Disney movies are known for their high-quality animation. Pixar films even more so. However, the animation in Raya and The Last Dragon is truly spectacular. What is even more amazing about this animation is that a large majority of the animation was done at home during a pandemic.
Featuring Kelly Marie Tran as the voice of Raya and Awkwafina as the voice of Sisu, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Raya and the Last Dragon hit theaters and Disney+ with Premier Access on March 5, 2021. Raya and the Last Dragon is an epic action and adventure fantasy where humans and dragons lived together long ago in harmony. The dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. 500 years later, when the threat reappears, Raya goes on an adventure to track down the last dragon.
Big-budget Disney films are usually created in Disney Studio offices. This time, due to the global pandemic, the studios that usually house the Disney Animation teams were evacuated. Like most of us in 2020, the team worked from home to create this film. A crew of about 400 people animating and doing all of their production from home. Even the voice acting was done at home with the cast converting their closets and small spaces into impromptu recording spaces.
During a virtual press tour for the film, directors Don Hall and Carlos Lopez Estrada explained how the production design team and the cinematography team did really amazing work by bringing all these environments to life and in such a rich and cinematic way. They worked closely with The South East Asian Story Trust, a group of people from the region that the production team assembled when they went on the research trip for the film. The Trust included architects, anthropologists, musicians, sociologists who work with them from day one to ensure that what we see on screen is well crafted inside and out.
Most of the film takes place outdoors. The landscapes that the team created look so real at some points that it’s hard to believe that it’s animation. The water scenes are the most impressive. The way they are able to recreate the way water moves and gathers is something that will make you want to hit pause and re-watch. It is beautifully crafted art. Special things you may want to pay attention to are the way fur and hair move. It’s incredibly realistic. There are even moments where the ground looks so real you can almost feel the dirt.
From the landscapes to the textures of the character’s clothing, every detail of this film is gorgeous. Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Raya and the Last Dragon will be in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access on March 5, 2021.
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