From Vienna to LA

I am still recovering from one of the most amazing days during production of MUSHKA. We recorded the film's score last Wednesday over Zoom with the outstanding Synchron Stage Vienna Orchestra. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLAuwkMwRqU

This is what we saw from Vienna on our monitor. The recording mixers, The orchestra (60 musicians) and the conductor.

When Richard Sherman joined us at around 11am the whole orchestra gave him this huge ovation! Did I tear up? Of course I did. Especially when he blew a kiss to the orchestra. 

That's our composer, the magnificent Fabrizio Mancinelli, who is also a good friend of Richard's. 

This pic includes Marco Valerio Antonini, the score's orchestrator. He wrote the sheet music for every single instrument in the orchestra.

And this is conductor Bernhard Melbye Voss. He was  professional, but also enthusiastic. He mentioned on a couple of occasions how much he liked the score. Fabrizio and Marco would give him notes on certain musical passages, and he just answered: "Gut!" And went on to get those adjustments from the orchestra perfectly.

A truly magical day I will remember for the rest of my life.

Imagine the score as a mix of John Williams and the Sherman Brothers...because that's what you are going to get!

The Bare Necessities

 

This is a beautiful scene of Mowgli animated by Ollie Johnston. 

The boy and the bear have bonded by now, and Mowgli is singing along with Baloo about "The Bear Necessities" as the two of them float down a river. 

No live action reference here, this is all Ollie. To me it is one of those scenes that seems detached from the animator. It looks and feels so natural and in character, you might think Mowgli is acting on his own. No animator attached. The ultimate accomplishment, real life on the screen.

Mowgli sings: "With just the bare necessities of life." Ollie chose the word LIFE as the main accent for his animation. So beautiful and personal.

Visit the Jungle Book Exhibition !

 

...you just might run into Milt Kahl's daughter Sybil (center) and her group of friends. I understand a good time was had by all. As King Louie says: "Have a banana!"

"Where is Mowgli ?"

 

This is easily one of Milt Kahl's best scenes in the Jungle Book. Bagheera heard Baloo calling for him, so he runs toward where the bear's voice was coming from. He is less concerned with Baloo and more worried about Mowgli. 

The first part of the scene is missing here, when the panther steps on the bear. I just love the way Bagheera repositions himself to look for Mowgli in a different direction. Then back to Baloo for further questions about the boy's whereabouts. 

Those are complex, analytical drawings during the transitional motion from right to left and back. It would be just about impossible to draw those positions beautifully, but Milt pulls it off, needless to say. And he maintains a super simplicity in defining the panther's body. Always just a few lines, big cat anatomy boiled down to an essence.

The way Bagheera shakes Baloo's head in frustration at the end is such a human gesture. Done by a lesser animator this could look awful. Great squash and stretch on Baloo's neck!

The whole scene is a joy to watch and to analyze.