General

A special “Cease & Desist” edition of Monday Mélange

These days, they say that there’s no such thing as bad publicity. Well, if that’s really the case, then Jim Hill hopes that — by airing a little bit of JHM’s dirty laundry — that even more animation fans will be compelled to check out “Dream On Silly Dreamer.”

Published

19 years ago

January 30, 2005

Jim Hill

You know, in the world of webmastery, it’s said that you haven’t truly arrived until you receive your first “Cease & Desist” letter.

Well — for JimHillMedia.com — that big moment finally arrived this past Friday afternoon at approximately 2 p.m. EST. When a registered letter suddenly appeared in my mailbox down at the New Boston post office.

Now I have to admit, folks, that I found this highly anticipated event to be somewhat anti-climatic. By that I mean: I had always assumed that my very first “Cease and Desist” letter would come straight from the Mouse. That Disney’s attorneys would eventually determine that some article that I had written was so inflammatory, so offensive, that they’d swoop down en masse and threaten to sue me for every cent that I’ve got. (Which — given that the vast Hill estate currently consists of $9.88 — I would imagine that that would have been a very short trial. But I digress … Anyway … )

So imagine my disappointment when JHM’s first “Cease and Desist” letter came NOT from Mickey. But — rather — from a lawyer that represents two film-makers that I actually like & admire, Dan Lund & Tony West.

For those of you who don’t know: Dan Lund & Tony West are the two guys behind “Dream On Silly Dreamer.” You may even recall the “Monday Mélange” that I did back in November where I talked up their terrific short film about the demise of traditional animation at Walt Disney Studios.

Well, Tony West was so pleased with that preview piece that I did about “Dream On Silly Dreamer” that he actually sent me a screener of he & Dan’s film. Which I watched, loved and immediately began talking up to friends. Telling them that “Dream On” was this really important film, how this motion picture deserved to be seen by as many people as possible, which is why it was really crucial that this movie get a distribution deal ASAP, etc.

You see, that’s the real problem with “Dream On Silly Dreamer.” Dan & Tony’s film doesn’t have a distribution deal yet. Which — given that this motion picture says some pretty cutting things about the all-powerful Walt Disney Company — I guess is understandable. After all, Hollywood is a very small town. And — in a very small town — no one wants to tick off the Big Cheese. Out of concern about what the long range career implications might possibly be of associating yourself with an anti-Mouse project.

So Lund & West had hopes of getting “Dream On Silly Dreamer” shown out of competition at this year’s Sundance Film Fest. But that evidently didn’t happen. Which is why their fine little film eventually wound up having its world premiere held in the U.K. Today — in fact — at this year’s Animex International Festival of Animation in Middlesbrough, England.

And — given how terrific “Dream On Silly Dreamer” is — I’m sure that all of those animation fans in the U.K. will come away from today’s screening just as I did, talking up Tony & Dan’s picture. But will today’s screening ultimately lead to a distribution deal for the film? To be honest, I don’t know …

I mean, all of us traditional animation fans can certainly hope & pray that it does. Or that the free screenings of “Dream On Silly Dreamer” that Lund & West will be holding next week in Minneapolis’ Crown Theater on the day before the Walt Disney Company’s Annual Meeting will finally get some buzz going about their picture. Which — in turn — might lead to a distribution deal for the picture.

Speaking of trying to get some buzz going … That was what I was actually trying to do last month when I pulled a few strings and arranged to have a five minute excerpt of “Dream On Silly Dreamer” shown at the World Chapter meeting of the N.F.F.C. With the hope that this brief taste of Lund & West’s fine little film might actually get Disneyana fans talking. Which — in turn — might generate some on-line excitement about “Dream On Silly Dreamer.” Which then might get other potential audience members interested in seeing this picture. Which (hopefully) might eventually lead to some sort of distribution deal for the movie.

It was the airing of that brief excerpt of the film (I think) that led to the letter that I received from Dan & Tony’s attorney last week. Which makes all sorts of vague statements about how I have somehow diminished ” … the value of their copyright.”

Which I have to admit I found somewhat bizarre. Given that — Over the past three months, I have done nothing but talk up “Dream On Silly Dreamer” — it would be rather hard to argue that I have done any damage to the film’s copyright. If anything, by continually praising this picture to whoever will listen to me, I’ve actually probably increased the value of “Dream On” ‘s copyright.

