- 8 hours ago
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00O.M.G.
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:07And today, we're counting down our picks
00:09for the top 10 behind-the-scenes facts about Turning Red.
00:17For this list, we'll be looking at the most interesting details
00:20surrounding Pixar's latest release.
00:22What's your favorite thing about Turning Red?
00:25Let us know in the comments below.
00:27Number 10. The fourth wall is broken.
00:31I wear what I want, say what I want,
00:33and I will not hesitate to do a spontaneous cartwheel if I feel so moved.
00:38From Ferris Bueller to Deadpool,
00:40there are plenty of great examples of movie characters
00:43breaking that fourth wall and talking to the viewers.
00:46Oh! Oh, hello! I know, right?
00:51However, until Mei-Lin, Mei-Lee in Turning Red,
00:54it had never really happened in a Pixar movie.
00:56I'm Mei-Lin Lee, and ever since I turned 13,
00:59I've been doing my own thing, making my own moves.
01:0224-7, 365!
01:04We're not talking about subtle glances, narration,
01:07or those funny animated bloopers.
01:09We mean having the character look straight at the camera
01:12and bluntly address the viewers during the story.
01:15Mei does just that towards the start of the film,
01:18letting us all know what she's about
01:20and making it clear that we're in for a truly special ride.
01:24Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
01:25Oh, about the rehearsal.
01:26Am I right?
01:27Number 9.
01:29Turning Red isn't director Domishi's first Pixar project.
01:33People who went to see Incredibles 2 in 2018
01:36were also treated to a Pixar short called Bao.
01:39It follows a Chinese Canadian mother
01:41who cares for a steamed bao bun that comes to life.
01:45And the story's heartwarming message touched hearts everywhere.
01:49Ha, ha, ha, ha.
01:51Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
01:54Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
02:04She had been working at Pixar for years as a storyboard artist,
02:07but Bao was her first time at the helm in such a big way.
02:11Normally I'm a story artist.
02:13I was storyboarding Bao for probably a year by myself.
02:18She wrote and directed the approximately eight-minute-long work,
02:21which showcased her talents and left people wanting more.
02:25It was very well-received, even earning the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film at the 91st Academy Awards.
02:32Clearly, this marked the start of something beautiful.
02:35Being able to finally share Turning Red with the world
02:38reminds me that if you stay true to who you are,
02:41you'll find yourself in a place that feels more than right.
02:44Number eight, Red Pandas reign supreme.
02:47Any strong emotion will release the panda.
02:50Abby, hit me.
02:51Did you know that when Red Pandas get spooked and want to protect themselves,
02:55they tend to stand on their hind legs and put their hands up?
02:58Rumor has it that this surprising fact informed May's furry transformation.
03:03Are you a werewolf?
03:04No!
03:05What?
03:06He's a Red Panda!
03:07Sick.
03:08You're so fluffy!
03:09You're so fluffy!
03:10I've always wanted a tail.
03:11Apparently, it was incorporated into the film, with the protagonist putting her hands up when she's scared.
03:17But that definitely isn't the only ode to the adorable animals that you'll find in the movie.
03:22In fact, there are panda-inspired elements everywhere, with things like signs and statues taking cues from and referencing the creatures.
03:30Our ancestors had a mystical connection with Red Pandas.
03:34Are you kidding me?!
03:35This little quirk brought us in our family!
03:38We can always trust Pixar to run with a theme, and Turning Red is no exception.
03:43Number seven, music plays a big role.
03:46The glue that holds these characters together in Turning Red is this boy band called...
03:51Fortown!
03:52Yes!
03:53Fortown!
03:54I've never met nobody
03:56Turning Red paints a picture of what it was like growing up in the early 2000s.
04:01That means having the music and boy bands to match.
04:05Tell me why it ain't nothing but a part
04:09Tell me why
04:11So production enlisted modern-day icons Billie Eilish and Phineas O'Connell to help create the perfect soundtrack.
