Report: Disney Consumer Products and Pixar Present ‘Toy Story 3′ – Part One
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I was extremely fortunate to attend an event earlier this week in which Disney Consumer Products launched dozens of new toys from Mattel, Thinkway Toys, LEGO, Hasbro and JAKKS Pacific, just some vof the licensees for Toy Story 3 products with the aid of some very special guests.
Held at Gotham Hall in the Herald Square area, the space was magically transformed into the Sunnyside Daycare Center featuring oversized props, shrinking us all down to toy size. An over-sized chair provided an appropriate photo opportunity while Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear were on hand to greet guests and to take complimentary photos.
To kick off the presentation, Mary Beech, Vice President/General Manager for Global Studio Franchise Development at Disney Consumer Products, talked about the previous night’s event at the Toy of the Year Awards in which John Lasseter was inducted into the International Toy Hall of Fame. We were shown the mini-documentary that was shown during the awards show which focused on Lasseter’s contributions to the industry and featured many of his colleagues at Pixar as well as his wife, Nancy, and his three sons who spoke of receiving a Buzz and Woody for Christmas after Toy Story had first been released.
[SinglePic not found]Lasseter took the stage next and talked about the genesis of the toy story franchise — how the idea was hatched after witnessing his niece’s approach to toys and wondering how the toys would react if they were alive. After implementing some of the concept in the Pixar short Tin Toy, he talked about how the story was made to be able to reach an older audience by giving the toys neuroses such as Rex’s expectation to be the fiercest creature on earth despite his tiny little arms or Mr. Potato Head’s chip on his shoulder because his body parts are always being removed and re-arranged. Of course, Lasseter says, a toy’s biggest fear is being outgrown, leading into a key plot point in Toy Story 3 in which the toys are led to believe that a daycare center is nirvana — a ‘retirement home for toys’ — in which there will always be a steady flow of children needing the toys and no need to become emotionally attached to the kids as they come and go.
Photo: John Lasseter Inducted into Toy Industry Hall of Fame
Earlier this evening, at the tenth annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards, Walt Disney’s Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter was inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. Established in 1984, the Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made a significant mark on the American toy industry.
The Muppets Join Computer Generated Toys and ‘Disneyland Dreams’ in National Film Registry
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Celebrities Share Their Movie Memories in All New Special Celebrating Disney Animation
“Dreams Come True: A Celebration of Disney Animation” is a look back at 75 years of Disney magic on the silver screen and a look ahead to the all-new animated adventure comedy, “The Princess and the Frog.” Host Vanessa Williams is joined by some of the brightest stars of television, movies, music and sports, who share their favorite memories of Disney animation, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4 (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network.
This one-hour special explores the key ingredients of these treasured Disney films – the captivating characters, breathtaking artistry and unforgettable music – as well as the power they have to inspire and influence real-life dreams.
John Lasseter Named as 2010 Inductee into Toy Industry Hall of Fame
The Toy Industry Association, Inc. (TIA) announced today the selection of its 2010 inductees into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame:
* John Lasseter, chief creative officer, Walt Disney Company and Pixar Animation Studios, and principal creative advisor of Walt Disney Imagineering
* Sam Walton, founder, Walmart Stores (posthumous award)
“As the director of blockbuster movies such as Toy Story and Cars, John Lasseter has brought toys to life on the big screen,” explained Alan Hassenfeld, chair of the Hall of Fame Committee and 1994 Hall of Fame inductee.
Thinkway Toys’ Toy Story Definitive Collection Vol 6: Lasseter Offers the Buzz on the Toy Story Collection
The sixth and final installment of the very popular video series from Disney Consumer Products has been released in which John Lasseter talks about the design of both the Buzz Lightyear from the Toy Story Definitive collectibles line from Thinkway Toys as well as the character himself!
Check it out!
Here’s some of the features you’ll find with the Toy Story Definitive Collection Buzz Lightyear:
* The most movie-accurate Buzz Lightyear produced to date
* Fully poseable including fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, waist, ankles, knees and legs!
* Push red oval chest button for classic “Buzz Toy” phrases.
D23 Expo: Lasseter Turns Back the Page on New Winnie-The-Pooh Movie
As part of his presentation Sunday at the D23 Expo, Walt Disney Animation and Pixar Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter spent a great deal of time talking about the upcoming Winnie-the-Pooh movie from Walt Disney Animation that was announced a few months ago.
Lasseter began by fighting off the notion that Pooh was just for kids and that he and co-directors Steve Anderson and Don Hall recently reviewed the original Walt Disney Pooh films, Winnie-the-Pooh and the Hunny Tree and Winnie-the-Pooh and the Blustery Day and how they found them just as charming and funny today as they did back then and it was there they found inspiration for the new film.
Thinkway Toys’ Toy Story Definitive Collection Vol 5: Lasseter Gets his Claws on Some LGMs
The fifth installment of the very popular video series from Disney Consumer Products has been released in which John Lasseter talks about some of the background on the Aliens from the Toy Story Definitive collectibles line from Thinkway Toys.
Check it out!
Here’s some of the features you’ll find with the Toy Story Definitive Collection Aliens:
* Highly detailed and completely in scale to Buzz Lightyear
* Each Alien has its own unique facial expression, three in each package
* Actual movie size of 5″
* Comes with Toy Story Collection Certificate of Authenticity
D23 Expo: Attendees (and John Lasseter) Create Massive LEGO Mural; Sneak Peeks at New Releases (Video)
The showpiece at the D23 Expo LEGO booth was definitely the 8×15 foot mosaic featuring a photo of Walt Disney and the D23 Expo official portrait by Tim Rogerson.
The mural, which consists of more than 150,000 1×1 bricks (in 19 colors), was assembled over 3 1/2 days by thousands of D23 Expo attendees. Each volunteer was handed a randomly chosen color-coded square to which the individual bricks were attached.
The incredibly popular LEGO mosaic creation was so fun that even Disney and Pixar Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter couldn’t wait to do his part.
Photo: John Lasseter Plays Game with The Princess and the Frog
Just a few days ago, Walt Disney Animation Studios Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter found some time to squeeze in a game of The Princess and the Frog for the Nintendo Wii while at Odeon Leicester Square in London. Due out in November, the game will also be available on the Nintendo DS. See here for more details on the upcoming release.
Thanks to Disney Interactive Studios for the photo.
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