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Clouds: The Legacies We Choose

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Our time on this earth is limited. It’s a reality that finds all of us, no matter how far we push it to the back of our minds. We face the immeasurable grief of loss throughout our lives in seasons, and each time are reminded that there will be a day when others will mourn for us as we mourn now. Death is the universal equalizer – not one of us will escape.

I realize I may sound harsh and morbid, but after watching Clouds, now streaming on Disney+, it seems only fair that I face my own mortality. If Zach Sobiech (played by Fin Argus) did so with such grace and openness, then I owe it to myself and others to explore just how easily his story could be mine.

I was unfamiliar with the Zach Sobiech story until watching this film based on Laura Sobiech’s book “Fly a Little Higher.” A senior in high school with a terminal form of osteosarcoma, Zach is faced with the responsibility of knowing his remaining time is limited, and deciding what to do with it. As his parents Laura and Rob (Neve Campbell and Tom Everett Scott respectively), family, best friend Sammy (Sabrina Carpenter) and girlfriend Amy (Madison Iseman) process the news in their own ways, Zach sets out on his own path to coping. Complete with the brutal punches of reality and gried, Zach’s final months are also filled with laughter, quality time, and music. Especially music. Together Zach and Sammy form a band, A Firm Handshake, and before they know it are going viral online. News channels are picking up the story, local radio is playing their hit song “Clouds,” and they are even signed to record an album. As their music gains momentum and attention, Zach’s health deteriorates. 

I typically shy away from these kind of stories. I’m a mom of four, and I’ve watched friends and family say goodbye to their children – so I can’t handle it in movies. I also tend to find movies like this to be emotionally cheap in that they wreck your feelings but also leave you feeling empty. Clouds is not like that. It is compelling, well-written, engaging, and genuine. Fin Argus’ performance is a beautiful combination of the freedom that comes with being young with the overwhelming pressure to be strong for others – a burden that pulls down even the most mature of adults. I was so engaged with the story that at times I forgot I was watching a movie. It has left a lesson and impression on my heart that continues to linger. 

Zach faced a choice that no one should ever need to consider: the choice of how he wanted to live knowing at any point, tomorrow could be taken away. He had every right to choose anger. He had every right to choose depression. No matter what he chose, he would have had cause. But Zach chose to love. Zach chose to live.

Music is one of those things that transcends time. Even as styles and trends change, music journeys across generations and languages. Zach’s letters to those he was leaving behind went beyond paper and envelopes. His lyrics and music became pieces of himself, imprinted not only on those closest to him, but on people all over the world. Even as he passed, he lived. And the part of his heart left here is timeless. May we all live our lives in such a way that we “don’t wait until we are dying to begin living,” and that our legacies are ones of love.

And we start today.

Clouds is now streaming on Disney+

Alice in Wonderland: Finding Reason in Madness #TBT

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I’ll be perfectly honest with you. These last few weeks, or even months, have been challenging for me mentally, as I am sure they may have been for many of you. There seems to be so much pointlessness in the world. A virus that ravages the world without reason or discrimination. A seemingly pointless death coming on the back of so many other seemingly pointless deaths. Rioting that has led to what feels like pointless looting and destruction, of lives as well as property. When I came to work the other day, I find boards put up over the windows and massive wooden doors installed to lock over the automatic glass ones, as a precaution they say, and I struggle to find sense in it all. Everywhere I turn, there is a new madness in front of me, I feel.

I suspect Alice could relate… eventually. At first, the heroine of these 1951 Disney picture daydreams about a place where nothing makes sense. “In my world, everything would be nonsense,” she tells her already confused cat, Dinah, and that is what she longs for. For her, normal has become boring. She’d much rather the flowers and birds start talking to her than doing her schoolwork with her sister in the garden. So, when a White Rabbit runs by wearing a waistcoat and a watch and in an awful hurry, Alice dismisses her own forebodings (“Curiosity often leads to trouble”) and follows down his rabbit hole and into the curious world of Wonderland.

Immediately, nothing makes any sense whatsoever. Things that should be right side up are upside down, hallways get smaller and smaller, and doors are locked, and the key doesn’t appear until it is out of reach. Alice quickly finds herself bewildered and out of sorts. The locals are not much help either. They are more likely to exasperate you with pointless stories and inane ramblings.

Admittedly, the story of the Walrus and the Carpenter, as told by the twins Tweedledee and Tweedledum, is the best segment in the movie, but their advice upon meeting Alice seems less than helpful: “How do ya do and shake hands, shake hands, shake hands. How do ya do and shake hands and state your name and business. That’s manners!”

When she asks the grinning Cheshire Cat for directions, he answers, “Well that depends on where you want to get to.” Alice replies that it doesn’t really matter, so the Cat tells her “Then it really doesn’t matter which way you go.” Pointless, right? When the Mad Hatter and his equally mad companion, the March Hare, while hosting a surprisingly entertaining tea party, offer Alice some more tea, she points out that she hasn’t had any tea yet, so she can’t have any more. “Ah, you mean you can’t very well take less,” responds the Hare. “Yes. You can always take more than nothing,” agrees the Hatter. Wait a second…that actually made sense.

In fact, most of the lines I quoted above made sense. Now, I am not saying that there are messages to be found in everything these zany characters say. Indeed, most of this movie is pure silliness. I am saying is that I sympathized with Alice as the further into Wonderland she went, the more chaotic and nonsensical it became. Similarly, the more I saw in the world, in my country, at my own workplace, the more chaotic and nonsensical it felt to me. Why were people doing what they were doing?

Alice never stops to listen to what the wacky Wonderlanders are saying that might make sense, but she does stop and listen to herself for the first time. She admits that she often gives herself ‘very good advice, but she very seldom follows it.’ I gave myself good advice that I knew I should follow: don’t judge things on appearance alone. But when everyone seemed to be going mad, I struggled to follow my own advice. It was only when I stopped looking and started listening to why people said they were doing what they were doing that I began to see the reason.

Alice eventually stands up for herself instead of just being lead from one circumstance to the next and when she finally meets the maddest Wonderland inhabitant of them all, the Queen of Hearts, a ruthless bully who sentences everyone to death without discrimination and finds everyone guilty before giving them a chance to prove their innocence, Alice calls her out for her tyranny and confronts her with courage. That kind of madness, rooted in injustice, cannot be tolerated, even in Wonderland. This, of course, leads to Alice finally escaping in the nick of time, with the angry Queen in pursuit.