04:18The powerhouse sibling duo have talked about the impact Pixar films had on their lives.
04:23So it's only fitting that they wrote some songs for this one.
04:26You wanted it, you went for it, you know it's us, yeah, yeah, yeah.
04:32One that's more of a love ballad.
04:34Mon amour.
04:35And the team did not phone it in when crafting the very important fictional band Fortown, either.
04:40You never know on my mind, oh my, oh my
04:45O'Connell is actually one of the members.
04:47And another is voiced by none other than Jordan Fisher.
04:51The music is sure to elicit strong feelings of nostalgia for those who grew up in the early aughts.
05:01Number 6.
05:02The movie is set in Toronto.
05:04As Canadians ourselves, we can't tell you what it means to see Timbits in a major motion picture.
05:09Breakfast is ready.
05:10Mmm.
05:11No sugar.
05:12Director Domi Shi was born in China, but she moved to Canada at a young age and her family
05:17ultimately chose Toronto as their home.
05:19The goal is to have it be based in personal experience and I don't know if Domi has come clean,
05:24but it's a little autobiographical, this story.
05:27The inspiration behind Turning Red comes from my own life growing up as a dorky Chinese-Canadian
05:32girl in Toronto, Canada.
05:34Her upbringing seemingly influences much of her work, which explains why Turning Red is set
05:39in her hometown.
05:40I'm officially a grown-up, at least according to the Toronto Transit Commission.
05:45After all, it's where she grew up and where she had many of the experiences that inspired
05:50the movie.
05:51If you've never been, the film will undoubtedly pique your interest.
05:54But for inhabitants of the city, the location is sure to make the viewing experience extra
05:59personal, as they'll see their home on screen.
06:02What result is a hilarious and heartwarming adventure that will take audiences all over
06:07Toronto, from Chinatown to the Sky Dome, or as you now know it, the Rogers Centre.
06:12They say you should write what you know, and that's exactly what she did.
06:16Save for the becoming a panda part, of course.
06:19That makes you larger, that makes you larger than life.
06:30Number 5.
06:31May Lee's glasses are groundbreaking.
06:34Let the fun begin.
06:37This movie features a number of firsts for Pixar, one of which involves May and her glasses.
06:43I know.
06:44It's a lot.
06:45But I don't got time to mess around.
06:47Turning Red is reportedly only the third feature film from Pixar, not Disney Animation,
06:53to feature a protagonist who wears glasses.
06:56The previous two were Up and Soul.
06:58However, May differs from Carl Fredrickson and Joe Gardner in the fact that she's a girl.
07:03Of course, there are other notable cases to be cited, like sadness in Inside Out and Edna Mode in The Incredibles.
07:10So, you want me to just stand here?
07:13Hey, it's not my place to tell you how to do your job.
07:15But they're arguably not the main characters.
07:18It may seem like a relatively minor thing, but there's no doubt that seeing May rock her glasses will help a lot of self-conscious tweens and teens out there feel more confident.
07:28My whole life I've been perfect little Maymay.
07:31But maybe I like this new me.
07:34Number 4.
07:35The colors hold deep meaning.
07:37I'm a gross red monster!
07:41Don't look at me!
07:43Stay back!
07:44This happened already?
07:45What did you say?
07:47Obviously, the panda is red, but the importance of color in the film goes a lot deeper than that.
07:53As production designer Rona Liu tells it, May was their starting point.
07:57Once it was established that her overall color palette would be red, the rest came relatively naturally.
08:03We can notably see the thoughtful choices at play in the mother-daughter relationship that's at the heart of the film.
08:09Do you know how dangerous this is?
08:10Mom!
08:11Just trust me on this!
08:12My whole life I've been perfect little Maymay!
08:15People have all kinds of sights about May.
08:19Liu explained that they reflect the tension between May and her mom Ming visually by putting the latter character in a diametrically opposed hue, Emerald Green.
