This thought gave birth toStrange World, an adventure story with an environmental theme.
The film follows the legendary Clade family, as they explore the unknown regions of Avalonia.
Producer Roy Conli was drawn in by the story of generational conflict between three generations of a family.
STRANGE WORLD, from left: Ethan Clade (voice: Jaboukie Young-White), Callisto Mal (voice: Lucy Liu), Searcher Clade (voice: Jake Gyllenhaal), Meridian Clade (front, voice: Gabrielle Union), Jaeger Clade (voice: Dennis Quaid)Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection
DEADLINE: Where did the idea forStrange Worldcome from?
Quite often we dont really get to see that.
I thought this idea of explorers finding a hidden world would be dazzling inanimation.
Strange World, from left: Callisto Mal (voice: Lucy Liu), Jaeger Clade (voice: Dennis Quaid), Searcher Clade (voice: Jake Gyllenhaal), Splat, Ethan Clade (voice: Jaboukie Young-White), Meridian Clade (front, voice: Gabrielle Union)Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
But then I thought that the three-generation idea was terrific.
DEADLINE: Can you talk about using those generational relationships as points of conflict rather than a traditional villain?
I like the idea that everyone in every generation just refuses to believe that theyre wrong.
Ill use Callisto as an example.
If Callisto was the CEO of Pando-corp, Ive seen this movie a million times.
It felt like we didnt necessarily need a traditional villain.
But I think its all about story, right?
And what does the story need?
It was already there and we didnt need a traditional villain.
Cause thats her charge, thats her job as a president.
CONLI: I think thats what Don and Qui (Nguyen) did in terms of structuring the story.
I think each of those characters reflect something in each one of us.
DEADLINE: What was the research process like to create all of the creatures?
CONLI: This is the strength of Don.
He challenges his animators.
He gave you us an eight-tentacle creature that you dont know what the front and the back is.
And the animators just stepped up to the plate and did amazing things with this creature.
HALL: And its just pure animation, right?
Thats why I love working in this medium.
Its all Ive ever really wanted to do.
We kept talking about the carpet inAladdin, and look at what they did.
Look what amazing animators could do with a rectangle and some tassels, you know?
And CG has got to the point now where you really can do anything.