I like to think that Alice gained a new appreciation for ‘normalcy’ once she reentered her own world. Maybe she appreciated ‘normal’ things a bit more, like her history lessons or her cat who can’t speak or wear pocket-watches and waistcoats. I know I have learned to appreciate ‘normal’ things recently, like a brief visit with my sister in the park (first masked face-to-face since March) or watching the fireflies doing what they do in my back yard on a quite summer evening. There is reason in these quiet and happy moments, just as there is reason in the chaos and conflict that is in our world, though it may not be clear at first. Sometimes we have to search for it, understand it and maybe even learn from it.

Alternative: if you can find it, the 1999 made-for-TV version is excellent, featuring an all-star cast including Ben Kingsley, Whoopi Goldberg, Martin Short, Gene Wilder, and Christopher Lloyd, among many others, and it also gives Alice a much more proactive role without turning her into an outright rebel as the 2010 Disney remake did.

Hamilton: Telling the Full Story

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I actually don’t know why I’m even attempting this post right now.

I mean, people have been praising the Broadway production of Hamilton since 2015. Being here five years later trying to say something new about it seems kind of silly. The only thing that I really need to say about the newest title on Disney+ is, it’s awesome. Watch it. The end.

But alas, I’ll give it a shot. (See what I did there?)

I was already slightly familiar with the music (to put it lightly), so I went into this knowing it’d be pretty amazing. However, I was admittedly unprepared for the power of seeing the action behind the words. While I imagine seeing it in-person and on stage is a sight to behold, being able to see the nuances of the actors as they brought the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton to life was moving. It was about more than the music for me – it was about how we tell hard stories in compelling ways.

Obviously, our history is both incredible and messy, and Hamilton’s version of past events acknowledges the good, the bad, and the ugly. While brilliant and persuasive, Alexander Hamilton was just as flawed as any other human being. He made major mistakes (a highly-scandalous affair for which he was extorted, for one), and played the political game at the expense of others. The characterization portrayed by Lin-Manuel Miranda is one of internal conflict, obsession with “rising above his station,” and an unwavering sense of self-preservation. 

Yet the acknowledgements of the messy aspects of Hamilton’s character doesn’t mean his goodness is any less notable. Willing to die for the idea of a free America, holding onto deep and abiding friendships, and witnessing to his own imperfections are all traits worth recognizing. And this is what is so compelling about the play itself. Hamilton doesn’t shy away from the complexity of early American history and the ones that paved away. 

The fact that the primary narration comes from Hamilton’s political frenemy Aaron Burr is an example of how history isn’t one-sided or only valuable when it comes from the victors or first-person perspective. History has multiple angles, and multiple story tellers. By going even deeper and highlighting the stories of those hovering in the background of the play, like Thomas Jefferson, Eliza Hamilton and Angelica Schuyler, and John Laurens, Hamilton creates a 360 degree view of one man’s story, and the ripples of impact he made not only on American history, but in his relationships as well. 

Now, I know this is ultimately a work of fiction, albeit heavily researched and based on both fact and historical interpretation. This is why I want to note that to get a more comprehensive view of human experience, we need multiple forms of storytelling. Plays and movies often engage a totally different audience as opposed to books and lectures, but clearly they can’t be the only source. Critical thinking, research, and participation are all key elements in our education. It’s ok to question the stories we’ve heard and learned. It’s ok to dig a little deeper.

And it’s ok to change how we view those stories once we get a bigger picture.

More often than not I’ve noticed people assuming that if I criticize something, I’m either attacking or wanting to erase the entire existing narrative. Like Eliza tried burning herself out of Hamilton’s story, I’m not able (or even desiring) to sweep the past under the rug. The intent is to bring to light that there are layers to all stories – even our own nation’s. And sometimes peeling back those layers hurt and make us uncomfortable. But even as I sat in the discomfort of Hamilton’s selfishness, I could look forward to the brighter future that would result from living into the whole story, because I didn’t shut my eyes… or ears… through the parts that hurt. 

Hamilton: The Musical is available now on Disney+

Artemis Fowl: The Ways of the Father

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Blues Brothers, where are you?

Since I’m not a huge fan of the Artemis Fowl series, I’ve decided to allow someone who is the ability to share their thoughts. In this case, it’s my daughter Rebecca.

Here’s what she had to say . . .

I started reading the Artemis Fowl series one day in my sophomore year of high school and immediately fell in love with the sarcastic criminal mastermind that the books are named after. I loved the way that Holly Short used her wits to make the best of every situation. I ravenously devoured the series and was quite delighted–and at the same time annoyed–with the ending. When I discovered that Eoin Colfer was writing a second series starring some of Artemis’ family, I was ecstatic. Then I heard Disney was making a movie and began counting the days until it landed on Disney+.

I was able to watch Artemis Fowl recently and was immediately struck with the remembrance that Colfer made changes to the film so it would fit what he had originally planned for the series. If you’re a fan of the books, prepare yourself in advance for some deviations. Overall, the movie has top-notch CGI and is a thrilling fast-paced adventure that leaves you hanging off your seat, waiting for more. Thankfully, the movie paves the way for a sequel and is a good reminder that, as we prepare to celebrate Father’s Day, we need to be thankful for the dads in our lives.

Set along the shores of Ireland, a place where magic seems to be present everywhere you look and home to Fowl Manor, where Artemis Fowl (Ferdia Shaw) and his father (Colin Farrell) live, this movie shows the majestic wonder that is the surface world. Artemis does not believe in the fairies and magic, but grew up being told tales of them by his father. Artemis’ father is captured by a mysterious person and the world seems to come to the realization that the Fowls are criminal masterminds (which isn’t far from the truth, actually). The mystery person calls and makes a deal with the young Artemis Fowl: his father in exchange for a mysterious artifact of the fairykind.

Peek-a-boo!

Cut to the underground world, where it is discovered that this artifact is already missing, and we meet the young (at least in fairy years) Officer Holly Short (Lara McDonnell), the daughter of the fairykind traitor, Beechwood Short. Holly is assigned a mission to the surface world by gravel-voiced Commander Julius Root (Judi Dench) and, at the same time, Artemis discovers that the world of the fairies is real and he begins to put together a plan to save his father. This part is almost identical to how it is in the books, with Holly being captured and used as bait by Artemis for the fairies. Mulch Diggums (Josh Gad) is brought in, ultimately finds the artifact, and Holly uses it to save Artemis’ father from the evil Opal Koboi, and return home safely. At this point, cue Artemis and the others becoming a team and preparing to kick Opal’s butt.

