Disney and Pixar have created imaginative "what if" stories, such as the "world of toys" in "Toy Story," the "world of monsters" in "Monsters, Inc.", the "world inside our heads" in "Inside Out," and the "world of the dead" in "Coco." Their latest animated film, "Hoppers" (directed by Daniel Chung, released March 13th), depicts a unique world where we could become residents of a world of animals. Director Chung confidently states, "I wanted to make a film that would be funny from start to finish. Pete Docter of "Inside Out" and Andrew Stanton of "Finding Nemo" both gave me their stamp of approval, saying that this story is so funny that it should be made into a movie."
◇Establishing a unique comedic tone early in production
"When I Became a Beaver" tells the story of Mabel, an animal-loving college student who learns that the forest she holds dear will be destroyed by a highway project. In order to protect this precious place, she uses secret technology to transform into the appearance of a beaver and devises a plan to protect the animals and the forest.
Director Chung, who served as a storyboard artist for "Inside Out" (2015), was inspired by Studio Ghibli's "Pom Poko" (1994, directed by Isao Takahata) and thoroughly researched the beaver ecosystem to produce this film. In the Japanese version, actor Kyoko Yoshine will play Mabel, Kote Shinya will play the beaver king, King George, and Miyata Toshiya of the popular group Kis-My-Ft2 will voice Loaf, a "soothing beaver who is so laid-back he often gets eaten."
Director Chung is one of the talented creators who has been at the forefront of storytelling. His work has been highly praised, and Pete Docter, director of "Inside Out" and current Chief Creative Officer at Pixar, asked him to take on the role of director, leading to his selection for this film.
Director Chung revealed about the production of this film, "What always guided us was comedy and characters. That's what we focused most on. We knew that was our team's strength, so we established a unique comedic tone with fun and charming characters early on in production."
Producer Nicole Paradis Grindle also spoke of her commitment to this film, saying, "A story in which characters are constantly arguing wouldn't work unless it was entertaining. We've included emotional expression and plenty of action, and there's a thrilling twist towards the end, but the key to the story from the start was humor. Comedy is what draws people into the world of the story." She added that she poured her energy into incorporating comedy and humor into the film.
