Chinese animated filmmakers "learn"how Disney tells a "good story"

"listening to stories is to better tell Chinese stories"-- Chinese animated filmmakers learn from Disney

original title: Chinese animated filmmakers learn from Disney

on the 26th, when 14 Chinese animated filmmakers were seated in the conference room of Disney headquarters in Burbank, Los Angeles, USA. Waiting for them is another day of tight classes.

jointly organized and planned by the Film Bureau of China's State Administration of Press, publication, Radio, Film and Television and the Disney Company, Chinese first-tier animation practitioners went to the United States to participate in the "Seminar for Chinese Animation filmmakers." this is also the third year in a row that Disney has held an exchange and study activity for Chinese animation talents in the United States.

Disney sent heavyweights from Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios to communicate with Chinese filmmakers at a seminar with the theme of "storytelling". Tell Chinese counterparts how Disney tells "good stories" to global audiences.

as an enterprise with a history of nearly a hundred years, Disney is good at "storytelling" to attract global audiences, creating one lifelike animation image after another through one moving film story after another. In recent years, "Frozen", "Super Marines" and "Zootopia" have been a great success.

during the week-long exchange, Disney comprehensively introduced the specific workflow, development concept and management structure of the animation studio for Chinese filmmakers. Taking animated films such as" Super Marines "and" Ocean Strange "as examples, the creation and production process was shared in detail. It vividly shows the whole process of the birth of a good story and an excellent cartoon.

two-time Oscar-winning John Lasseter, chief creative officer of Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios, believes that "good stories are the most important" and that good stories must move audiences and be unpredictable. Adding attractive characters to the story and putting the story and characters into a film context that resonates with the audience and reflects the real world to a certain extent are the elements to ensure the success of the story. New technologies and tools are used to serve storytelling.

he stressed that the success of films requires not only to stimulate people's creativity, but also to have a complete and healthy mechanism. Disney has set up a "story think tank", including all directors and writers, who can discuss and exchange views on an equal footing, speak freely, and finally come up with a "best version" of the story.

Andrew Milstein, president of Disney Animation Studios, actively interacted with Chinese filmmakers and specifically asked Chinese filmmakers what they had gained from attending the course. He told reporters that cultural exchange activities with Chinese filmmakers help to increase mutual understanding and enable the two sides to jointly promote the development of the animation industry. This communication opportunity also helps American filmmakers to have a more objective understanding of themselves.

Eddard Katem, president of Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios, said that the secret of Disney's success is that good stories have a corresponding cultural background, while the construction of a cultural background requires solid and rigorous preparation. For example, when Disney filmed "the Legend of the Ocean" against the background of the lives of islanders in the southern Pacific Ocean, it not only invited sociologists and humanists who are familiar with the cultural background, but also specially invited local elders and fishermen as consultants.

Katem encourages Chinese animation talents to learn from Disney's experience, but" don't simply repeat what we've already done ". Instead, use the talents of Chinese filmmakers, combined with new technologies, to blaze their own path of innovation.

Roy Conley, producer and Oscar winner of the Super Marine Corps, learned more about China and Chinese culture by filming We were born in China, and forged a deep friendship with Chinese filmmakers. "I have fallen in love with China and look forward to going to China for cooperation in the future."

Roy Conley

Shang Linlin, vice president of Shenzhen Huaqiang Fangte Culture and Technology Group, said that listening to Disney tell a good story this time has given Chinese filmmakers a more systematic understanding of the whole process of Disney's operation. it has a profound enlightenment on how to tell Chinese stories and inherit Chinese culture.

Chen Bo, deputy general manager of Shanghai Art Film Studio, said that this close contact with Disney will help Chinese filmmakers understand and learn from the advanced practices of the American animation industry. "it can not be completely copied, but it can inspire thinking." For an old state-owned enterprise like Shanghai Art Film Studio, it is helpful to complete innovation while maintaining the "spiritual core" and how to encourage a new generation of Chinese animated filmmakers to create new history.

Li Hanjie, a young Chinese animation director, believes that face-to-face exchanges between Chinese and American animators have deepened mutual understanding between Chinese and American filmmakers, and look forward to more such Sino-US cultural exchanges in the future.

Edit: mary