Despite the fact that he is indeed a criminal mastermind, Arty’s dad loves him very much and tries to spend as much time with him as possible whenever he is home. It’s pretty evident that Artemis’ father wants the best for his son–even to the point that he’s already prepared the way for Artemis so that, in time, he will discover everything his father has prepared for him. To this end, Arty’s father has provided his child a journal with all of his notes inside. In the same way, Arty’s father is like our father in heaven. God has prepared the way for those who love Him and His Son Jesus while providing resources like the Bible to read and put into practice. In addition, Artemis’ butler and his niece Juliet are there (just like fellow believers) to help Arty along the way–no matter how uncertain life seems. It should give us great comfort, therefore, to know God is always there for us. Perhaps it would be a good idea, on occasion, to tell Him “thank you” for all He’s done.

Of course, telling Dad the same thing (and giving him a hug) wouldn’t hurt either . . . 

Cinderella: If the Shoe Fits #TBT

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What is a dream?  Science tells us that perhaps dreams are our brain’s way of processing information, images, and narratives as we sleep.  In the Bible, dreams are often visions or messages from God.  For the leading lady in Walt Disney’s Cinderella, dreams are vitally important.  They are what gets her through the day, as she spends her hours as a servant in her own home.  We all know the story.  Cinderella’s father had remarried and then promptly died, leaving her in the hands of an uncaring stepmother, who spoils her own two daughters and sees Cinderella only as free help.  “A dream is a wish your heart makes,” sings Cinderella.  For her, a dream is a representation of a deepest desire, and she greatly desires to be some place happier.

Of course, ‘wishing’ is largely what Cinderella does in this film, as she very rarely actually does anything proactively to get herself out of her situation.  Certainly, it would not be impossible.  I’ve seen iterations of the Cinderella story in which she is much more proactive.  In the future, we’ll see how Disney Princesses evolve, but the heroines of the 1950s were more complacent, shall we say, then I would like, content to mostly sing about their troubles and gaze wistfully out the window at the castle in the distance instead of actually standing up for themselves.  Here, Cinderella is no exception, and that’s too bad, because, on the whole, I kinda like this movie.

It has a relatively simple narrative with a simple charm.  A lot of the story is admittedly filler involving Cinderella’s mice friends, who spend most of their time trying to help her in various activities, be it housecleaning to actually sewing an entire dress, and all the while evading the claws of the stepmother’s cat.  The cat, aptly named Lucifer, is a fairly normal, if not bad-tempered, cat, who occasionally does extremely spiteful things towards Cinderella, for no apparent reason, given that she is nothing but kind towards him, if not too kind.  He’s really the secondary villain of the piece and even meets a traditional Disney villain death.  His hijinks with the mice have all the hallmarks of classic Tom and Jerry slapstick tradition and result in some truly hilarious moments. 

Equally funny, but no less filler, are the interactions between the King and the Grand Duke as they conspire to force the Prince to find a queen at the ball.  The King is the first in a long line of well-intentioned, good-natured but bumbling and ultimately ineffective Disney fathers.  

Nevertheless, his back-and-forth with the timid Grand Duke do have some genuinely funny moments.  Less funny is the austere stepmother, Lady Tremaine, voiced with quiet authority by Eleanor Audley, who would later bring more bombast to a more famous Disney villain, Maleficent.  Her’s is a subtle cruelty, where she often twists her own words like a knife to stab Cinderella where it hurts the most.  Her daughters are more obnoxious than cruel, but they are effective foils against Cinderella’s graceful presence.

As for Cinderella herself, as I said before, she is less active in moving along the plot of her own story and thus she isn’t all that interesting, compared to the rest of the cast.  Just because she isn’t a well-written character, though, doesn’t mean that she isn’t a good role model.  She tries to be kind and compassionate towards everyone, even towards her enemies.  She always seeks to find the positives in her situation, even while lamenting it.  

Although her dreams never extend past falling in love with a prince and living in a castle, I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing.  Nowadays, girls are encouraged to aspire to be scientists, doctors and pretty much anything they want to be.  This can be seen everywhere, in the most recent Barbie doll incarnations to the most current LEGO sets.  This is all for the better.  But I feel there is an innocence to Cinderella’s fantasies.  I think something is lost when we compel children to grow up too fast.  Let them dream of being princesses and maybe if they do look for a special someone, they will understand the need to find one who treats them like a princess, or even better, a queen.  Even so, childish fantasies belong with children and must be left behind as interests and desires change and mature.  Eventually, they will find the “shoe” that fits, just as Cinderella did.   

Alternate:  there are many, many different variations on the Cinderella theme, including Disney’s own 2015 remake, which isn’t half bad, but my personal favorite is 1998’s Ever After, with Drew Barrymore and Anjelica Huston.  Its content is more on a PG-13 level, but it is a lot more progressive in its storytelling and very entertaining.  Also its Fairy Godmother replacement is Leonardo Da Vinci.

Real-Life Adventures: 1on1 with Keith Scholey and Roy Conli (DOLPHIN REEF)

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Produced by Roy Conli (Born in China) and directed by Keith Scholey and Allistair Feathergill (Bears), the documentary Dolphin Reef tells the story of Echo, a young Pacific bottlenose dolphin who is learning how to navigate life in the deep blue sea. Dolphin society is tricky, and the coral reef that Echo and his family call home needs each species to play their part. But the young and impetuous Echo has a tough time cannot help himself from diving into the many adventures the ocean has to offer. Asked how they got such incredible footage, Scholey notes that the process of getting dolphins to trust you is challenging at best.

“Step one is a lot of research to find the few places where you can get those sorts of things,” Scholey begins. “Like most dolphins, if you hop in with them in the water, you’ll just see a tail vanishing into the blue. There are actually very few pods around the world that will actually accept you, especially in scuba. We needed to have dolphins that were very comfortable around a diver so we found a few remarkable places where that could happen. Then, once you’ve got that trust and it’s all cool, then you get to work. But even then, the thing that underwater film making is that you’re just getting snapshots. With dolphins, you follow it as long as it tolerates you. The moment it’s bored or had enough or got something else to do, it’s just a little flick of the tail and, boom, it’s gone. Then, you have to get out of the water and try again. It’s a far more labour-intensive process making an underwater film.”

When assembling the narrative for a nature documentary, the process requires shooting hundreds (or even thousands) of hours of footage and then attempting to compile them into a cohesive story. Despite the incredible amount of work involved, one might think that Echo’s story was really a number of different dolphins cut together. Even so, Scholey acknowledges that the core of the story remains one dolphin and his pod.

