Alma, a short animated jewel directed...by a Pixar animator !

This week-end i have a animation jewel for you. The animation of this short animated movie called "Alma" is just as good as Pixar's shorts and, although it was not produced by Pixar, there is a good reason for that as Rodrigo Blaas IS animator at Pixar Animation Studios! Back in 2009 Lee Unkrich, Toy Story 3 director, was telling to everyone all the good things he thought about "Alma" which tells the story of a little girl attracted by a puppet she see in the window of a toy store, for reasons you will discover, no spoiler.

For Rodrigo Blaas "Alma" was a private animation project done in Spain with his brother Alfonso and other friends. Since 2009 the movie had screenings in many films festivals around the world, won many awards, and almost won the "Goya" - Spain Academy awards - of best animated short this year. Some of you will probably think that the story line and atmosphere of this short animated - with its Art Nouveau and expressionist style - is not that far from Tim Burton's universe and it's not totally wrong but, for me, "Alma" is closer to the Twilight Zone stories. It last less than 5 minutes so you don't have any good alibi to don't watch this little jewel! Go ahead!

Alma from Rodrigo Blaas on Vimeo.

Picture and video: copyright Rodrigo Blaas

New Toy Story Playland Videos

Today, new videos of Toy Story Playland! DLP Toy Story Playland press event happened on September 4th and the first video below is an official video released by DLP which include on-ride clips.


Cérémonie d'ouverture de Toy Story Playland
envoyé par dlrpexpress. - L'info video en direct.

This next official video is really interesting as it shows the making of the new land by DLP Imagineers.



Filmed by the excellent DLP Info web site, you'll see on the next video Toy Story Playland with its night lighting as designed by the Imagineers. Don't miss the changing lights on Parachute Drop!



In a previous D&M article i've told you about the "Ratatouille road" located on the right of Toy Story Playland. This last video was filmed on a rainy day by photosmagiques.com and will show you more about this little Parisian street.



Picture: copyright Disney and more

Videos: copyright Disney, DLP Info, Photomagiques

Tokyo Disney Sea 9th Anniversary Tribute

It's Tokyo Disney Sea 9th Anniversary, and to celebrate this event here is a great collection of Tokyo Disney Sea artwork, a tribute to the most beautiful Disney theme park WDI Imagineers ever built.

From opening day, the park has been acclaimed and for a lot of good reasons: the theming is stunning, the story line of each land and the E Tickets are great and i've been told that, for once, WDI Imagineers were asked to add more details instead to have major budget cuts.

I was invited at the grand opening and i still remember someone from the press office telling me: "you know, Alain i don't think we will see again a park like this one before a loooong time". Unfortunately, until now, he was pretty right but if Disney execs have understood the mistakes done at the end of Eisner's era, hopefully we will see another park as beautiful as this one in the future.

Anyway, lt's begin this TDS artwork tribute, beginning by a bird eye view rendering of the whole park, the renderings of Mysterious Island, a pure dream come true for any Jules Verne lover. Also below and from the top:
Rendering of the big ocean ball at the entrance
A rendering of Renaissance fortress and Mysterious island
Rendering of the inside of Mysterious island
A close shot of the inside of Mysterious island
A rendering of the boarding room of the 20000 leagues under the sea attraction
A scene of the 20000 leagues under the sea attraction
Another scene of the 20000 leagues under the sea attraction
A concept-art for the submarines vehicles of the 20000 leagues under the sea attraction
Another concept art for the inside of the submarines vehicles of the 20000 leagues under the sea attraction
A concept art for the steamer boats of the park
A rendering for a scene of the Journey to the center of the earth attraction


As always, click on each picture to see them in bigger size.























Part two of this Tokyo Disney Sea artwork is about the Little Mermaid lagoon, Arabian coast and Lost river delta, including the Indiana Jones adventure.

From the top:
Rendering of the outside coaster of the Little Mermaid lagoon
Rendering of the inside of the Little Mermaid lagoon
Rendering of the outside decor of the Little Mermaid lagoon
Rendering of the Little Mermaid lagoon's restaurant
Rendering of the Arabian coast
Rendering of the inside decor of the Arabian coast
Rendering of the preshow area of Arabian coast magic show
Rendering of the Arabian coast magic show
Rendering of the Indiana Jones adventure pyramid
Rendering of the Lost river delta entrance
Rendering of a scene of the Indiana Jones adventure attraction
Rendering of the Raging spirits attraction
Rendering of another area of Lost river delta



























Part three is about Port Discovery, Mediterranean Harbour and American Waterfront.

From the top:
Bird view rendering of Port Discovery
Rendering of the restaurant area and Tram station of Port Discovery
Rendering of the entrance of Storm rider
Rendering of the Mediterranean Harbour
Sketch for the Venitian gondolas
Rendering of American Waterfront
Rendering of the "Encore" show in the Broadway theatre
Rendering of the Tower of Terror
Sketch of Cape Cod Waterfront
Rendering of the New York harbour
Rendering of the s.s Columbia























Let's end with more artwork and some of them are in "panoramic" size, so double-click on each to enjoy them in big size. Let's begin by the entrance and Mediterranean Harbor and let's have a look to some renderings which served as inspiration for this land. The one below was inspired by the Toscana region, in Italy.



This next one was of course inspired by the famous italian Portofino village.



The artwork below was indeed inspired by Venezia, the city of the Doges!



Here is an artwork inspired by the city of Firenze , and used for the TDS Miracosta hotel.



A great artwork of the beautiful Arabian coast.



Another one, great too, for Lost River Delta.



Here is rendering showing Port Discovery and the Storm Rider entrance.



Let's end by another rare rendering showing the Cape Cod area.



Hope you've enjoyed this Tokyo Disney Sea tribute!

All artwork: copyright Oriental Land Co - Disney - Walt Disney Imagineering