08:29Check it out!
08:30Today, honor student?
08:31Tomorrow, UN Secretary General!
08:33It's interesting to note that our young protagonist's room is also predominantly green, further amplifying the ways in which her mother has molded her world.
08:42I'm calm.
08:44Sun.
08:50Yes!
08:52No!
08:53Number 3.
08:54Rosalie Chang wasn't supposed to be the final voice of May Lee.
08:58Because the process takes so long to complete, animated movies often bring in a temporary actor to voice a lead until they cast the part.
09:07Usually, the roles ultimately go to big names.
09:10In the case of Turning Red, that temporary voice actor was Rosalie Chang herself, who ended up voicing the lead.
09:17I literally came of age while recording for this film.
09:22And I think just being super messy, making mistakes, having all these imperfections, trying my best to embrace the red panda, I think I was able to empathize with May and realize, huh, we're not that different.
09:41But she was a hit, with people praising how she brought May to life. Plus, the crew loved her.
09:47While I may not turn into a giant red panda, when I get excited, like my character May Lynn, probably a good thing because I am so excited to be here.
09:56We do share a lot in common.
09:58Producer Lindsey Collins said that, all things considered, casting her ended up being, quote, a natural choice.
10:04In other words, Chang was irreplaceable.
10:07This is gonna be the best year ever!
10:10If nothing's gonna get in my way.
10:12That's right!
10:13Number 2.
10:15May Lee knows about Toy Story.
10:17I'm gonna let go, and you're gonna be chill.
10:20Got that?
10:22Chill.
10:23As you now know, Turning Red takes place in the early 2000s.
10:27Well, Pixar's first Toy Story movie came out in 1995.
10:31Buzz Lightyear!
10:32The world's greatest superhero now!
10:35The world's greatest toy!
10:37So the question on everyone's mind is, do May and her friends know about Woody and the gang?
10:42According to director Domi Shi, the answer is yes.
10:46The film does indeed take place within the Toy Story universe.
10:50So there is a Lightyear Easter egg or two in there.
10:54Um, I'm gonna say yes.
10:55They do know about Toy Story, which is very, like, meta and weird to say.
11:00It is weird, right?
11:01It is meta and weird.
11:02We are in the same universe.
11:03I'm just gonna make that canon right now.
11:05She even admits to including a few relevant Pixar Easter eggs, including one for the studio's next film, Lightyear.
11:13Hello, Buzz!
11:14The only thing we need to know now is whether May is more of a Woody or Buzz Girl.
11:19Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
11:25You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
11:30If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
11:35Number one.
11:36The film was made by Pixar's first woman-led team.
11:40Of all the turning red firsts, this is the most significant.
11:44They were just given a lot of room and a lot of support to tell Domi's story.
11:48And that's what I think is also so fantastic.
11:50You know, it's an all-female-led team.
11:52I mean, I think Domi might be the first female director for a Pixar movie.
11:57Domi Shi is the first woman and first woman of color to direct a Pixar feature-length film on her own.
12:03Brenda Chapman's work on Brave only earned her a co-directing credit.
12:07While that is a huge accomplishment, it was definitely time for a woman to captain a project all the way through by herself.
12:15My friends, my colleagues, my community.
12:18They've helped fuel my drive and given me more than I need to take on an ever-changing life.
12:23And Turning Red features an amazing female first beyond just she herself.
12:28It's also the first Pixar movie to have a female-led creative team.
12:32Women that have inspired me in my job are actually women that I'm working with all the time at Pixar.
12:39I feel like I'm surrounded by these incredibly impressive women.
12:43This fostered an open and supportive culture where the women felt understood while discussing their own experiences,
12:50thus helping to authentically build May's world.
12:53That is some serious girl power.
12:55I'm a freak.
12:56We love you, May.
12:57You're our girl.
13:00Do you agree with our picks?
13:01Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
13:04And be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
Be the first to comment