“The core of the story is actually one group of dolphins which are in the Red Sea,” Scholey explains. “The mother and Echo are the characters that make the core of the story. If we could follow them where ever they went, that would’ve been fine, but we can’t do that. So, what we had to do is go to other places to pick up other elements of behavior. I look at the film as what might the life of a dolphin be like. It’s physically impossible to know the whole story because we can’t follow it. What we tried to do from all the science and all what we know about dolphins is put together a narrative that is true to a life of a dolphin and I think we’ve achieved that.”

While Scholey has been involved in documentary filmmaking most of his career, producer Roy Conli’s journey to nature films has been comparatively brief. Having begun in the world of animation, he began to work with Disneynature in 2014. Now working in both industries, Conli feels that the partnership between the two areas has been mutually beneficial when creating narratives.

“I’ve been very fortunate in my career because I work with a lot of incredible artists on both the documentary side and on the animation side,” he points out. “I was approached back in 2014, right after I completed Big Hero 6 and asked if I would like to help out on the story of Born in China. I jumped at the chance for two reasons. I thought that the director Lee Chuan was quite amazing, but also I’ve been giving to the snow trust for many, many years. I’m a big fan of snow leopards. That kind of drove my activism, or at least, my interest in the environment. Working with guys like Keith and his partner, Allister, have been just an amazing honor. I think the animation storytelling feeds the documentary narrative. We like to call [our stories] true-life adventures, much like Disney’s true-life adventures from the 50s. I basically help these guys who bring me the stories and we just try and push them to make them as open [as possible] to the broadest possible audiences that’s available.”

“It’s been fantastic for us as well,” Scholey echoes. “We come from a pretty conservative wildlife filmmaking background. Coming together with the Disney animation team and developing stories with them has been a fantastic experience. You can see the synthesis of those two groups of talented people [when you watch].”

What’s more, Conli reminds us that, even though the Disneynature brand is only ten years old, Disney’s interest in wildlife filmmaking extends back for decades.

“Disney was one of the first nature filmmakers that actually got stuff out there,” he chimes. “When you look back in 1948, it did a whole series up through the early sixties. Then, you see what companies like Silverback have done [in recent years] and what they’ve brought to the table with Earth and the amazing work that they’ve done. It’s just wonderful partnership.”

“From the personal side, I grew up on the true-life adventures as a kid,” he continues. “I’ve seen them on Sunday evenings on Wonderful World of Disney. I was living in the suburbs of Los Angeles with not much connection with nature. They were the things that kind of opened me up to the wonder of the world. That’s what I want to share with families and kids that wonder and hopefully the care that we need to share with these incredible creatures and the support we need to give them. We are all one on this incredible planet and I want to get that message out to kids.”

Central to the message that they want to communicate is the fact that natural wonders like the reef are struggling and that we must do our part in helping preserve these underwater havens. Thankfully, despite the damage that has been done, Scholey and Conli both believe that there is hope that things can change for the better..

“The oceans, by and large, are in trouble,” Scholey replies. “Coral reefs are in big trouble. It’s almost our duty to get the message out that actually these are some of the most incredible and precious things we have. We have to get that to young people because they are the future. If the young people can fall in love with the ocean and its creatures, the oceans have a hope. That’s why I make these films. That’s the goal.”

“I don’t think there’s anything more beautiful than a healthy coral reef,” responds Conli. “In the 1960s, there were only a thousand whales off the coast of Hawaii. Now there are over 10,000 whales. This is all because there is hope. There is a way of bringing this back and we just as a society, as a population, as humans need to support that.”

While the film’s primary focus is the wide variety of sea life, it also carries with it an intentional message of what it means to co-operate as an ecosystem. According to Scholey, the subtle message of togetherness stemmed from the relationships required to maintain the health of the reefs themselves.

“The whole idea of the film is actually based on very hard-nosed ecology,” he clarifies. “The coral reef can actually only functions with a lot of participants doing different roles in a very ordered and organized way. It is fascinating that if you remove sharks from a coral reef, the whole ecosystem is degraded. We made a big effort to say sharks are not in the bad guys. Our reefs need sharks and this is the same with dolphins and predators and so on. In a way, [community] is the underlying message of the film. If anyone who watches the film comes away thinking, ‘if you live in the ocean, you need friends’, that for us is a success story. Then, we hope that will translate into you can’t just start overfishing certain species because the community will not survive if you kind of do that. So, there is a bigger message in the film. It’s not in your face. It’s just there.”

Of course, every doc requires someone to translate what’s happening onscreen and, for this real-life adventure, Conli was thrilled when Oscar-winner Natalie Portman came onboard the project.

“She does a great job,” he beams. “She was living in Paris a while back and she went to a screening of one of our Disneynature films… and she expressed that she was interested in actually voicing one of these. She had brought her children to the screening and she was truly impressed. If you know anything about Natalie, she’s a really impressive artist, but an equally impressive activist. So, this was something that was right up her alley. When we contacted her, it was a very easy sell. In fact, she was ready to jump in immediately. When Keith and I recorded her in Los Angeles, she was just phenomenal. She was interested in the film. We would talk to her about the specific parts and what was happening in terms of the behavior and she was just able to take that. I think it was such a spectacular job.

Even though both men have a great deal of experience working in the natural world, there is always room to learn. In particular, Scholey believes that aspects of sea-life that caught his attention were the aggressiveness of humpbacks and the incredible intelligence of dolphins.

“When we film the whale parts actually fighting each other [impressed me],” Scholey recalls. “We all think of kind of whales as being kind of gentle Leviathans and the energy and power of humpback whales when getting heated up is pretty astounding. But I think for me the real thing was that [even though] I always knew dolphins were smart. I always knew they were great but I just came away from finishing the film thinking that this is definitely an animal that’s on our level, in terms of behavior, smartness, culture. They work in different kind of environment a different way, but you just have to look at them and think [that they] are on our level. Maybe one day we’ll be able to talk to each other. That was certainly my take away.”

“The filming of that was phenomenal because that was above water, below water and the developing special pole cam to be able to get that underwater was amazing,” Conli agrees. “I was just blown away by the mud rings that they use. That takes place off the coast of Florida and Alabama, I believe. Just the amazing cooperation between them in order to catch fish and share the bounty. It’s pretty impressive. They’re the only animal we know that can really design a kind of a trap and then cooperatively use it. It is extraordinary.”