But look: That’s a matter for Dan & Tony’s attorney and I to sort out. I’m sure that — with just a few phone calls — we can eventually get this whole mess straightened out. I mean, these guys have had their “Dream On Silly Dreamer” screener back since the middle of December. I actually dropped that tape in the mail after I aired that excerpt at the World Chapter meeting last month. So this isn’t really a case of “Stop me before I screen again!”

So let’s cut to the chase here, shall we? Am I mad at these guys? No. In spite of the “Cease & Desist” letter that I got from West & Lund’s attorney, I bear absolutely no ill will toward these two.

More importantly, I still believe that Tony & Dan have made a very important film, one that deserves to be seen by as many people as possible. Which is why I will continue to talk up “Dream On Silly Dreamer.” Do whatever I can to promote the picture.

Speaking of which …. If you live in the U.K. and can get over to Middlesbrough ASAP, I strongly suggest that you attend today’s screening of “Dream On Silly Dreamer” at Animex. Or — if you’re going to be in Minneapolis next Thursday and want to see a really wonderful film — that you definitely make your way over to the Crown Theater. Where you can attend one of the five free screenings (at 1, 2:30, 4, 7 and 8:00 p.m.) that are being held that day at that multiplex.

And — for God’s sake — if there’s a JHM reader out there who actually has access to Harvey Weinstein’s ear, can you please make Harvey aware that “Dream On Silly Dreamer” exists? By that I mean: I can think of no better way for Weinstein to settle his score with Disney CEO Michael Eisner (after the sale of Miramax is complete, of course) than to have Harvey release & distribute “Dream On Silly Dreamer.”

Think about it: What clearer way would there be to illustrate how truly stupid it is for the Walt Disney Company to dissolve its relationship with the Weinstein brothers (Who — through their two film production companies, Miramax Pictures & Dimension Films — have earned the Mouse hundreds of millions of dollars. Not to mention earning Mickey dozens of Academy Awards & Golden Globes over the past 12 years) then to have Bob & Harvey’s next company release a film that reveals how short-sighted it was for Walt Disney Studios to kill off its traditional animation unit?

Now some of you might find it kind of bizarre that I would have chosen to air JHM’s dirty laundry in this manner. Certainly some other webmasters might have been embarassed to receive a “Cease & Desist” letter. Particularly from two film-makers that they like & admire.

But you have to understand, folks, that this story isn’t really about me. It’s about Tony West & Dan Lund. More importantly, the movie that they’ve made: “Dream On Silly Dreamer.”

And — in an age where a no-talent like Paris Hilton can become a star virtually overnight all because her home-made porno tape gets leaked to the Internet — it’s obvious that all publicity (even bad publicity) is good publicity these days. Soooo … If talking about how Tony & Dan’s attorney sent me a “Cease & Desist” letter actually ups “Dream On Silly Dreamer” ‘s profile, gets even more people talking about this picture … Well, who am I to let a little personal embarassment stand in the way of this film getting a little more time in the spotlight?

So be sure and spread this story around, folks. NOT just because it’s a juicy bit of gossip associated with JimHillMedia. But — rather — because it helps to get “Dream On Silly Dreamer” ‘s name out there. So that even more people will know about this great little motion picture …

After all, we don’t want “Dream On Silly Dreamer” to become the next “Sweatbox.” You know? That terrific Trudie Styler documentary about the making of Disney’s “Kingdom of the Sun” / “The Emperor’s New Groove” that the Mouse has successfully surpressed. People really need to see this picture about the death of traditional animation at Walt Disney Studios. So that they can then actually know what they’re missing out on.

So like I said, folks. Be sure and talk this story up. Don’t worry about what this whole “Cease & Desist” thing will do to my good name. I mean, it’s not like I actually had all that good a name to begin with. The really important thing is that people need to know that “Dream On Silly Dreamer” is out there and that this is a picture that truly deserves to be seen.

And — while we’re working in the gratuitous plugs this morning — I guess I should mention that there’s also this great new Disney history book out there: “Walt’s People: Talking Disney with the Artists who Knew Him.” This is actually Volume 1 of a proposed series of books that will actually publish transcripts of in-depth interviews with such late Disney legends as Marc Davis, Milt Kahl, Ken Andersen and John Hench. And some of the top animation & theme park historians working today have contributed to this volume. Among them Mike Barrier, Paul F. Anderson and that old JHM reader favorite, Jim Korkis.

