Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1358125
8 cgw a p r i l • m ay • j u n e 2 0 2 1 is the first Disney Animation film to have a Southeast Asia–influenced setting and characters, including the unique princess Raya. And filmmakers embraced this culture from the start, even holding a good luck Baci ceremony at the start of the production, as Laos elders from the Laos community in California provided blessings on the project. Inspired by real-world Southeast Asian cultures, the filmmakers and artists con- sulted with a group of anthropologists, architects, dancers, linguists, musicians, and more from the region. Collectively re- ferred to as the Southeast Asia Story Trust, this group provided guidance concerning the area's age-old traditions, sacred customs, rich cultures, and more – food, fabrics, col- ors, décor, and so forth – which gave the CG film a sense of reality and authenticity. "We're making a movie that is inspired by the cultures of Southeast Asia, and we wanted to be sure that when people from the region see this – although Kumandra is a made-up place – they can feel the love and respect the team had for the incredible real places that inspired us," says Estrada. In addition, two groups of filmmakers made research trips throughout Southeast Asia – including Laos, Indonesia, Thai- land, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Singapore – so they could experience the cultures firsthand. "Of the people we met, everyone had such a deep connection to their village and to their culture. They knew all the old legends and what, aesthetically, everything means, and that's layered into everything from fabrics, to how food is created, to how flowers are arranged," says Paul Felix, pro- duction designer. "There's a deep meaning relating to their culture and their village, which ties into everything that they do." Food, in particular, was a key aspect of the region's cultures. Although there were similarities and differences across the area in terms of the ingredients, taste, prepara- tion, presentation, and so on, the common element was its importance in bringing people together. "When connecting with those on the research trips, it was evident that food had to be a fundamental element in the film," says Hall. The filmmakers turned the food into a metaphor that is used to track Raya's sense of trust. Sisu the dragon can assume human form, here with Raya. A large number of sequences contain work from the crowd animation group.