Dolphin Reef also shows the incredibly advanced communication between dolphins that allows them to move in sync with one another, something which continues to impress Scholey and his team.

“The communication between dolphins is extraordinary and they can completely mimic each other’s behavior without seemingly talking to each other,” he says. “[There’s a] very high-pitched communication and probably telling each other and exactly what they’re going to do next. But it’s so fast and they can so quickly react to each other. There [were] amazing experiments done on dolphins in the 70s and 80s in captivity where dolphins could they prove they could talk to each other. Mom was told to do a trick and they could tell the other one, ‘Hey, I’m going to do this trick’ and they would do it exactly together in synchrony. So, there’s a level of sophistication to their communication behavior, which is way beyond our understanding.”

With all their combined experience between them, both Scholey and Conli admit there is still much more that they want to see and explore about the natural world.

“I think that what’s happening with natural history now, what we know now is we can just always do it so much better,” Scholey reflects. “There are two reasons for that. One is the scientific knowledge about animal behavior is getting bigger and bigger and bigger though. There are scientists in the field who really getting to understand different things so they can help us to get that insight. At the same time, technology is getting better and better and better so we can do the things we couldn’t do before. I think that the thing is, as opposed to really going and finding completely new creatures and creating new things, it’s going back to the ones we know about being able to reveal so much more about them in such exciting way. So that that’s, that’s the thing. I think the place we are, we are now. Mind you, at the same time almost all the natural world is declining all around us. So it’s kind of almost a race against time to get these moments.”

“It’s interesting because I started with my favorite animal, which is probably the snow leopard, but coming up we have an elephant film that’s just stunning,” points out Conli. “We’re also working on a polar bear film. Talk about how important that is right now because it really is focused on survival, on the absolute survival of the planet and the species. So, you know, I think the more we can tell these stories, the more we can share with the populace, the better.”

For full audio of our interview with Keith Scholey and Roy Conli, click here.

Dolphin Reef goes under the sea on Disney+ on Friday, April 3rd, 2020.

Dolphin Reef: Together, Under the Sea

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When you stop to think about it, it really is remarkable how far nature documentary filmmaking has come over the last decade or so. Spearheaded by new technology and funding, series like Planet Earth, The Blue Planet and more have provided stunning natural footage and information that restore a sense of wonder in the eyes of the viewer. In addition, with the development of their Disneynature brand, the House of Mouse has reinvented their own interest in the natural world. While Disney’s earliest series included documentary stories on the Wonderful World of Disney, Disneynature films show a renewed commitment to not only ‘wow-ing’ the audience with spectacular footage, but also telling stories in the natural world that engage the heart and soul as well.

Premiering April 3rd, 2020 on Disney+, Dolphin Reef is yet another example of these engaging natural adventure stories that focuses on Echo, a young Pacific bottlenose dolphin who is learning how to navigate life in the deep blue sea. Dolphin society is tricky, and the coral reef that Echo and his family call home needs each species to play their part. But the young and impetuous Echo has a tough time cannot help himself from diving into the many adventures the ocean has to offer.

Directed by Keith Scholey and Alistair Feathergill (Bears), Reef unfurls multiple narratives about a variety of species and their quest for surviving and thriving in the ocean. Scholey and Feathergill show their considerable experience and skill as they get up close and personal with a variety of creatures, revealing their unexpected traits and abilities. (Who knew that dolphins could trap fish by creating dust circles?) While the emphasis may be Echo and his pod, there are also incredible ‘character arcs’ created by way of humpback whales, a coral shrimp and even parrot fish. What’s more, Oscar-winner Natalie Portman’s narration brings a playfulness to the narrative that works well with the content, especially in moments where Echo appears more precocious.

Most surprising about the film, however, is the fact that Dolphin Reef highlights nature’s inherent desire to create and thrive in community. Whether it’s the eating habits of parrot fish or a whale’s ability to call for help, each species within the film demonstrates the necessity of working in tandem with one another. Though we’ve heard for years that the earth’s vast eco-system works together in order to sustain life, Reef reveals how complex and subtle those relationships may be and the value of living together. (In fact, the film even shows the damage that takes place to the coral reef itself when a species does not do its part.) In doing so, Dolphin Reef reminds the viewer about our innate desire to create healthy community and the importance of remaining active to support one another, be it at the natural level or making a conscious decision. Interestingly, while never explicitly stated, the film also serves as a subtle reminder of our own role in the world’s ecosystem as well. In other words, by focusing its narrative on nature’s reliance upon different moving pieces to bring life, Reef shows the importance of interconnectedness within our world and implies that humans play a key role in this as well.

In the end, Dolphin Reef is a charming look into the world of wildlife under the sea that is as informative as it is engaging. Echo’s journey is playful, fun and, at times, harrowing. However, more importantly, the film also implicitly acts as a call for those of us above ground to recognize our own place in the natural world and how we can become healthier members of it.

For audio of our interview with director Keith Scholey and producer Roy Conli, click here.

Dolphin Reef swims onto Disney+ on Friday, April 3rd, 2020.

Ahsoka’s Universe: 1on1 with Ashley Eckstein (STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS)

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It’s not every day that one gets the opportunity to speak with Star Wars royalty.

Since her introduction in the first season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars as a young Jedi-in-training, Ahsoka Tano remains one of the most beloved characters in the Star Wars universe that doesn’t carry the last name of Skywalker. Voiced by Ashley Eckstein, Ahsoka’s journey from precocious padawan to confidence and maturity is one of the great character arcs within the Star Wars canon.

With the latest—and truly final—season streaming on Disney+, Eckstein finally has the chance to revisit the beloved character and allow fans the opportunity to see what she’s been up to since she abandoned the Jedi Order. Asked why she believes Ahsoka resonates so deeply with the fans, Eckstein believes that the connection stems from the amount of time that they have had watching her grow and mature.

“With Ahsoka, there are very few characters, in Star Wars especially, that span a generation. An entire generation of fans grew up with Ahsoka, whether they were kids when Clone Wars first came out and it was their first introduction, or maybe they were parents watching it with their kids or whether it’s lifelong fans that went on this journey. The fans truly went on a journey with Ahsoka and she became the eyes of the Clone Wars. She was really the eyes of the audience and they really connected with her.”

