrible darkness, Moana breaks the rules and sets sail on an epic adventure to save her people and find the answers she’s been searching for her whole life. Moana enlists the reluctant help of Maui, who’s on his own journey of self-discovery. Together, they voyage on an action-packed adventure, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity. “It’s a story that takes place many, many years ago, but with a contemporary feel,” says producer Osnat Shurer. “Our hope as filmmakers has been to create a universal story that is also an homage to the beautiful people of the Pacific Islands who inspired us along this journey.”
The MOANA filmmakers embarked upon research trips to the Pacific Islands to learn about the cultures that inspired the film. They were given the opportunity to assemble the “Oceanic Story Trust,” a group of anthropologists, archeologists, fishermen, liguists, tatto masters, dancers and elders who help keep the film’s story grounded in respect for the cultures that inspired it.
Moana will splash across theaters nationwide on November 23rd, 2016 and I’ll be sitting front and center! Will you?
Sounds and looks like another awesome Disney Adventure !