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e d i t i o n i , 2 0 2 0 c g w 5 W hat do you get when you mix the fantasy world with the familiar? You get Onward from Disney•Pixar. Directed by Dan Scanlon (Monsters University), the film, Pixar's 22nd, takes place in a world once ruled by magic that has since become obsolete in favor of technology. It is here that two modern-day elf brothers embark on an epic quest to bring back their deceased father, if only for a brief time. The adventure begins when Ian Lightfoot (Tom Holland), a high schooler lacking in confidence, receives a special gi from his mom on his birthday. It is no ordinary gi, though: It was le by his late father, whom he has never met, with instructions that it be given to his sons when the youngest, Ian, turns 16 years old. The present contains a magic staff, a rare gem, and instructions pertaining to a visitation spell that will resur- rect the boys' father for a single day. Older son Barley (Chris Pratt), a history fanatic who is into role-playing, is more brash and daring, and immediately attempts to resurrect their dad, to no avail. Much to both boys' surprise, Ian tries and is successful… sort of. He only brings back half of his father, from the waist down. Thus the boys embark on their journey in Barley's van he has dubbed Guinevere, to find another gem so they can try the spell again before their time runs out. "It is such a character piece, about two brothers, very one-on-one," says Michael Stocker, animation supervisor. "The pair are in almost every shot. I think there was more dialog between the two main characters than in any movie we've ever done." Pixar Animation Studios has taken moviegoers under the sea, into space, back in time, and into the toy box. But Onward marks the first time Pixar has explored a world that features all the conveniences of suburbia – except with vermin unicorns roaming the streets. Stocker describes the suburban fantasy world in Onward as a hybrid that's akin to a fractured fairy tale type of fantasyland, which, over time, has evolved into something totally different, something more modern and "human-like," as the creatures find magic too difficult to master and technology much easier to use. However, as the brothers embark on their journey, that world becomes more magical and fantastical. "Usually fantasy films take place long ago in a very noble time in a very beautiful land," says Scanlon. "There was something unique about seeing these characters in a world that's familiar to us. It's fun to imagine them riding skateboards, taking the bus, watching TV, or playing video games. It's something we haven't seen before – it's such a juxtapo- sition watching an elf have to take his kid to soccer practice." The brothers live in the city of New Mush- roomton, whose tract-style houses, freeways, and strip malls make it appear like a typical suburban area. Almost. Here, houses are literally shaped like mushrooms. There are the usual locations, like a tavern and the local high school, and the inhabitants have typical jobs and hobbies. Yet, the residents are cer- tainly atypical – mythical creatures who have "evolved" into a more modern-day existence. While designing this unique world, the filmmakers settled on a ratio of 70:30 in regard to the familiar and the fantastic elements – 70 percent familiar, 30 percent fantasy whenever possible. At times, though, the characters tipped that scale. Conjuring Up Dad Onward is filled with all manner of crea- tures – centaurs, trolls, goblins, unicorns, manticores, pixies, elves, dragons, and a lot more – all with human-like emotions and internal struggles. Characters of every size and shape. Bipedal, quadrupedal, furred, and those that fly. Tools were developed to make the animation controls consistent across all the different body types. Even dad is quite unusual. "He was one of the most unique animation challenges we've ever seen at Pixar," says Stocker. Through the magic of the spell, dad be- gins to appear slowly, starting with his shoes, then socks, khakis, belt… and just as a shirt begins to come into view, Ian is overpowered – and the spell is halted midsection. The boys then build a disguise for dad's missing upper body in an attempt to make him look "normal" while he accompanies them on their journey, dressing him in a hoodie, hat, and sunglasses (think a CG version of the character from Weekend at Bernie's). According to character tailoring lead Dad, who is missing his upper body throughout the movie, presented a unique animation challenge.