“So what’s your tie to this project, Jim?,” you ask. To be honest, I don’t have much of one. By that I mean: Didier Ghez — the editor of the “Walt’s People” series — asked to help out with the transcription of one of the interviews as well as to help out with the promotion of the project. Which I did. Gladly.

Why for? Well, because — just like with “Dream On Silly Dreamer” — I think that it’s important that these stories (I.E. The ones that tell us what really goes on inside the Mouse House. Not just the ones that are carefully buffed & edited by Disney’s PR department) actually get out there.

So do yourself a favor and click on this link . Which will take you directly over to Xlibris.com where you can order your very own copy of “Walt’s People: Talking Disney with the Artists who Knew Him.”

In the mean-time … I promise that I’ll keep you posted on the whole “Cease & Desist” saga. Which I’m sure will blow over in a day or so.

But — in the meantime — if you’d like to learn even more about “Dream On Silly Dreamer,” then I suggest you follow this link to the film’s official website.

General

Seward Johnson bronzes add a surreal, artistic touch to NYC’s Garment District

Published

9 years ago

June 23, 2015

Jim Hill

Greetings from NYC. Nancy and I drove down from New
Hampshire yesterday because we'll be checking out
Disney Consumer Products' annual Holiday Showcase later today.

Anyway … After checking into our hotel (i.e., The Paul.
Which is located down in NYC's NoMad district), we decided to grab some dinner.
Which is how we wound up at the Melt Shop.

Photo by Jim Hill

Which is this restaurant that only sells grilled cheese sandwiches.
This comfort food was delicious, but kind of on the heavy side.

Photo by Jim Hill

Which is why — given that it was a beautiful summer night
— we'd then try and walk off our meals. We started our stroll down by the Empire
State Building
…

Photo by Jim Hill

… and eventually wound up just below Times
Square (right behind where the Waterford Crystal Times Square New
Year's Eve Ball is kept).

Photo by Jim Hill

But you know what we discovered en route? Right in the heart
of Manhattan's Garment District
along Broadway between 36th and 41st? This incredibly cool series of life-like
and life-sized sculptures that Seward
Johnson has created.

Photo by Jim Hill

And — yes — that is Abraham Lincoln (who seems to have
slipped out of WDW's Hall of Presidents when no one was looking and is now
leading tourists around Times Square). These 18 painted
bronze pieces (which were just installed late this past Sunday night / early
Monday morning) range from the surreal to the all-too-real.

Photo by Jim Hill

Some of these pieces look like typical New Yorkers. Like the
business woman planning out her day …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the postman delivering the mail …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the hot dog vendor working at his cart …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the street musician playing for tourists …

Photo by Jim Hill

Not to mention the tourists themselves.

Photo by Jim Hill

But right alongside the bronze businessmen …

Photo by Jim Hill

… and the tired grandmother hauling her groceries home …

Photo by Jim Hill

… there were also statues representing people who were
from out-of-town …

Photo by Jim Hill

… or — for that matter — out-of-time.

Photo by Jim Hill

These were the Seward Johnson pieces that genuinely beguiled. Famous impressionist paintings brought to life in three dimensions.

Note the out-of-period water bottle that some tourist left
behind. Photo by Jim Hill

Some of them so lifelike that you actually had to pause for
a moment (especially as day gave way to night in the city) and say to yourself
"Is that one of the bronzes? Or just someone pretending to be one of these
bronzes?"

Mind you, for those of you who aren't big fans of the
impressionists …

Photo by Jim Hill

… there's also an array of American icons. Among them
Marilyn Monroe …

Photo by Jim Hill

… and that farmer couple from Grant Wood's "American
Gothic."

Photo by Jim Hill

But for those of you who know your NYC history, it's hard to
beat that piece which recreates Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous photograph of V-J Day in Times Square.

Photo by Jim Hill

By the way, a 25-foot-tall version of this particular Seward
Johnson piece ( which — FYI — is entitled "Embracing Peace") will actually
be placed in Times Square for a few days on or around August 14th to commemorate the 70th
anniversary of Victory Over Japan Day (V-J Day).

Photo by Jim Hill

By the way, if you'd like to check these Seward Johnson bronzes in
person (which — it should be noted — are part of the part of the Garment
District Alliance's new public art offering) — you'd best schedule a trip to
the City sometime over the next three months. For these pieces will only be on
display now through September 15th.

