Encanto

[Farerb]

What's interesting is the amount of characters, I wonder if the reason for it is to create a new franchise unrelated to the princesses, I can actually see people liking other members of the family more than Mirabel. Actually it seems to me like Isabella will outshine her just like Elsa outshined Anna.

[Disney's Divinity]

They're always trying to jumpstart a new franchise, although it rarely happens. Frozen was lightning in the bottle. I suppose that's why they're making so many princess films, to use the DP franchise as the back-up if their films fail to become their own franchise.

[D82]

Byron Howard is going to give a talk at Mexican Animation Festival, Pixelatl. Among other things, he's going to talk about Encanto. If anyone's interested, the event starts in about half an hour. It's free, but you have to sign up first here, follow these instructions to get a free "amigo pass" and then register for the event here. Sorry about the short notice. I actually learned about the event yesterday, but forgot about it.

[Farerb]

Did he say anything interesting about the film?

[D82]

^Yes, I'm writing a summary right now with some of the things he said. I'll post it very soon.

[Farerb]

Thank you

[D82]

Here are some of the things he revealed about the film:

- Germaine Franco is composing the score.

- There'll be contemporary types of music in it (reggaeton, vallenato, cumbia) as well as traditional ones.

- They tried to give each of the characters a different vibe, musically speaking.

- There's a love song in the film that Byron describes as "beautiful" and "poignant". He said Lin-Manuel Miranda tried to write a ballad that sounded like it had been around for a hundred years.

- The film has a choreographer for the musical numbers.

- They only did one research trip to Colombia about three and a half years ago. Byron Howard, Jared Bush and Lin-Manuel Miranda were the only members of the crew who got to go. There were more trips planned in which other teams were going to participate, but they were cancelled because of Covid. He said it's very rare for a songwriter to go on one of these trips.

- When Lin, Jared and Byron first started talking about doing a musical together, Lin wanted to do a definitive Latin-American musical at Disney, but Byron and Jared needed something to relate to. They found that bond in the fact that the three of them have large extended families, so they thought a movie about a large family could be interesting.

- They decided to set it in Colombia because it's "this crossroads of culture, music and food, and families are mixed there (Spanish, Indigenous, African)" which was perfect for the story they wanted to tell. And also because Colombia was the birthplace of magical realism.

- As we already know, the house itself is alive and is one more character in the film, but he also revealed that the rooms inside the house are actually worlds based on the different environments of Colombia. One is like the Chocó rainforest, one is like the Estoraques rock formation, and there's a flower room based on the flower festivals in Medellín.

- They tried to find magical powers that related to the role each character has in the family (Luisa is the rock of the family, Julieta heals with her food, Camilo is a shapeshifter who is constantly changing his personalty to be there for people around the village, Pepa is someone who wears her emotions on her sleeve and that controls the weather...)

[blackcauldron85]

Thanks so much, D82!!! When I saw your post about the talk, I thought about signing up, but I was already tired in bed, so I appreciate your recap! Lin went on the Moana research trip, too (with Opetaia Foa'i, and Mark Mancina- I think it was on the research trip that the 3 of them worked together). I don't think it's a bad idea at all to have the songwriters go on the trips, but I wonder why it's only a sometimes occurrence.

I wonder what vision Lin had in mind that Byron/Jared couldn't relate to...

[Farerb]

I'm not sure what to think about all of this. I just hope the music will be more similar to Moana rather than Vivo or In the Heights, but it doesn't seem to be the case.

- As we already know, the house itself is alive and is one more character in the film, but he also revealed that the rooms inside the house are actually worlds based on the different environments of Colombia. One is like the Chocó rainforest, one is like the Estoraques rock formation, and there's a flower room based on the flower festivals in Medellín.

I'm guessing this is Antonio's room:

I wonder what vision Lin had in mind that Byron/Jared couldn't relate to...

Just like what happened on Tangled.

