Several years have passed since the success of the first part of Frozen , during which the film has become one of the symbols of animation as we know it today. Hearts especially won the snowman Olaf, whose story was finally decided to complement in a new short film.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been seven years since we first heard “I have this power” sung by Elsa on the screen. Since then, the story of the Arendelle sisters has become so popular that today it is a kind of symbol of these new, contemporary Mickey Mouse animations. Along with such hits as Tangled (2010) or The Big Six (2014), Frozen (2013) represents a new era of children’s films. The stories are much more complicated, the characters are multidimensional and struggle with problems close to the recipient, and the worlds presented create a background that we love almost as much as the main plot line.
Not resting on its laurels, after 2013, Walt Disney Studios released two short films, Ice Rush (2015) and Frozen. Olaf’s Adventure (2017) so that fans do not miss their beloved characters too much while waiting for the second full-length part of the production, Frozen II (2019). Without ceasing to explore the universe, it was decided to release another short animation focusing on Olaf: Once Upon a Snowman .
The Disney + platform brought amazing opportunities to the studio, also on the level of the plot development of the previously created worlds. Trent Correy, responsible for animating the snowman character, says:
I started out as a crowd draftsman and suddenly became responsible for Olaf during the first Frozen. I was lucky to be able to do this until the end of production. I clearly remember Chad Sellers’ work on I Have The Power when I was still studying. Elsa creates Olaf, and it’s beautiful, but then she just walks away. It creates life and just keeps going. I’ve always been sure there has to be a story, there has to be more.
The short film is to tell what happened with Olaf from the moment he was created by Elsa until his meeting with Anna, Kristoff and Sven. Correy adds:
I’ve always wanted to see what Olaf’s first steps looked like, and we don’t see them for the next 20 minutes of the movie yet. Last week I found original sketches, back from 2013, ideas and drawings for a portrayal of how Olaf comes to life and discovers who he is. When Jennifer Lee, our fearless leader, announced last year that we were starting a partnership with Disney +, I realized that this was an opportunity to show this part of the story.
Olaf is, in a way, a unique character. It has something of Mushu ( Mulan , 1998), Sebastian ( Mała Syrenka , 1989) or Szczerbatka ( Jak train a dragon , 2010), but it is more recognizable and, above all, more extensive. He has become an icon of pop culture, a symbol loved by young and old. Becky Bresee on the entertainment team says:
You could say that Olaf has this almost overwhelming optimism and sincerity, such sheer cordiality. And it just never gets boring. It’s something that we all look for and need, though sometimes we miss it. And that’s when we look at Olaf, who is always ready to charge us with his infinite charm and optimism. It’s very inspiring.
On the same subject, Correy adds:
From my point of view, as one of the animators, I know that we love drawing Olaf because he can convey a very wide range of emotions. As Becky mentioned, she has a strong bond with her sisters, but is also very comical to keep falling apart like that.
Once Upon a Snowman will be released on Disney + on Friday 23 October 2020.
