Entertainment

‘Raya and the Last Dragon’: director opens up about challenges of creating animation during pandemic

Published

3 years ago

February 17, 2021

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, “ Raya and the Last Dragon ” was one of Disney’s productions that had to be done remotely.

Although it is a difficult task, co-manager Carlos Lopez Estrada said the challenge ended up strengthening the team.

“This is my first animated film, but just like the studio members said, I agree it was a miracle to do it. It took so many people, so many detailed strategies, so many rehearsals and specific time periods … But when a movie is finished, you always feel like it was no different from our previous works.

He continued:

“We had to deal with a lot of surprises because we weren’t meeting in a studio, so we were very confused and doubtful if we could make it work. The funny thing is that the plot of the film itself is about trust and community, so we take that as our motto. Even though we were far away we were following the same path through different shortcuts and it brought us closer together.

Finally, he celebrated the fact that they had accomplished this nearly impossible task and celebrated the unity with the team and the cast members.

“I feel like we all love working at home and having the company of our families, seeing what other people’s families are like… When we were done, everyone was so moved because we accomplished this impossible task, and all the world felt like part of something magical and that was the biggest obstacle and also the greatest satisfaction. I think our team came out stronger than we could imagine.

Previously, screenwriter Adele Lim, who signs the story alongside Qui Nguyen, revealed details about the narrative and what her main inspirations for the plot were.

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In an interview with ComicBook.com, Lim said it was based on his own childhood in Southeast Asia and also strong female characters from kung fu movies for animation.

“In terms of people’s inspirations, at the beginning there are several things, like growing up in South East Asia and watching several kung fu movies. The spirit of the female characters, who have stayed with me for a long time, could still overwhelm you. And I liked the idea. […] We have great women leaders, they were great warriors and very autonomous. We wanted Raya to be like that too ”.

For R $ 69.90 and for the limited time between March 5 and 19, Disney + subscribers will be able to see and re-watch the animation as many times as they want on their favorite devices, at the same time as the film is played. takes place in the rooms.

Premier Access subscribers will see the animation as soon as they click on the exclusive area, with no deadline to watch it, without interruption and without any other limitations than those already stipulated in the subscription contract and as long as they keep their subscription active. .

For subscribers who do not opt for Premier Access, “Raya and the Last Dragon” will be available on Disney + from April 23 at no additional cost.

Directed by Hall and Carlos López Estrada, the film is Disney’s 59th animation and its first fantasy adventure inspired by cultures of Southeast Asia.

Long ago, in the fantasy world of Kumandra, humans and dragons lived together in harmony. But when an evil force threatened the earth, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, the same evil has returned and it’s up to a lone warrior, Raya, to find the last legendary dragon to restore the shattered land and its divided people. However, throughout her journey, she will learn that it will take more than one dragon to save the world – trust and teamwork will also be required.

Kelly Marie Tran stars in the production, giving Raya a voice. The cast also includes Awkwafina as Sisu, Gemma Chan as Namaari, Daniel Dae Kim as Benja, Sandra Oh as Virana and Benedict Wong as Tong.