[D82]

New still and synopsis from Fandango's fall movie preview:

Young Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz) loves her beloved family very much, yet she lacks the magical powers that have been bestowed upon everyone else in town by their wondrous surroundings in remote Colombia. When the magic begins to go away however, she might be her family's final hope.

Source: https://www.fandango.com/movie-photos/t ... eview-1399

Thanks so much, D82!!! When I saw your post about the talk, I thought about signing up, but I was already tired in bed, so I appreciate your recap! Lin went on the Moana research trip, too (with Opetaia Foa'i, and Mark Mancina- I think it was on the research trip that the 3 of them worked together). I don't think it's a bad idea at all to have the songwriters go on the trips, but I wonder why it's only a sometimes occurrence.

You're welcome, blackcauldron85. It's true; Lin also went on the Moana research trip. Well, in both cases he had to write songs for a movie about another culture, so maybe that's why it was decided he should go and learn about the music of these places firsthand.

I wonder what vision Lin had in mind that Byron/Jared couldn't relate to...

Perhaps I didn't explain that part well. I think what Byron meant is that Lin could relate to a story about Latin America better than them, and Jared and him wanted to find something specific to tell they could also relate to.

I'm not sure what to think about all of this. I just hope the music will be more similar to Moana rather than Vivo or In the Heights, but it doesn't seem to be the case.

Well, Moana also had some musical styles that didn't belong much to the setting or the time period like "You're Welcome" or "Shiny", but it was more or less justified since they were sung by magical characters. Maybe the same will happen here.

I'm guessing this is Antonio's room:

You're most likely right. I suspected that since I read in the first chapters of the Russian book that the house creates bedrooms that match the skills of each family member, but I wasn't completely sure because that wasn't just a room. Now it does make sense. The tree looks cool, but I'm not sure if I like that the bedrooms are like portals to other worlds. It reminds me a bit too much of Narnia or Shazam. Wasn't a living house magical enough?

Just like what happened on Tangled.

What happened on Tangled?

[Farerb]

Well, Moana also had some musical styles that didn't belong much to the setting or the time period like "You're Welcome" or "Shiny", but it was more or less justified since they were sung by magical characters. Maybe the same will happen here.

The Pacific Islands "sound" came from Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa'i, not Miranda. The songs themselves were more traditional Disney, which might be because Musker and Clements wanted them that way, maybe now that he has more control he wants it to be more in his style (In the Heights, Vivo, ...).

You're most likely right. I suspected that since I read in the first chapters of the Russian book that the house creates bedrooms that match the skills of each family member, but I wasn't completely sure because that wasn't just a room. Now it does make sense. I'm not sure I like it, though. Wasn't a living house magical enough? The doors of each bedroom leading to other worlds reminds me too much of Narnia or Shazam.

So maybe the journey is inside the house but in different rooms, maybe that might mean that Mirabel goes on mini journeys with each member of the family. I'm not sure I like it as well.

What happened on Tangled?

Q: How was it working with directors Nathan Greno And Byron Howard on “Tangled”?

Alan Menken: Actually they were very hands on. They are younger and they had a strong vision of what they wanted. They actually forced me to go to places I haven't gone before, as far as the score is more live-action. The underscore that is. They were very concerned about wanting to keep the songs contemporary. They definitely guided me in a different direction.

Source: http://www.mediamikes.com/2011/01/inter ... an-menken/

Q: Presumably, the directors are respectful of your work?

Alan Menken: Respectful, yeah. And we're separated by at least 20 years of age. People want to establish their own ground. So, when you bring in the sort of ‘old master', that can be a little bit daunted. So, on the one hand they're respectful, and on the other they go, "No, Alan. We don't want that, we want this." And there are times I have to go [zips mouth].

There's a place in the movie where I had a concept for the score. We had initially had a song for the character Flynn. Where he sang a sea shanty. He was singing about what he wanted in his life and his father used to sing him this lullaby. So, it's a lusty sea shanty, then he sings it wistfully, and then later on, she sings it to him in a tender way. And the song got cut. Okay, fine.