General

Wondering what you should “Boldly Go” see at the movies next year? The 2015 Licensing Expo offers you some clues

Published

9 years ago

June 10, 2015

Jim Hill

Greeting from the 2015 Licensing Expo, which is being held
at the Mandalay Bay
Convention Center in Las
Vegas.

Photo by Jim Hill

I have to admit that I enjoy covering the Licensing Expo.
Mostly becomes it allows bloggers & entertainment writers like myself to
get a peek over the horizon. Scope out some of the major motion pictures &
TV shows that today's vertically integrated entertainment conglomerates
(Remember when these companies used to be called movie studios?) will be
sending our way over the next two years or so.

Photo by Jim Hill

Take — for example — all of "The Secret Life of
Pets" banners that greeted Expo attendees as they made their way to the
show floor today. I actually got to see some footage from this new Illumination
Entertainment production (which will hit theaters on July 8, 2016) the last time I was in Vegas. Which
was for CinemaCon back in April. And the five or so minutes of film that I viewed
suggested that "The Secret Life of Pets" will be a really funny
animated feature.

Photo by Jim Hill

Mind you, Universal Pictures wanted to make sure that Expo
attendees remembered that there was another Illumination Entertainment production
coming-to-a-theater-near-them before "The Secret Life of Pets" (And
that's "Minions," the "Despicable Me" prequel. Which
premieres at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival next week but
won't be screened stateside 'til July 10th of this year). Which is why they had
three minions who were made entirely out of LEGOS loitering out in the lobby.

Photo by Jim Hill

And Warner Bros. — because they wanted "Batman v
Superman: Dawn of Justice" to start trending on Twitter today — brought
the Batmobile to Las Vegas.

Photo by Jim Hill

Not to mention full-sized macquettes of Batman, Superman and
Wonder Woman. Just so conventioneers could then see what these DC superheroes
would actually look like in this eagerly anticipated, March 25, 2016 release.

Photo by Jim Hill

That's the thing that can sometimes be a wee bit frustrating
about the Licensing Expo. It's all about delayed gratification. You'll come
around a corner and see this 100 foot-long ad for "The Peanuts Movie"
and think "Hey, that looks great. I want to see that Blue Sky Studios production
right now." It's only then that you notice the fine print and realize that
"The Peanuts Movie" doesn't actually open in theaters 'til November
6th of this year.

Photo by Jim Hill

And fan of Blue Sky's "Ice Age" film franchise are in for an even
longer wait. Given that the latest installment in that top grossing series
doesn't arrive in theaters 'til July
15, 2016.

Photo by Jim Hill

Of course, if you're one of those people who needs immediate
gratification when it comes to your entertainment, there was stuff like that to
be found at this year's Licensing Expo. Take — for example — how the WWE
booth was actually shaped like a wrestling ring. Which — I'm guessing — meant
that if the executives of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. didn't like
the offer that you were making, they were then allowed to toss you out over the
top rope, Royal Rumble-style.

Photo by Jim Hill

I also have to admit that — as a longtime Star Trek fan —
it was cool to see the enormous Starship Enterprise that hung in place over the
CBS booth. Not to mention getting a glimpse of the official Star Trek 50th
Anniversary logo.

Photo by Jim Hill

I was also pleased to see lots of activity in The Jim Henson
Company booth. Which suggests that JHC has actually finally carved out a
post-Muppets identity for itself.

Photo by Jim Hill

Likewise for all of us who were getting a little concerned
about DreamWorks Animation (what with all the layoffs & write-downs &
projects that were put into turnaround or outright cancelled last year), it was
nice to see that booth bustling.

Photo by Jim Hill

Every so often, you'd come across some people who were
promoting a movie that you weren't entirely sure that you actually wanted to
see (EX: "Angry Birds," which Sony Pictures Entertainment / Columbia
Pictures will be releasing to theaters on May 20, 2016). But then you remembered that Clay Kaytis —
who's this hugely talented former Walt Disney Animation Studios animator — is
riding herd on "Angry Birds" with Fergal Reilly. And you'd think
"Well, if Clay's working on 'Angry Birds,' I'm sure this animated feature
will turn out fine."

Photo by Jim Hill

Mind you, there were reminders at this year's Licensing Expo
of great animated features that we're never going to get to see now. I still
can't believe — especially after that brilliant proof-of-concept footage
popped up online last year — that Sony execs decided not to go forward
with production of Genndy Tartakovsky's
"Popeye" movie. But that's the
cruel thing about the entertainment business, folks. It will sometime break
your heart.

