Raya was a chance to create a southeast Asian hero for his kids to look up to. “My goal is always to make superheroes for those who don’t get to see themselves depicted that way,” he reveals. “That gave us the thematic spine with which to build the story on,” details Hall.įor writer Nguyen, “Raya and the Last Dragon” offered a unique opportunity. Raya is betrayed at the start of the movie, and the five main factions of the fictitious ancient land remain distrustful of each other. They chose to tell that story through the concept of trust. The major story thread they latched onto was “this idea of a world that’s fractured, that needed to be united,” explains Hall. “We had the benefit of seeing multiple versions of the film,” says the director. Indeed, Hall notes that the film was actually in development for about a year and a half before he and his collaborators jumped on board. “The level and the depths of the collaborative experience at Disney is really unlike anything I’ve ever seen.” SEE ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ is streaming on Disney Plus for free

“Their ideas are just as valuable as anyone else’s,” notes the director. The movie is hashed out not only with this trio of directors and writer, but with a group of story artists and a group of visual development artists. Animated features can take years to develop and inspiration comes from everyone involved. “You really are constructing this thing as a team,” Estrada elaborates. Watch the exclusive video interview above. It’s clear during their conversation that an ego-less collaboration is key to their success in making the movie. Though they all have defined titles, it can be difficult for any of these men to pinpoint who came up with specific story elements.

He co-directed the animated adventure “ Raya and the Last Dragon” with Don Hall (Oscar winner for “Big Hero 6”), with a script from writer Qui Nguyen. “The whole culture of animation, and specifically Disney animation, hinges on collaboration and the meeting of ideas,” explains Carlos Lopez Estrada.

The last dragon movie free download