LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Encanto is a film where magic meets reality and brings to life the concept of magical realism.
“I think that our job as a film studio is to help open up the eyes of the world to see the world differently,” Michael Woodside, a Disney animation supervisor on the movie said.
Woodside is a Brevard native and spoke to News 6 via zoom about the impact of the new animated film being released on Nov. 24.
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“My job is to help supervise the motions of the characters--the emotions of the characters, how they move and how they think and act,” Woodside said.
Encanto tells the story of the Madrigal family, who lives in a magical home and each member has been blessed with a special power tied to their personality but it also focuses on the essence of the Hispanic and Latino communities.
“Family is at the core of this film and it always was from the very beginning,” Clark Spencer, a producer of the film said. “knowing what an important part that is within the culture of Latin America and obviously within the country of Colombia.”
The film also gives a look into typical foods, music, and the importance of dancing within the Colombian culture. To capture the authenticity of the dance moves, Kai Martínez, an animation reference consultant of Colombian heritage, was brought in.
“We wanted to take as much of every region; showcase the diversity of Colombia, music, and dance,” Martínez said. “I did a lot of research and outside of my own experience with Colombian dance and culture. We went in-- we had a group of LatinX dancers as well, some from Colombia and other parts of Latin America.”
A film Woodside said he’s proud to be a part of because it represents a different part of South America--one rarely seen on the big screen.
“It’s an important, just personal thing for me to be able to invest fully in making sure that somebody feels that they’re represented well,” Woodside said. “I know in the past there’s been a pretty singular representation of a place like Colombia, and I know that I’m excited to be able to help bring a story that is just about family and hope and color.”
Woodside is also excited to see the fruits of his dream job with Walt Disney Animation Studios. In 2008, he left his hometown in Brevard County after college to pursue his passion for drawing.
While growing up in Central Florida his parents would regularly take him and his brothers to Disney World where he’d be mesmerized by artists during animation tours at Hollywood Studios.
“I remember being a kid and standing at that window looking through the glass and, like, ‘I wanna do that one day.’ And now I have an opportunity to be on the other side of the glass,” Woodside recalled. “I feel like I’m never gonna forget that little kid who’s standing outside just dreaming of going in.”