How Disney Recycled the Exact Same Movement Sequences in Their Early Animated Movies

Fred Schultz quite astutely pointed out on Twitter that scenes from two very different classic Disney films looked very much alike. The films The Jungle Book (1967) and Winnie the Pooh (1977) show the respective lead characters of Mowgli and Christopher Robin moving in exactly the same way despite the differences in their environments, plots, and dialogues.

I'm so confused right now. ??? pic.twitter.com/gnAExj9bin

- Fred Schultz (@fred035schultz) February 6, 2021

While this seems new, the use of recycled biomechanic movement templates was a common practice at Disney, particularly in the early days of animation. Cartoon Hangover explained this practice in fairly comprehensive manner.

Have you ever found yourself watching a Disney movie, like Frozen, Moana, or Snow White, and thought to yourself, Hmmm...this all looks...familiar somehow"? Well, guess what - you have! Join Jacob and Cartoon Hangover as we walk you through every recycled Disney shot (almost) and talk about why.

The son of a Disney animator confirmed that this to be the case as well.

I agree with what was said in this video. My Mom was an animator until the early 1990s and worked with Disney projects. They were only given "still" storyboards and text instructions on how the scene should flow, and they use their creativity to fill in the frames in between.

- JC ? (@judkhristofer) February 7, 2021

via Boing Boing

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The post How Disney Recycled the Exact Same Movement Sequences in Their Early Animated Movies first appeared on Laughing Squid.