1. A Return to Traditional Animation
Released in 2009, The Princess and the Frog was a pivotal film in several respects. Following in the footsteps of Bolt and Meet the Robinsons, it marked a brief but welcome return to traditional hand-drawn animation. Disney’s next film, Tangled, saw a return to computer animation. As it turned out, The Princess and the Frog would be Disney’s last full-length traditionally animated feature, with the exception of Winnie the Pooh (2011). But perhaps more importantly, it introduced the world to Tiana, Disney’s ninth princess. The Princess and the Frog takes place during the 1920s Jazz Age of New Orleans, where the ambitious Tiana and egotistical Prince Naveen venture to fix a dark curse as they learn to accept each other and themselves.
2. Old School Techniques, Modern Day Tools
When it came time to create the actual drawings that would be used for the movie, several different approaches were considered. The last wave of 2D animated Disney films had utilized a system called CAPS (Computer Animation Production System). With CAPS, animators scanned their hand-drawn sketches into a computer where they could be inked and traced digitally. In addition to providing animators with an unlimited palette, they could now utilize sophisticated techniques such as transparent shading and blending. When work began on The Princess and the Frog, the recent availability of drawing tablets seemed to offer the possibility of drawing right into the computer, eliminating the need to laboriously scan in each drawing. Unfortunately, the Wacom Cintiq (the then state-of-the-art system that allowed animators to draw directly on a screen) wasn’t quite up to the task. Even with the advancements in input technology, there was still no substitute for good old-fashioned pencil and paper. The animation team went to work creating thousands of hand-drawn cels, which were then scanned into the computer and digitally inked using Toon Boom Harmony software.
3. Just a Little Tweaking…
The Toon Boom software was perfect for the task, but the animation team still sought ways to make it even better. To replicate the look of the older Disney films that utilized CAPS, Disney’s technical team developed a set of plug-ins that allowed the animators to blend colors from one region to another (for example, in the character’s cheeks). Another plug-in was created to mimic a CAPS effect called turbulence, which was highly effective for animating rain and mist.
4. OK, There’s a Little Bit of 3D in There…
Despite the return to 2D animation, a few 3D effects were incorporated into the film. Using a program called Maya, animators created realistic fireflies. Maya was also used sparingly to animate some of the wheels on the different vehicles seen throughout the film. Overall, however, the use of 3D in the final film was very limited.
5. A Jazzy Soundtrack
Alan Menken (the award-winning composer for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin, among others) was initially reported to be composing the film’s score. However, because Menken was working on the film Enchanted at the time, Randy Newman was called upon instead. It turned out that Newman was the perfect choice, given the fact that he was a jazz composer and grew up in New Orleans. The music that Newman created was a mixture of jazz, zydeco, blues, and gospel styles. The songs were all sung by the characters’ respective cast members, while R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo wrote and performed the end title song, “Never Knew I Needed.”
6. Old School Inspiration
When it came time to create the Bayou scenes, the animation team took inspiration from the film Bambi. By examining the backgrounds of the classic film, they realized that they only needed to paint twigs and leaves necessary to the scene and not belabor the detail elsewhere. By doing so, a complex forest could be perceived without getting in the way of the action in the foreground. According to art director Ian Gooding, “[the artists who worked on] Bambi painted what it feels like to be in the forest instead of [just recreating] the forest.”
7. Now THAT’S Research
Oden Benitez, the film’s sound designer, traveled to Jackson Square, New Orleans, to record the sounds of the church bell and streetcar. Meanwhile, co-directors Ron Clements and John Musker actually went onto a float during a Mardi Gras parade to get a sense of the atmosphere.
8. Bringing Tiana to Life
When it came time to cast Tiana, Clements and Musker quickly decided that they didn’t want to hire a well-known actor to take on the role. Musker explained, “It can help with the identification of that animated character with the voice if you don’t get an instant mental picture of the real actor.” Despite this, many big-name performers, including Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, and Tyra Banks, expressed interest in the role. Ultimately, the role went to Anika Noni Rose, who had previously co-starred with Beyoncé and Hudson in Dreamgirls. Mark Henn (who had animated nearly every Disney Princess since Ariel) was the supervising animator for Tiana. Despite his vast experience, he incorporated many of Rose’s ideas into the character. Rose had said, “I wanted it to look like she ate and wasn’t skinny, and she has a full mouth and a little round nose and curly hair and these are all things that made her look distinctly herself. [I didn’t want her to be] a cookie-cutter princess who had been colored in brown. When I saw her for the first time and realized how much she looked like me, I was really blown away.”
9. Easter Eggs…
In the opening song, “Down in New Orleans,” the magic carpet from Aladdin is seen being shaken by someone on a wrought-iron balcony. In addition, as Mama Odie looks through all her magical objects during her “Dig a Little Deeper” song, she pulls out an animator’s drawing disc, the kind used to create the film. If you look closely, you’ll also see her toss a number of items across the screen, including Aladdin’s magic lamp.
10. …and Cameos
Many notable figures from Disney’s animation history also make cameos in The Princess and the Frog. As Louis blasts away on the trumpet in the finale, be sure to read the title on the bass drum: The Firefly Five Plus Lou. This was the name of the 1940s and 1950s ragtime band comprised of Disney animators and employees. In particular, the pianist playing with the band is a caricature of Frank Thomas, one of Walt Disney’s Nine Old Men. He was the actual piano player for The Firefly Five Plus Lou. Finally, during the King Triton parade float sequence in the Mardi Gras scene, you can spot cartoon versions of John Musker and Ron Clements!
You can read more about “The Princess and the Frog” in the upcoming Summer issue of Celebrations Disney Magazine!
Immerse yourself in the magic of Disney with features and pictorials on:
• Summer Fun at Walt Disney World
• The BoardWalk and BoardWalk Inn Resort
• Parades Throughout the Years
• Percy Jackson
• The Festival of the Lion King
• Top Ten Facts About the Dreamfinder
• and Much More!!
Click here to order!
You can read more about “The Princess and the Frog” in the upcoming Summer issue of Celebrations Disney Magazine!
Immerse yourself in the magic of Disney with features and pictorials on:
• Summer Fun at Walt Disney World
• The BoardWalk and BoardWalk Inn Resort
• Disney Parades Throughout the Years
• Percy Jackson
• Wayback Machine: The World of Motion
• Top Ten Facts About the Dreamfinder
• and Much More!!
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