Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

Don't be surprised if Disney has a new canine superstar

Following in the pawprints of Goofy and Pluto, Dug is poised to become the next lovable Disney dog star.

Today is a big day for the pleasant Pixar pooch as "Up" is being released on DVD. It introduces Dug as one of the villain Muntz's pack. He also is singled out for a star vehicle -- his own animated short, "Dug's Special Mission," which is one of the DVD's extra features.

If you don't fall in love with the misfit mutt during the 4 1/2 -minute short, you have a heart of stone.

Dug is voiced by Pixar's own Bob Peterson, who wrote "Up." His unique phrasing and vocal emphasis makes Dug not only sweet and endearing, but also comical. You don't actually see the dog talk, you hear his voice because of the newfangled collars Muntz has put on his pack. Dug is the cuddly one with a fragmented attention span, who doesn't appear to fit in with the rest.

With "Up," Pixar Animation Studios continues its streak of instant classics since "Toy Story" debuted in 1995. Their Midas touch is evident, with last year's Oscar winner "Wall-E" and other award-winning full-length movies, "Ratatouille," "Cars," "A Bug's Life" and "The Incredibles" among them.

"Up" is not only one of the most critically acclaimed movies of the year, but also the third highest-grossing of 2009, to date, topped only by "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" and "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." It's near the $300 million mark.

"Up" is a magnificent blend of whimsy and soaring adventure. It tugs on your heart-strings and makes you laugh, too, with its odd-couple pairing of crotchety Carl and eager scout Russell.

During a recent interview, Ronnie del Carmen discussed the making of "Dug's Special Mission," which he directed, and "Up," for which he was the story supervisor at Pixar, where he has worked since 2000.

"'Dug' is easily the most lovable character in the movie and you can't help but want to see more of him," he said.

"I definitely would like to see a sequel or a storyline developed with Russell and Dug, and about the old Muntz days," he said. "There are stories in my head that tell of how he got into the Muntz pack. But all that is up to the fates if any of it happens. Maybe you can put together a petition."

Del Carmen, who grew up in the Philippines, fell in love with animation at an early age, which led to interests in art and films. Before moving to the United States in 1989, he worked as an advertising art director for print and television, but his heart remained in filmmaking. After a stint at DreamWorks and comic book work for DC and Dark Horse, he joined Pixar as a story supervisor on "Finding Nemo."

"I do production design, write and direct -- all skills good to have for the job of being a story person. When we started 'Up,' we had no job demarcations. We just started trying to solve creative problems," he said. "That means I draw designs, do camera plans, write and illustrate. It helped all of us to touch on all parts of the movie at once."

The creative collaboration environment at Pixar suits him well.

"We love Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd and Stan Laurel movies. As animators, we gravitate to communicate visually, so this is where we love to play," he said.

Del Carmen wrote the story and dialogue for Dug's new cartoon while Peterson created and wrote all of Dug's thoughts throughout "Up."

"The voice characterization he uses instantly makes you love the character," Del Carmen said. "Bob Peterson came to the rescue! That man is funny! I am a lucky man."

He pointed to his two favorite scenes in "Up," the 4-minute montage of "Married Life," where they tell the story of Carl and Ellie in 4 minutes, and when Carl pages through Ellie's Adventure Book while he is in his house atop Paradise Falls.

"I tend to get all the dramatic scenes in most movies I'm a part of. This was particularly special because I had to convey story and emotion without any dialogue," he said.

The way Pixar can touch people means a great deal to him, he noted.

"When we watch our story reels, I see people wipe tears from their eyes. You know you've got something when a bunch of lines on paper are making people cry," he said.

The animators want to get the details right. For "Up," animators spent three days traveling to a small village in Venezuela, hiked up to the flat-topped Tepui Mountains, and sketched the surroundings.

He counts "Up" as one of the high points of his career. "It was a blast! I miss it!" he said.

Del Carmen has also illustrated the book, "My Name is Dug."

And if a certain golden-haired shaggy dog becomes popular, then del Carmen and Dug will be back together again.