“Something that Dave Filoni and his writing team did so brilliantly is that everyone relates to Ahsoka. I think in the very beginning, we never pointed out that she was a girl. We literally threw her gender out the door and she has orange skin so everyone can relate to her. No matter what your gender is, race, beliefs, anything, everyone can relate to Ahsoka. You can almost say that Ahsoka is everyone. Over the course now of twelve years, we’ve had so much time and so many hours of television to grow [and] experience with her, people have gone through an entire chapter of their life with her.”

Having voiced Ahsoka from the very beginning, Eckstein recognizes how truly special it is to have helped bring someone entirely new to life in the Star War Universe. Working with showrunner Dave Filoni and his team, Eckstein feels that she has also been allowed to bring her own voice into the character.

“I truly feel like I won the lottery by getting the chance to originate a new character in Star Wars,” she says enthusiastically. “It’s such a privilege and it’s one that I do not take lightly. I mean, I’ve practically devoted my life to it because I see what an honor and a privilege it is. Dave has allowed me to be part of the process from day one. I’m careful by saying that I’ve never written the episode. That is truly Dave and his writing team and they’re incredible. What Dave has allowed me to do from day one is bring my own voice. I don’t mean literally just my voice, but my own personality and how I would say things.” 

“It turns out that I was cast, not for my audition per se, but really just how I was acting in between takes. They wanted someone with an Icelandic accent and I just couldn’t master it and, in between takes, I was getting really frustrated that I couldn’t give them the voice that they wanted. And it turns out the way I was asking questions, the mannerisms of my body, how I was moving my arms, how I was getting exasperated, was actually what got me the part. I went to ask Dave, ‘why did you cast me?’ And you know, he said, ‘Ashley, you’re genuine and that is also Ahsoka.’ That always stuck with me. I never thought about it but, to me, it’s very important to be genuine in everything you do. I want to be that for Ahsoka and I will continue to be that.”

Asked how she feels Ahsoka has changed, Eckstein confesses that her characters journey is relatable to all and has even mirrored her own growth over the years.

“Ahsoka has gone from the snippy padawan to a master in her own right. It’s been an incredible journey and one that, even though these stories happen in a galaxy far, far away, we can all relate to. We all start out in whatever we do like Padawans and, as we grow up and go out into the world, we all can relate to Ahsoka. Me included… Sometimes it’s been really heartbreaking, but my life has mirrored Ahsoka’s in so many ways. It’s like art imitates life. And that’s why I’m so outspoken about the fact that I ask myself daily, what would Ahsoka do because I do believe that she represents all that is good and all that is light. She wants to make the right choice and so I ask myself that on a regular basis.”

Most important to Eckstein, however, is the impact that Ahsoka has had on Star Wars culture. Coming at a time when there were few strong female characters in the franchise, she recognizes that characters like Ahsoka have helped give voice to a generation of women who were looking for cultural role models.

“Ahsoka was a trailblazer, especially for female fans. People forget that, back in 2008, Rey didn’t exist. Jin didn’t exist. Hera, Sabine, all of these strong female characters. We weren’t having these female led stories and franchises. Ahsoka was a game changer and she wasn’t met with praise at first. She shocked people. She was the first female Jedi that was a lead character in the Star Wars universe and it was shocking. I realized very quickly again that this was an honor and a privilege to be voicing her. I so badly want to be a real-life representation of her.“

With this in mind, Eckstein is also passionate of her clothing company, Her Universe, which she hopes will be an encouragement to young females who have found themselves alienated in a primarily male-dominated fan culture.

“What Dave was always supportive of was to start ‘Her Universe’, my company, which was 100% because of Ahsoka,” she argues. “It wasn’t just for the merchandise. It was because fan girls were being bullied and they were being bullied terribly just for being a girl and liking Star Wars. I knew nothing about making clothes. I knew nothing about licensing. I knew nothing about starting a business, but when I saw all of these women and girls being bullied, I asked myself, I said, what would Ahsoka do?”

“Ahsoka would stand up for fan girls. She would give a voice to the invisible. Ahsoka would pay attention to and stand up for those that feel that they can’t stand up for themselves. So, with Her Universe truly, I started it to give a voice to female fans and not to say that this world is just for female fans. It’s not just for male fans. Star Wars is for everyone. Star Wars is a story to me of good overcoming evil. It’s a story of hope and it’s a story that you can’t put a gender on. I feel like the role that I’ve really been able to play as well by being the voice of Ahsoka and help giving her voice is to spread Ahsoka’s message throughout the galaxy and throughout our world of hope.”

In addition to her work on Clone Wars, Eckstein has also recently written her first fiction book, a Little Golden Book based on Ahsoka’s adventures. For Eckstein, the chance to contribute to a children’s franchise that has inspired for generations was simply too good to pass up.

“This is ‘bucket list’ level for me,” she beams. “I feel very blessed to have gotten to do some pretty cool things in my life, but this just ranks up there with one of the top. I grew up and learned to read because of Little Golden Books. So, when they asked me to write a Little Golden Book, I’m not joking when I say I think it was the fastest time I’ve ever said yes to anything in my life. It’s part of a series of Little Golden Books for Star Wars…

“When they asked me if I would be interested in writing I am a Padawan for Ahsoka, I just thought it was perfect. There are so many wonderful lessons that Ahsoka learned and the new generation that’s going to come up on the Little Golden Books, just like I did, are so hungry for these lessons… They’re lessons of hope and bravery and failure and friendship and knowledge and all of these wonderful lessons that, whether you’re learning them for the first time or whether you’re getting a reminder, these are good lessons for everyone. I had so much fun writing it.”

“I was really intimidated actually because this was the first fiction story that I wrote and I put it aside for a second. It was really daunting. I was kind of scared to start and one day, I had a deadline and I said, ‘okay, I gotta jump in’. I went back to the episodes of the Clone Wars and the lessons that I learned and really got to relive the entire journey. I picked out my personal favorite lessons that I took away from the Clone Wars and that I wanted to pay it forward and share.”

Despite the fact that The Clone Wars has famously been cancelled twice before, Eckstein confirms that they are officially wrapping up the story with this latest season. With Ahsoka’s return to the series, she points out that the fans will finally get to see what her character has been doing since she left the Jedi Order as well as the highly anticipated Siege of Mandalore.

“This [season] picks up right where we left off,” Eckstein explains. “Ahsoka’s on her own. She’s trying to find her way in this new world, a world that she knows nothing about because all she knows is the Jedi Order. She was brought to the Jedi temple when she was a youngling. We saw how young she was when Plo Koon found her and brought her to the Jedi Temple. All she knows is being a Jedi and now, everything she knew, she walked away from and she’s questioning. She truly is lost. So, these first four episodes, we pick up with her finding her way and figuring out who she is [and] what she’s going to do next. And, without spoiling anything, adventure ensues [laughs].”

