Character Development

I think whenever looking behind the scenes of any animated film, my favorite part is seeing and admiring the character designs. Watching how they developed over the course of several ideas until the creators gave their approval over one particular design that became the basis for the character we know and love. Here is a link to blog that has an archive of production art and character designs for various animated films. For example, Johnston and Thomas (1981) discussed the development of The Rescuers using Orville the albatross. Orville’s function in the story is to serve as a vehicle for the two mice protagonists Bernard and Bianca by flying them from New York to a bayou somewhere in Louisiana. Ideas were considered that Orville be a common pigeon:

His most distinguishing business was that he would be catapulted off the ground instead of taking off under his own power. This was a novel idea, but it seems to inhibit the development of the character. Things were happening to him rather than having him make anything happen. (pp. 398-399)

Then the animators had leaned other bird species and took particular interest in the albatross. A bird beautifully coordinate and graceful in flight, clumsy and like a bowling ball on the ground and when they take off. They found the perfect basis for their character.

Link Maleficent, on the other hand, looked the same. Only more dour.

            Another example of developing a character is when Johnston and Thomas recalled the process in trying to pin the personalities of the three good fairies. They had always known Flora would be the self-appointed leader and thought to exemplify it by making her bossy, but the team considered whether this would make the relationship she has with the other two not a very good one as well as make her unlikable. To rectify this, the animators made Flora naturally aggressive; she would dominate without realizing she’s doing it and constantly full of ideas and plans of action.

            They knew Merryweather would serve as a natural foil to Flora, being the most impulsive of the three, the doer to Flora’s thinker. Whenever Flora comes up with a plan, Merryweather would point out the error. This is best represented in the dress and cake scenes in which the fairies plan to surprise Princess Aurora with fancy and a beautiful new dress for her birthday, which also marks the end of their guardianship of her. While Merryweather suggests that they use magic to create the gifts, she is more incredulous at the idea of making them by hand. It would look like a plot hole to most viewers trying to wrap their heads at how these three women survived and took care of their charge when their attempts at housework are disasterous. However, when you listen to her dialogue and understand her role as the foil and straight man imply the disaster was brought about by simply changing jobs. Merryweather said she never “baked a fancy cake,” pointed out that Fauna “never cooks,” and Flora’s never sewed. She knew trying to mix things up spelled recipe for disaster.

            Defining Fauna was most troubling for the animators as they wanted a personality that stood out against leader Flora and hot tempered Merryweather. They took inspiration from an old woman they met whilst taking a trip to Colorado:

She could be described as wispy, constantly smiling, twinkling-eyed, and almost unaware of what was going on about her. She loved everybody, thought beautiful thoughts, could scarcely conceive of wrongdoing, and delighted in spreading what she considered to be sunshine….She was supposed to read an inspirational poem at each meeting of her women’s club, but when she arrived and could not find her prepared selection – instead of being flustered, upset, embarrassed, or confused – she blithely pulled out something else, like a letter from her cousin in Indianapolis, and read it to the assembled ladies. (Johnston and Thomas, 1981, p. 403)

The creators had always intended Fauna to have a ditzy personality, but through this woman, they found a particular brand that made her distinct and endearing. Plus it offers many comedic possibilities, like classic gag of Fauna trying to bake a cake, stacking it before it’s baked and propping it to keep it standing, and futilely putting the candles back in their place all while happily going on how wonderful it will look once it is baked. 
Fauna became the ego to Merryweather’s Id and Flora’s Superego.

Historical Disney Princesses by Claire Hummel 

            Costume is just as instrumental in creating a personality: “In addition to the obvious eye appeal of the color and design, the specific articles that the character wears make him a specific individual. The animator can become excited by the possibilities for caricature and movement in the materials of a different kind of apparel, but, most of all, everyone is stimulated by the personality traits and cartoons business now that the character is becoming so definite” (Johnston and Thomas, 1981, p. 415).

Works Cited

Johnston, O., & Thomas F. (1981). The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation. New York: Disney Editions.