Disney Case Study - Frozen

Disney's latest animated adventure 'Frozen' is inspired by the much loved tale 'The Snow Queen' by Hans Christen Andersen. The film portrays the relationship of two princesses - one with magical ice powers, one without. After revealing her powers to her people by accident, princess Elsa flees in shame - unaware that her emotions have unleashed an eternal winter on her kingdom. It is up to her sister Anna to find her and stop the plight of the villagers.

Hans Christen Andersen's classic children's tale has been revamped; the classic German fairy story altered for an American audience, complete with a more elegant choice of names: (Gurda, Bulda and Kai become Anna, Elsa and Kristoff).

Production Companies: 

Walt Disney Animation Studios
Walt Disney Pictures

Producers:

John Lasseter
Peter Del Vecho

Distributors: 

B&H Distribution
Feelgood Entertainment
Legend Cinemas
Forum Hungary
United International Pictures
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Walt Disney Studios Japan
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Finland
Zon Audiovisuais

Directors:

Chris Buck
Jennifer Lee

Writers:

Jennifer Lee
Shane Morris
Chris Buck
Hans Christen Andersen (fairy tale)
Dean Wellins

Box Office

Budget:

 $150,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

 $67,391,326 (USA) (29 November 2013)

Gross:

 $399,877,967 (USA) (18 April 2014)

Frozen is the highest grossing animated film ever created.

Several Easter Eggs were placed throughout the film for the audience to find, such as Vanellope's car from 'Wreck It Ralph' and Rapunzel and Eugene from 'Tangled', as well as an anagram using the character's names: 'Hans' 'Kristoff' 'Anna' 'Sven' - Hans Christen Anderson, and published these online to attract a wider audience.

The Nintendo DS game was released in November 2013, before the film was released in the USA. The price is considerably less before the film comes out and the company knows it will be a success, after which the price goes up depending on the reception of the animation by the audience.

Disney and Frozen websites allowed access to trailers, cast interviews, character interviews, games, sneak previews, and songs. The songs 'Let It Go' and 'Do you wanna build a snowman?' were released before the film came out along with the piece of animation that goes with it. These were then available to purchase on iTunes as well as being promoted on Facebook walls and other social networks.

My Film Opening

Inspired by other films in the Pastiche genre, I plan to create a film opening that both conforms to the conventions of the title, and has some unconventional aspects to it.

I want to show the teen film genre convention of 'friendship and unity'. The characters will be to some extent a team and work together from the start to show they are for the same cause. I plan to base the focus of the film around one significant object - probably a book. In this genre there is often an object of great power, e.g. the one ring in the lord of the rings. The book will have a similar power and value, but by having young people fighting for it I intend to almost mock the fellowship that fights for the ring. In this way my film opening will have a slightly juvenile feel due to the fact that teenagers are in a laughably serious setting. There will be a chase scene, as this is a strict convention from which I refuse to break. It shows both the power of the object and the determination of the characters and a multitude of shots can be used so I intend to include one.

Editorial Business

Today, after extensive trial and error where slow motion is concerned, I have edited 1 minute and 48 seconds of film.
Several shots have gone unused and have been harvested of usable sections of footage, but I believe those I have used I have managed to arrange in a way that complies to the laws of continuity and displays a variety of techniques.