Photo by Jim Hill

And make no mistake about this. The Licensing Expo is all
about business. That point was clearly driven home at this year's show when —
as you walked through the doors of the Mandalay
Bay Convention Center
— the first thing that you saw was the Hasbros Booth. Which was this gleaming,
sleek two story-tall affair full of people who were negotiating deals &
signing contracts for all of the would-be summer blockbusters that have already
announced release dates for 2019 & beyond.

Photo by Jim Hill

"But what about The Walt Disney Company?," you
ask. "Weren't they represented on the show floor at this year's Licensing
Expo?" Not really, not. I mean, sure. There were a few companies there hyping
Disney-related products. Take — for example — the Disney Wikkeez people.

Photo by Jim Hill

I'm assuming that some Disney Consumer Products exec is
hoping that Wikkeez will eventually become the new Tsum Tsum. But to be blunt,
these little hard plastic figures don't seem to have the same huggable charm
that those stackable plush do. But I've been wrong before. So let's see what
happens with Disney Wikkeez once they start showing up on the shelves of the
Company's North American retail partners.

Photo by Jim Hill

And speaking of Disney's retail partners … They were
meeting with Mouse House executives behind closed doors one floor down from the
official show floor for this year's Licensing Expo.

Photo by Jim Hill

And the theme for this year's invitation-only Disney shindig? "Timeless
Stories" involving the Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm brands that
would then appeal to "tomorrow's consumer."

Photo by Jim Hill

And just to sort of hammer home the idea that Disney is no
longer the Company which cornered the market when it comes to little girls
(i.e., its Disney Princess and Disney Fairies franchises), check out this
wall-sized Star Wars-related image that DCP put up just outside of one of its
many private meeting rooms. "See?," this carefully crafted photo
screams. "It isn't just little boys who want to wield the Force. Little
girls also want to grow up and be Lords of the Sith."

Photo by Jim Hill

One final, kind-of-ironic note: According to this banner,
Paramount Pictures will be releasing a movie called "Amusement Park"
to theaters sometime in 2017.

Photo by Jim Hill

Well, given all the "Blackfish" -related issues
that have been dogged SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment over the past two years, I'm
just hoping that they'll still be in the amusement park business come 2017.

Your thoughts?

General

It takes more than three circles to craft a Classic version of Mickey Mouse

Published

9 years ago

June 9, 2015

Jim Hill

You know what Mickey Mouse looks like, right? Little guy,
big ears?

Truth be told, Disney's corporate symbol has a lot of
different looks. If Mickey's interacting with Guests at Disneyland
Park (especially this summer, when
the Happiest Place on Earth
is celebrating its 60th anniversary), he looks & dresses like this.

Or when he's appearing in one of those Emmy Award-winning shorts that Disney
Television Animation has produced (EX: "Bronco Busted," which debuts
on the Disney Channel tonight at 8 p.m. ET / PT), Mickey is drawn in a such a
way that he looks hip, cool, edgy & retro all at the same time.

Looking ahead to 2017 now, when Disney Junior rolls out "Mickey and the
Roadster Racers," this brand-new animated series will feature a sportier version
of Disney's corporate symbol. One that Mouse House managers hope will persuade
preschool boys to more fully embrace this now 86 year-old character.

That's what most people don't realize about the Mouse. The
Walt Disney Company deliberately tailors Mickey's look, even his style of
movement, depending on what sort of project / production he's appearing in.

Take — for example — Disney
California Adventure
Park's "World of Color:
Celebrate!" Because Disney's main mouse would be co-hosting this new
nighttime lagoon show with ace emcee Neil Patrick Harris, Eric Goldberg really had
to step up Mickey's game. Which is why this master Disney animator created
several minutes of all-new Mouse animation which then showed that Mickey was
just as skilled a showman as Neil was.

Better yet, let's take a look at what the folks at Avalanche Studios just went
through as they attempted to create a Classic version of Mickey & Minnie.
One that would then allow this popular pair to become part of Disney Infinity
3.0.