“Then, we’re finally going to get the Siege of Mandalore. That is truly Ahsoka’s finale [as well as] Clone Wars. Everyone knew when, when Clone Wars was on the air before, that we were leading up to that. So, it never felt complete when Clone Wars ended because we all knew that we were supposed to get this ending and we never got it. So, like I said, I’m so grateful to Disney, Disney+, executive Carrie Beck and Dave Filoni for giving us this opportunity to make Clone Wars again. I’m always careful to say it’s not just me. It’s a whole team of people that makes the show that brings Ahsoka to life. I’m just one member of the team and I’m so grateful that they brought the gang back together and that we could wrap it up.”

One of the more unique appearances of Ahsoka came in the form of a verbal cameo at the climax of Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. For Eckstein, the opportunity to be a part of the franchise’s film canon was an unexpected privilege. 

“Getting to voice of Ahsoka in Rise of Skywalker is truly one of the highlights of my entire career,” she exclaims. “It was an honor that I was shocked. I found out in April of 2019… and I was told that it might not happen. I was kind of protecting my heart a little bit because I thought they were going to change their mind… So, all of a sudden, the year came and went and here we are in mid-October and I still hadn’t heard anything. I thought it wasn’t going to happen. The next thing you know, I got a call from my agent telling me that I have a recording session at Bad Robot and I couldn’t believe it. I literally was speechless… “

“I’m forever grateful to Matthew Wood for including me in this part. JJ Abrams couldn’t have been kinder. He immediately came up to me and thanked me for being in the movie, which I immediately said, ‘Oh, JJ Abrams, thank you for having me in the movie!’ [laughs]… All the lines that you heard in that montage, I’m assuming they had us all read all the lines and then they picked and chose which ones they wanted us to say.

“It was just one of the coolest moments in my career. I will say this, one of the characters says ‘let the light guide you’ and Ahsoka says “as it guided us”. It couldn’t be more perfect because that’s what I’ve already been asking fans. That’s what I feel like Ahsoka represents. She lets the light guide her and that’s the message that I want to continue to spread to fans as I strive every day to be a real life Ahsoka. Just let the light guide you.” 

As rumors continue to circulate of the casting of Rosario Dawson to bring Ahsoka to life in the upcoming season of The Mandalorian, Eckstein admits that she continues to be out of the loop on any decisions that may (or may not) have been made. Regardless, she recognizes that the passion the fans have for the character continues to astound her.

“I’m not involved in The Mandalorian,” she clarifies, “so I can’t speak to any rumors. I can’t speak to anything that I’m not involved in but I did speak [on Instagram] to what Ahsoka means to me and to the fans. In just two hours, the response from the fans is unreal. I am speechless with the response, but it really shows what Ahsoka means to everyone. It’s really incredible.”

For full audio of our interview with Ashley Eckstein, click here.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars is wrapping up its adventure on Disney+ now.

Stargirl: A Lasting Light from a Fleeting Time

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I have to admit, it was the announcement that Disney was going to add Frozen 2 to Disney+ early that drove me straight to the “free trial.” I had wavered back and forth about the streaming service when it was first announced, and somehow even refrained despite the raving reviews of The Mandalorian. But my kids’ newest favorite movie, while gearing up for three weeks at home with the four of them undoubtedly going stir crazy even with the hope of well-organized daily routines? No brainer. 

Little did I expect that my first film on Disney+ would be the just-released Stargirl, a down to earth story based on the book by Jerry Spinelli, of how a small town high school is forever impacted by an out of this world new girl who shoots in and out of their lives just as her name describes. 

Leo Borlock (Graham Verchere), has stayed pretty low key after he and his mother Gloria, (Darby Stanchfield) relocate to the small town of Mica, Arizona following his father’s death. It’s a place where “nothing happens,” and Leo paints a picture of invisibility that began after an ill-fated meet-up with some older bullies when he first arrived years before. 

But there is always a little light for Leo. Every year on his birthday, someone leaves a porcupine tie on his doorstep. Knowing the backstory of why this matters, we are given a foreshadowing of what…or whom…is to come.

That whom is Stargirl Caraway (Grace VaderWaal), a local homeschooled student who stops everyone in their tracks when she walks in with her unconventional bright and mismatched outfits, and eagerness to bring joy to everyone around her. And for someone like Leo, who has worked for so long to blend in, she is a beacon of color in a monotone world. 

The structure is relatively similar to other teen films, mainly how “the quirky kid wins over some popular kids while encouraging the shy kid to break free from self-imposed averageness.” Stargirl pushes Leo out of his comfort zone while rallying the entire school towards football victory (of course). And yes, there is the ebb and flow of first love’s and fights and good intentions gone bad. The formula isn’t necessarily “new.”

But the manner in which this is delivered felt…more important, maybe?

Maybe it’s because a lot of teen movies end in a kiss with some popular music in the background, and this one strayed from that part of the formula. Maybe it’s because I could actually believe they were in high school. Maybe it’s because I could feel real heart in the script.

Bu I think what really made me sit up and pay attention was Leo’s question, “who would take the time for someone they don’t even know?”

Our world is in a bit of a crisis. Every day, information spreads like wildfire, as we all work to stop a virus that spreads even faster. Some people are panicking, some are ignoring, but most of us are trying to find balance. And all of us are being encouraged to take this time to do something “for someone they don’t even know.”

I don’t have to know you to be kind. I don’t have to know you to press pause on my typical routine in an effort to protect you. I don’t have to know you to want light and color and joy filter into your life, even in the midst of uncertainty. 

I don’t have to know you to love you. 

At some point, we will go back to our normal routines. There will be stories and memories, as Leo explains, that will leave lasting marks. But what I hope is the most lasting is a commitment to caring for one another at all times, in all ways. We will forever be changed. And it is my prayer that it will be a change that shines as bright as the stars that burn so fiercely above us.

Stargirl is streaming on Disney+ now.

The Heart of a Survivor: 1on1 with Julianne Nicholson (TOGO)

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Set to debut on Disney+, Togo tells the amazing true story of Leonhard Seppala (Willem Dafoe), a champion dogsled trainer who is tasked with delivering anti-toxin serum to the town of Nome, Alaska when a deadly epidemic strikes. Faced with impossible odds, Seppala turns to Togo, an unassuming, undersized and aging Siberian huskey to lead the mission. Viewed as the runt of the litter, Togo has been championed by Seppala’s wife, Constance (Julianne Nicholson) since his days as a mischievous puppy who could dig himself out of any situation and Seppala, having observed Togo’s loyalty and tenacious spirit, knows the lovable and courageous dog offers his only chance of surviving this mission. Asked what initially drew her to the film, star Julianne Nicholson jumped at the chance work with Dafoe and play a confident, caring woman at the same time.