But when we meet Flynn, I said I can almost see this being a Robin Hood moment and really going for that swashbuckling, big, thematic chase. And so, I wrote the cut that way, and the directors said, "Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. No, no, no, no, no, no, no."

There was a lot of nervousness, and there was a temptation to get defensive and say, "Guys, this is what we talked about." But instead I say "Sorry, I'll try it again...!"

Source: http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/725326/ ... _more.html

I also wanted to have an opening number for the prologue, have it sung as a story-song in a Cat Stevens tone, with incantation within it. But at the end of the day they wanted to stay with the traditional prologue.

Source: http://insidemovies.ew.com/2010/11/24/a ... n-tangled/

[Kyle]

Geeze, just let menkin do his thing. That sounds better than what we got.

[Disney's Divinity]

^ That's why I loved that he was involved in the TV series without them there to screw the music up. It's almost like we got the soundtrack it should've had that way. "Set Yourself Free" is the song I most associate with the Rapunzel character than anything in the movie...

[PatrickvD]

Could you imagine being this rude to Alan Menken? The audacity…

[robster16]

Sometimes I feel like (some people at) Disney has become sort of caught up in catering to the audience and have a tendency to be too hip. Good storytelling transcends time and trends in terms of fads, hypes and the feel of the moment. Quite hard to explain what I mean and I hope I make sense...

[D82]

New book cover:


Source: https://www.amazon.de/Encanto-Das-Origi ... ef=sr_1_25


Antonio appears in a lot of merchandise, doesn't he? Maybe it's just to attract little boys, but I think it's also possible he's the one that will go with Mirabel on her quest (if two characters go on a quest). After all, judging by the second Russian book, it seems the two have a special relationship. They even share the same bedroom at the beginning. I bet he's also near Mirabel in the still released by Fandango, as we can see a toucan in it and Antonio is always surrounded by animals.

The Pacific Islands "sound" came from Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa'i, not Miranda. The songs themselves were more traditional Disney, which might be because Musker and Clements wanted them that way, maybe now that he has more control he wants it to be more in his style (In the Heights, Vivo, ...).

I personally liked the songs from Vivo, but I also hope the ones in Encanto are more traditional Disney. As for In the Heights, there are only two or three songs from it I found memorable, though there wasn't any that was too bad either, in my opinion. Anyway, the fact that Lin said he wanted to do the definitive Latin-American musical at Disney sounds encouraging to me. That means he was excited for the project and has probably put a lot of effort and passion into it.

So maybe the journey is inside the house but in different rooms, maybe that might mean that Mirabel goes on mini journeys with each member of the family. I'm not sure I like it as well.

That's possible. That way they'd be able to give each character enough screen time and showcase the different environments of Colombia at the same time. Although, there's a risk the film could become too episodic. And what would the mission in each of these places be? I hope they don't have to collect the missing pieces of a broken gem.

Speaking of the different worlds inside the house, maybe it is true that the Madrigals don't go out much and that's why the children of the village don't know much about them. If they have entire worlds inside their home, they don't really need to go outside. I also wonder if Bruno could've gotten lost in his own bedroom. If his power is indeed to control time, maybe his world is like a time machine or something similar. Although, I still think it's likely he has left the house. As I once said, I think his room must be the turret because of the sundial and the hourglass symbols on the tiles. I've noticed there seemed to be a window in the turret that is now covered with bricks, and the walls have been covered with ivy. It looks abandoned to me, so maybe that means he's not there anymore.

Regarding Tangled, I thought you were maybe referring to something I didn't know, Farerb. Yeah, I remember the working relationship between Alan and the directors was a bit difficult. They definitely should have been more respectful to him. However, as far as what to include in the film or not goes, I actually tend to defend the directors. A composer can make suggestions, but it's the directors' job to make the decisions and have a vision for the film. Maybe the music would've turned better if they had listened to Alan more, but maybe not. We can't know for sure. I wish we could listen to the unused songs; then we would be able to get a better idea.

By the way, in those same interviews you posted, Alan also had positive things to say about the directors and it seems he was happy with the results, so apparently, the experience of working on the film wasn't completely negative for him.

