Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1546404
Character growth and advances in technology shape the return of a Disney princess from Sofia the First. When asked what sparked bringing back Disney Jr.'s Sofia the First, Executive Producer Craig Gerber says: "It really boiled down to the ongoing fan response to the original series." Having developed the series, he explains that when the show first aired in 2012, the primary audience was children. "But little kids," he says, "don't post about what they love on social media." It was only years later that he began to see whether or not the show stood the test FAN FAVORITE SOFIA THE FIRST: ROYAL MAGIC DISNEY JR. "The trick to revisiting a show that already exists is figuring out what absolutely must be kept and what should change." – EXECUTIVE PRODUCER CRAIG GERBER of time. Songs would go viral on TikTok, and people recounted their love for Sofia on other social media platforms. Sofia the First ran for four seasons, with more than 100 episodes and two primetime specials. The title character was a commoner who unexpectedly became a princess (and Disney's first little girl princess). Initially, as Gerber created the new series, there was a thought that it would take place at the same Royal Prep School Sofia had graduated from at the end of the original. But in development it became clear to Gerber that the story should take Sofia beyond that, and so they decided to have her attend the Charmswell School for Royal Magic where she learns to master her magical powers. Notably, Royal Magic comes with an entirely new look. Gerber explains that when the original series was made, CG animation was somewhat limited for television. They used toon-shading, making the CG appear flatter and hand-drawn, to evoke classic 2D Disney animated features and create a fairytale storybook feel. "We called it two-and-a- half D at the time," he says. Images courtesy of Disney Jr. FALL 2026 31