BAMBI II comes to DVD (Walt Disney Home Ent., $29.99) on Feb. 7, 2006, after four-year journey. Unlike other direct-to-DVD sequels, this one takes place during the original timeframe of the 42 masterpiece. It concerns the tender relationship between Bambi (voiced by Alexander Gould of FINDING NEMO) and his father, The Great Prince of the Forest (Patrick Stewart), following the death of his mother.
Produced by DisneyToon Studios, production began in Glendale and then was handed over to Walt Disney Animation in Australia for layout, animation and color. Post was done in Glendale.
Production in Australia occurred over a 16-month period with a crew of 250. In recreating the look and feel of the original (particularly Tyrus Wongs pastel background pieces), the animators relied on Corel Painter digital painting software. This allowed them to get blends and diffusions and bleeds of color, according to art director Carol Kieffer Police. Moreover, the computers even allowed artists to occasionally incorporate actual backgrounds from the original into the sequel.
As far as animating the antlers of The Great Prince, which stymied even the original Disney animators, they made the deer itself in 2D and then had a separate 3D animator make a computer model of the antlers, which was later scanned and added to the Great Princes head.
BAMBI II was directed by Brian Pimental (whose writing and storyboard credits include TARZAN and A GOOFY MOVIE) and produced by Jim Ballantine (RAYMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES and THE REN & STIMPY SHOW). Veteran Disney animator Andreas Deja served as consultant.
Bonus features include:
* The Legacy Continues: Making-of featurette with director Pimental and the voice talent.* Disney Sketch Pad: Learn how to draw Thumper with Deja.* DVD-ROM: Disney Sketch Pad Printables: Print out modeling sheets that can show how to draw Thumper in eight easy steps. A coloring page can also be printed so kids can color in a full background for their very own Thumper.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