Actually they where very hands on. They are younger and they had a strong vision of what they wanted. They actually forced me to go to places I haven’t gone before, as far as the score is more live-action. The underscore that is. They were very concerned about wanting to keep the songs contemporary. They definitely guided me in a different direction and I was very grateful for that.

Source: https://mediamikes.com/2011/01/intervie ... an-menken/

These guys do have good instincts. The score we have is the score that this production could comfortably support.

Source: https://ew.com/article/2010/11/24/alan-menken-tangled/

MG: Tell us what was your favorite track on the “Tangled” soundtrack?
AM: Well I love ‘I See The Light’. The song is a great moment in the film and I am very happy with the beauty and simplicity of the song. ‘Mother Knows Best’ is a track I was very pleased with. Honestly, I was happy with the whole thing in general. To bring up the score tracks, ‘Waiting for the Lights’ is one of the best score moments I believe I have ever written.

Source: https://mediamikes.com/2011/01/intervie ... an-menken/

[Farerb]

I personally liked the songs from Vivo, but I also hope the ones in Encanto are more traditional Disney. As for In the Heights, there are only two or three songs from it I found memorable, though there wasn't any that was too bad either, in my opinion. Anyway, the fact that Lin said he wanted to do the definitive Latin-American musical at Disney sounds encouraging to me. That means he was excited for the project and has probably put a lot of effort and passion into it.

I thought the songs in Vivo (except that dreadful Gaby song) and In the Heights were fine, I only gave them as an example because they are very "LMM" in their style. I hope the songs in Encanto will be more traditional Disney, maybe with an exception of one or two songs. Though I am worried a bit cause whatever this is:

already bodes ill.
The songs are supposed to be released a week before the movie, right? I think the first time I want to listen to them while watching the movie but I don't think I'll have the patience.

That's possible. That way they'd be able to give each character enough screen time and showcase the different environments of Colombia at the same time. Although, there's a risk the film could become too episodic. And what would the mission in each of these places be? I hope they don't have to collect the missing pieces of a broken gem.

That's the thing, they really promote all the characters equally or at least Antonio, Isabella and Luisa. I don't think this movie is going to have a "duo", it seems to me like it's an ensemble piece, and they market the house so much that it doesn't make sense to me that it will only appear in the first act. Just my feeling I guess. And I agree - no broken gem pieces please.

Regarding Tangled, I thought you were maybe referring to something I didn't know, Farerb. Yeah, I remember the working relationship between Alan and the directors was a bit difficult. They definitely should have been more respectful to him. However, as far as what to include in the film or not goes, I actually tend to defend the directors. A composer can make suggestions, but it's the directors' job to make the decisions and have a vision for the film. Maybe the music would've turned better if they had listened to Alan more, but maybe not. We can't know for sure. I wish we could listen to the unused songs; then we would be able to get a better idea.

I agree with you, I mean in the end it's the directors' job to take the parts of the film and create a cohesive whole. The same thing happened on Hercules:

When we started out I was thinking we would write a very classically influenced score; thus the musical style of our lamented cut song, “Shooting Star”. But the request from John and Ron was to have this be a “gospel” score. I asked them “Why gospel?” And their logic was, “Gospel music is written to sing about God, just as our Hero is one of “the gods”. Okay… I was skeptical. But I was game to try anything. In the end, I think that choice worked well.

(but I'm sure there's a good explanation for why it was okay for Hercules but not for Tangled).

[D82]

I thought the songs in Vivo (except that dreadful Gaby song) and In the Heights were fine, I only gave them as an example because they are very "LMM" in their style. I hope the songs in Encanto will be more traditional Disney, maybe with an exception of one or two songs.

I understand. Well, I agree with you. Although, I've come to appreciate his style more and more. I think a combination of the two things would be the ideal thing for me. But I hate that Gaby song too. Every time I listen to the soundtrack, I skip it.

The songs are supposed to be released a week before the movie, right? I think the first time I want to listen to them while watching the movie but I don't think I'll have the patience.

