Technological changes enable filmmakers to tell stories in innovative ways, says Oscar-nominated Disney animator Aaron Blaise

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Oscar-nominated animator and director Aaron Blaise worked with Disney for more than 20 years and helped create some of the most popular animated films such as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King and Mulan.

Blaise visited Armenia for the ReA International Animation and Comics Art Festival, where he was among the members of the jury. 

In an interview with Armenpress, Blaise talked about his career, the current trends in animation filmmaking, the Armenian animation and other topics. 

He said the biggest change in the industry is the way they make films nowadays. Blaise said the technological changes enable filmmakers to tell stories in new innovative ways.

For many of us, "Disney" is a big dream, and the company's cartoons are the best example of separating the good from evil, valuing love and devotion, valuing loved ones. You dedicated 21 years of your life to "Disney". What does it mean for you, what role did it play in your life?

It was everything to me.  It really was the launch of my entire career. It's where I learned animation. Before I was at Disney I wanted to be a painter. And I decided to come in a different direction and see what I could do at Disney to see if I could do animation. And so I brought my painting abilities and then I learned animation and it really opened up a whole world of filmmaking for me so that I could create beyond anything I had ever dreamed of before that. So it really opened up a whole world for me, so it means everything to me.  

With your participation, with your advice, "Disney" created such films as "Beauty and the Beast", "The Lion King", "Pocahontas", "Mulan" and others. In your opinion what are the characteristics or features of these films?

Well, one of the great things that Disney does is they create really wonderful characters and wonderful worlds for those characters to populate and be a part of and then wonderful stories that drive those characters. I think it's something that Disney stands out having the ability to do. And I think that's why these films, the films you just mentioned are 30 years old, 35 years old.  But they're still watchable, they're timeless. And so that's what makes them stand out, is that they're just very strong character-driven stories. And even Pocahontas, actually, because Pocahontas is very much an American story, but it really resonated around the world so I found that very fascinating, too.

Mr. Blaise, the art of animation is extremely inclusive and every country rich in its traditions has an animation representing the history and art of its country, its culture, but the "Disney" films are exemplary to this day we can say they are like brands. What is the secret?

The secret is just, it's like I was saying, it's really taking wonderful stories and telling them well, and populating them with wonderful characters, memorable characters and being honest and emotional with the storytelling. So often people try to tell stories for marketing or something like that, and it's not from the heart, and I think that's something that Disney was really strong at, or is really strong at, which is telling these stories from the heart. And many of the stories are existing stories that have existed for hundreds of years and so they're already established. Disney was always really wonderful at creating. 

You shot the feature film "Brother Bear", which was nominated for an "Oscar", and now you are working on the promotion of the new short film "The Polar Bear". Can we say that speaking in animals’ language is sometimes easier just like you have created them in these films?

It is. Sometimes it's easier and more palatable. It's better to take a tough subject and tell it through animals. It's easier to take. They play stronger when played through animals, and I think it's easier to understand.

Often, animation fulfills the mission of raising the most complex issues in bright colors, in a seemingly more accessible way, making them audible to a wide range of the public. In your opinion what transformations has it undergone over the years?

It's changed a lot. Well, I think the stories have changed a little bit. I think the stories have become, and we're going to see more of this, I think we're going to see more international stories. I think we're going to see more culturally diverse stories. But I think the biggest change is just the way that we make the films. The technology changes and it enables us to tell stories in different ways, new, innovative ways. And that's what gets exciting for me.

Are you familiar with the Armenian animation? 

Only the little bit that I've seen when I was here. And I've seen tiny bits in the United States, but not very much. But since I've been here, I've been able to familiarize myself quite a bit.

You are in Armenia within the framework of the "ReA" festival, where you are part of the jury of the graduation films. Have you already had opportunity to watch the movies, and if so, how would you assess them?

Oh, it was wonderful. There are so many great people from around the world that have come in to teach. That's one thing. What I love about it is the embracing young artists that want to make films and tell stories. They're completely embraced and taken in by this festival and inspired. And that inspires me in return. I really love that idea.

Your years of experience and skills have made it possible to establish CreatureArtTeacher.com, which provides high-quality art education for everyone. Does the platform meet your expectations?

Yeah, that's one of the reasons I love coming here so much because it does exactly what I'm trying to do on my website. But the idea of passing on knowledge that was the whole idea of me starting my business.  I had 30 years of experience, and I wanted to be able to pass on that knowledge to young artists coming into the industry.  And that's exactly what this is doing, this festival.

Mr. Blaise, thank you very much for this opportunity. Is there anything that you would like to add?

I just want to thank everybody, the Armenian people here in the city, I want to thank Yerevan and I want to thank Vrezh Kassouny and everybody involved with the festival for being so hospitable to me and everyone else. Thank you is what I want to say.

Thank you for this opportunity!

Interview conducted by Davit Mamyan