“When I read it, I knew that Willem was already attached so already I was interested at the possibility. Then, I read the story and thought it was amazing. I couldn’t believe it was a true story and one that had not been told before. I really liked the relationship between Seppala and Constance. So often in a story like this, where it’s a man and his dog, the female character is sort of sitting at home and keeping the home fires burning while, in this story, I felt like they have a real partnership. She was a big part of keeping that farm running from day to day. I just liked how they listened to each other and could have differences of opinions but the love and trust were very much there.” 

Of course, while working with Dafoe was an exciting aspect of the project, one of the more unique challenges was working with the dogs themselves. (As the old adage goes, you should ‘never work with kids or animals’.) Even so, Nicholson valued her time with the dogs and found working with them to be a special experience.

“It definitely brings up challenges just because, as trained as they are, it’s an animal,” she warns. “At any given moment, if it doesn’t want to do something, no one’s interested in trying to force it cause that’s never going to happen. It was kind of amazing. The puppies are so cute and could do no wrong so anything that they were doing made sense and had everybody oohing and ahh-ing every day. (Diesel, who plays Togo, was the direct descendant of Togo so that felt pretty special to have him there.) It was definitely a lesson in patience but also in staying present and being open. So, it was really fun.” 

“To be around [the dogsled dogs] and watch them with their owners was really spectacular because they’re so strong, so energetic, and such athletes. When they would be hooked up to the sled, it would just be barking, jumping, [and] just totally ready to go. It’s all they wanted to do. Then they would run and, at the end, it’s a good workout. They would be just flopping around and rolling over on their backs to get their tummies scratched and falling asleep on anyone who would get near them.” 

Interestingly, Nicholson notes that there were differences between the sled dogs and what they referred to as ‘Hollywood dogs’ (or those trained to act within the film industry). Asked what those were, she feels that most of the differences come down to the expectations that were being placed on the animals.

“Well, [the dogs] have different things that are being asked of them,” says Nicholson. “So, the sled dogs were basically being filmed doing what they do every day so they don’t have to do anything differently and their trainers were there. It gets trickier when you’re inside a cabin and you’re asking Diesel to walk from here to here and look at Willem for 30 to 90 seconds. That starts getting challenging. So yeah, there were definitely different needs from the different dogs.” 

Though Disney is known for its many films featuring talking animals (such as Disney+’s own live-action Lady and the Tramp), Togo takes a different approach with its beloved animals. Rather than personify them, the film allows the pets to simply be themselves. In retrospect, Nicholson argues that this is also one of the key reasons that the film resonates so well with viewers.

“It’s one of the things that I love about this movie and actually why I think it’s gets under your skin,” she claims. “We’re not giving them the traits of a person. We’re letting them be animals, recognizing the beauty in that and just the openness, loyalty and the love that you get from a dog without trying to personify it.” 

However, in light of this, it’s also worth noting that, although the animals may not be given ‘human’ characteristics, they are also portrayed as heroes. For example, in one moment, Constance notes that Togo has the ‘heart of a survivor’, a comment that Nicholson believes serves as an accurate description.

“Togo was the runt of the litter and nothing was really expected of him,” she explains. “Oftentimes the runt of the litter is just going to be a problem. They wouldn’t necessarily nurture the runt to help keep it around because it was just going to be weak. It was just going to be a burden. But Constance sees something in this dog that’s sort of unknowable or unnameable and that proved to be correct. What a thing, with survival of the fittest and what have you, if that’s one of the things that goes along in that, it’s valuable, “

In addition to working with Dafoe and the animals, one of the appealing aspects to working on the project for Nicholson was the chance to work with director Ericson Core. Serving also as the film’s cinematographer, Cole uses his love of nature and wealth of experience shooting the outdoors in a way that brings the film to life onscreen.

According to Nicholson, “[Ericson] has a long history and love affair as an admiration for nature and being in nature. I think he’s not only been a camper his whole life but [also gone off] the beaten path and been on his own for weeks in the wilderness. So, he really has a love for nature [itself] and man in nature. As well, he has a connection to the animal part of the story. He himself had a wolf for many years and so I think he recognized something in the relationship between Seppala and Togo. He is just an earnest, thoughtful guy. Then, also having started out as a [Director of Photography], [he had] the experience of doing action [and] incredible shots in outmost nature, so he had the experience and the heart to tell this story.” 

With that in mind, one can imagine the challenges of shooting the film in the midst of the potentially harsh conditions of the Canadian Rockies. While many of her scenes take place on the home sets, Nicholson remembers that the unpredictability of weather created some difficult circumstances.
“The Canadian Rockies are breathtaking…,” she recalls. “I didn’t have much difficulty within the landscape because much of my stuff is in and around the home front but weather did create a lot of turmoil throughout. We were there in the fall and early winter and they needed those fall months to be able to show the passing of time in our story. We didn’t want it all in one season because we’re telling the story in 1913 and in 1925. Then on day three of filming in first week of October, there was snow storm that dropped two feet of snow. So suddenly our fall is gone and we had to sort of go into the cabin. So that was in my experience that found the big challenge was weather.” 

In addition, Nicholson also points out that many sequences were shot with little (if any) CGI in order to maintain the sense of realism within the film.

“Willem and Ericson could speak much more to all the action stuff that they had and being on the ice,” she clarifies. “One thing I do know is that we had no green screens and very little in the way of CGI. In that ice sequence, of course, there’s some there because you can’t put our actors and the dogs in peril. But they filmed that on a frozen lake. Even if they weren’t on a stage, they weren’t doing it on asphalt and then putting it onto ice. Also, when they’re climbing up in the mountains and the sled starts going downhill, they did outside and the Canadian Rockies on the head of a cliff. They weren’t dangling, of course. They weren’t in the same predicament, but they really did much of the action practically. I think for me, when I watched it, that was so thrilling. I had read the story of course, but I didn’t, I couldn’t expect that it was going to be as breathtaking as it was.” 

For full audio of our interview with Julianne Nicholson, click here.

Togo launches onto Disney+ on Friday, December 20th, 2019.