Yes, I think they're usually released a week before. I should do that too, but I know I won't be able to wait. The last time I listened to the songs of a Disney film for the first time while watching it in the theatre was Enchanted, but back then I didn't have Internet yet, so it was easy for me to avoid them until then. I'll never forget that experience. I immediately fell in love with the songs. So, I think it's worth waiting, but as I said, I don't have enough will power to do that.

That's the thing, they really promote all the characters equally or at least Antonio, Isabella and Luisa. I don't think this movie is going to have a "duo", it seems to me like it's an ensemble piece, and they market the house so much that it doesn't make sense to me that it will only appear in the first act. Just my feeling I guess.

It's true they're not promoting one character much more than the others. And yes, the house must definitely have a big role in the film, so maybe you're right about both things. I guess we'll get a better idea of all that when a new trailer is released.

The same thing happened on Hercules:

Yeah, there are always some creative differences, but it seems Alan is very aware of what his role is and adapts quite easily to what the directors want from him, while at the same time always providing his signature style and some good ideas of his own.

[Farerb]

'Encanto': All the details of Disney's new film revealed:
https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/cult ... d-79927992

Disney's latest animated feature film, "Encanto," will have people all over the world asking, "How well do we know our own families?"

Set in Encanto, nestled in the mountains of Colombia, the movie centers on the Madrigal family, each of whom gets a magical power when they're very young. Everyone, that is, except for Mirabel.

In the film, Mirabel must figure out how she fits into her own family -- a question so many people have pondered, including the filmmakers.

"It started out really personal. [Directors] Jared [Bush] and Byron [Howard] were the ones who came up with this idea and they started out by researching their own families," co-director Charise Castro Smith, who wrote the film with Bush, told "Good Morning America." "One of the big questions of the movie is, 'Do I really see my family for who they are?'"

"I think this is the first time that we've really tried to handle a large extended family," Howard added. "We have about a dozen principle characters who are very, very important to the story, and that was enormously challenging but the whole team really committed to that from the beginning."

Who are the characters?

- Mirabel ("Brooklyn Nine-Nine" actress Stephanie Beatriz): Mirabel is a young girl whom Bush described as "imperfect and weird and quirky, but also deeply emotional and incredibly empathetic" -- a character that required a multifaceted performance. "There are so many improvised moments that are in the movie; we were really lucky to have someone who could be that off the cuff," Bush said. Castro Smith added: "It also completed translated to her vocal performances. She has incredibly vulnerable moments singing, incredibly funny moments singing -- there was nothing she couldn't do." Mirabel's parents, Julieta and Agustín, are voiced by Angie Cepeda and Wilmer Valderrama, respectively. Actress María Cecilia Botero brings to life Mirabel's grandmother, or Abuela.

- Isabela ("Orange is the New Black" actress Diane Guererro): Isabela is Mirabel's older sister and, like so many siblings, they have a complicated relationship. "Isabela is smart and brilliant and so perfect that flowers bloom in footsteps. Anything she attempts to do is a success, which is the opposite of what Mirabel's experience has been in this family," Howard said. "She's in an extraordinary family where everyone is extraordinary, but Isabela is extra, extra extraordinary. It's delicious conflict." For Guerrero, the challenge was simultaneously playing a lovable character and an antagonist. "Diane nailed that," Bush gushed.

- Luisa ("Feast of the Seven Fishes" actress Jessica Darrow): Bush joked that Luisa, Mirabel's other sister, probably has "the biggest biceps in Disney history!" "She's the one that Mirabel relies on," Castro Smith explained. "She's the one in the family that's carrying all the burdens and never complaining." Castro Smith, who said that Darrow was perfect for the role "because she's tough but also [can be] really funny and vulnerable," added that the character's song is one of the standouts of the film. "It's a crazy visual showpiece," Howard noted. "It's just beautiful and colorful, and Jess really owns it."