"I won't lie to you. We were under a lot of pressure to
get the look of this particular version of Mickey — he's called Red Pants
Mickey around here — just right," said Jeff Bunker, the VP of Art
Development at Avalanche Studios, during a recent phone interview. "When
we brought Sorcerer Mickey into Disney Infinity 1.0 back in January of 2014,
that one was relatively easy because … Well, everyone knows what Mickey Mouse
looked like when he appeared in 'Fantasia.' "

"But this time around, we were being asked to design
THE Mickey & Minnie," Bunker continued. "And given that these Classic
Disney characters have been around in various different forms for the better
part of the last century … Well, which look was the right look?"

Which is why Jeff and his team at Avalanche Studios began watching hours &
hours of Mickey Mouse shorts. As they tried to get a handle on which look would
work best for these characters in Disney Infinity 3.0.

"And we went all the way back to the very start of Mickey's career. We began
with 'Steamboat Willie' and then watched all of those black & white Mickey shorts
that Walt made back in the late 1920s & early 1930s. From there, we
transitioned to his Technicolor shorts. Which is when Mickey went from being
this pie-eyed, really feisty character to more of a well-behaved leading
man," Bunker recalled. "We then finished out our Mouse marathon by
watching all of those new Mickey shorts that Paul Rudish & his team have
been creating for Disney Television Animation. Those cartoons really recapture
a lot of the spirit and wild slapstick fun that Mickey's early, black &
white shorts had."

But given that the specific assignment that Avalanche Studios had been handed
was to create the most appealing looking, likeable version of Mickey Mouse
possible … In the end, Jeff and his team wound up borrowing bits & pieces
from a lot of different versions of the world's most famous mouse. So that
Classic Mickey would then look & move in a way that best fit the sort of
gameplay which people would soon be able to experience with Disney Infinity
3.0.

"That — in a lot of ways — was actually the toughest
part of the Classic Mickey design project. You have to remember that one of the
key creative conceits of Disney Infinity
is that all the characters which appear in this game are toys," Bunker
stated. "Okay. So they're beautifully detailed, highly stylized toy
versions of beloved Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm characters. But
they're still supposed to be toys. So our Classic versions of Mickey &
Minnie have the same sort of thickness & sturdiness to them that toys have.
So that they'll then be able to fit right in with all of the rest of the
characters that Avalanche Studios had previously designed for Disney Infinity."

And then there was the matter of coming up with just the
right pose for Classic Mickey & Minnie. Which — to hear Jeff tell the
story — involved input from a lot of Disney upper management.

"Everyone within the Company seemed to have an opinion
about how Mickey & Minnie should be posed. More to the point, if you Google
Mickey, you then discover that there are literally thousands of poses out there
for these two. Though — truth be told — a lot of those kind of play off the
way Mickey poses when he's being Disney's corporate symbol," Bunker said.
"But what I was most concerned about was that Mickey's pose had to work
with Minnie's pose. Because we were bringing the Classic versions of these
characters up into Disney Infinity 3.0 at the exact same time. And we wanted to
make sure — especially for those fans who like to put their Disney Infinity
figures on display — that Mickey's pose would then complement Minnie.

Which is why Jeff & the crew at Avalanche Studios
decided — when it came to Classic Mickey & Minnie's pose — that they
should go all the way back to the beginning. Which is why these two Disney icons
are sculpted in such a way that it almost seems as though you're witnessing the
very first time Mickey set eyes on Minnie.

"And what was really great about that was — as soon as
we began showing people within the Company this pose — everyone at Disney
quickly got on board with the idea. I mean, the Classic Mickey that we sculpted
for Disney Infinity 3.0 is clearly a very playful, spunky character. But at the
same time, he's obviously got eyes for Minnie," Bunker concluded. "So
in the end, we were able to come up with Classic versions of these characters
that will work well within the creative confines of Disney Infinity 3.0 but at
the same time please those Disney fans who just collect these figures because
they like the way the Disney Infinity characters look."

So now that this particular design project is over, does
Jeff regret that Mouse House upper management was so hands-on when it came to
making sure that the Classic versions of Mickey & Minnie were specifically
tailored to fit the look & style of gameplay found in Disney Infinity 3.0?

"To be blunt, we go through this every time we add a new character to the
game. The folks at Lucasfilm were just as hands-on when we were designing the
versions of Darth Vader and Yoda that will also soon be appearing in Disney
Infinity 3.0," Bunker laughed. "So in the end, if the character's
creators AND the fans are happy, then I'm happy."

This article was originally posted on the Huffington Post's Entertainment page on Tuesday, June 9, 2015