- Pepa and Félix ("Narcos" actress Carolina Gaitán and singer Mauro Castillo): Pepa and Félix, Mirabel's aunt and uncle, are a couple rooted in balance. Pepa is "overly dramatic, overly emotional and, for better or worse, her magical gift is that her emotions control the weather," Bush said. "It goes from sunny to hailing to snow to rainbows... and her husband loves that about her. He's just there to have a good time!" Bush added that the voice actors were "hilarious together." "They are a fantastic, fun combination," he said.

- Dolores (singer-actress Adassa): Adassa made Dolores, the daughter of Pepa and Félix, a "standout character," Castro Smith said. "She's the one who's a little bit quiet but also knows everyone's dirt," she continued. "Lin fell in love with the character and he made room for her in some of these songs."

- Camilo ("Marvel's Runaways" actor Rhenzy Feliz): The character of Camilo came about because "we were interested in a teen who doesn't quite know who they are yet and are trying on a lot of different personas," Castro Smith said, adding that his power is shape-shifting. "Rhenzy is just perfect," she continued. "He was really funny."

- Antonio ("#BlackAF" actor Ravi-Cabot Conyers): "In this amazing family, when you receive your magical gift, what comes along with that is a new room for you to use your gifts in. As a member of the family who didn't get a gift, Mirabel didn't graduate from the nursery so she's been living [there] with Antonio, her youngest cousin," Bush said. "They have this really, really sweet, amazing relationship. She's almost a big sister to him." Bush added that Conyers makes Antonio "a character that people are really going to fall in love with."

What role does Colombia play?
Actor and playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote music for the film, was "very keen to have it be a definitive Latin American Disney musical," Howard said. After careful consideration, they decided to set the movie in Colombia.

"It was the home of magical realism, which we love and really influenced the storytelling in the film, but also because Colombia is the crossroads of music, culture and ethnicity," he said.

Bush noted that to pay homage to the country, "every frame has something for people to find."

"There are a lot of textiles throughout the movie, which is great, but there are also tiny mannerisms that I'm hoping people [who] are Colombian see and go, 'I know what that means,'" he added.

Castro Smith said there are Colombian terms of endearment and phrases sprinkled throughout the dialogue too.

What will the music be like?
Miranda, who won the Pulitzer Prize for writing the Broadway musical "Hamilton," wrote several new songs for "Encanto" while composer Germaine Franco, who co-wrote the score to Disney's 2017 film "Coco," handled the score. Two of the songs are entirely in Spanish, and audiences can expect a variety styles of music too, the filmmakers said.

"So many of the songs are so character-specific and the musical styles that he chose are [as well]," Castro Smith said. "One of the first songs Lin wrote for the movie was about [Mirabel's] very strong sister and he chose a sort of reggaeton-inspired music. It really influenced her character. Jared and I took that character creation back into the script."

"We worked with him really closely and in a very seamless way," she continued. "He didn't just write the music; he really influenced a lot of the characters and a lot of the story as well."

What is one of the lasting messages of the film?
"Encanto" is a celebration of diversity in more ways than one, Howard said.

"We thought with an ensemble cast, what a great opportunity to show this family and how they have succeeded with their differences being so important," he said. "Everyone fulfills a purpose in this family and that's one of the beautiful things you discover in the film."

[D82]

Very interesting article! I'm glad they finally revealed which of the announced voice actors plays each character and who voices Antonio. It seems it really will be an ensemble piece, since they emphasized each family member has an important role in the film and one of the messages is that everyone fulfills a purpose in the family. They also revealed some new details and confirmed others, like the fact that Mirabel and Antonio will have a special bond.

It's interesting that they're still hidding Bruno. He doesn't even appear in that family tree!

I'm surprised there'll be two songs entirely in Spanish. I guess they'll probably be quite short, but I much prefer that to mixing Spanish and English in the same song, like in Coco. Though, I guess there'll be songs like that too, since they said there are "Colombian terms of endearment and phrases sprinkled throughout the dialogue".

Also, you have one more reason to be excited for Luisa's song, Farerb, now that we know it has reggaeton-inspired music.