Behind the Scenes of Brave

A lot of Brave clips, featurettes, and TV spots have been posted online lately, but we haven't seen much from 'behind the scenes' of the film - that is, until now.

These first two vids gives us a glimpse at what you expect to find when you go watch Brave. They include short interviews with director Mark Andrews and producer Katherine Sarafian, along with some of the cast members, Brenda Chapman, and Pixar honcho John Lasseter.

The second of these, particularly, gives us a lot of insight into all the hard work that went into making Brave. This is, after all, a film that has been in the works since 2005. This second video lasts over five minutes, and focuses on the inspiration, story, art, characters, and music of the film; all the aspects that, if done well, will make Brave a true masterpiece.

Also, you can check out these individual interviews with Kelly Macdonald (voice of Merida), Emma Thompson (Elinor), Billy Connolly (Fergus), Craig Ferguson (Lord Mactintosh), and Kevin McKidd (Lord MacGuffin/Young MacGuffin). It's really interesting to hear the cast's different thoughts on the story, film, and the characters, so I strongly recommend watching these videos.

Brave hits theaters in just eleven days!

(Hat tip to Pixar Portal)

New "Brave" Synopsis!

We haven't had a lot of Brave related news for quite some time now, so it was about time that we got something. Luckily, that "something" has arrived and we now have an all-new synopsis for the film that uncovers a few plot points from the upcoming fairy tale. Read it below:

Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In “Brave,” a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald) confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts.

Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (voice of Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (voice of Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (voice of Robbie Coltrane). Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Witch (voice of Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.

Directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman, and produced by Katherine Sarafian, “Brave” is a grand adventure full of heart, memorable characters and the signature Pixar humor enjoyed by audiences of all ages. The film takes aim at theaters on June 22, 2012, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.

Sounds awesome, right? This movie is probably going to rock the box office for a couple of weeks or so next year, and I would not at all be surprised if it was greeted by universal critical success.

Also, did you know that several actors from the Harry Potter film series, four of them to be precise, will be lending their voices to a few characters in Brave? Kelly Macdonald, who voices Pixar's first female protagonist, Merida, played Helena Ravenclaw in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II. Emma Thompson, voice of Merida's mother, Queen Elinor, portrayed the strange Divination teacher, Professor Sybill Trelawney in several of the Harry Potter films. The voice of Brave's Witch, Julie Walters, is known for her role in most of the films in the  HP series as the protective mother of seven children, Molly Weasley. Finally, Robbie Coltrane, who voices Lord Dingwall in Brave, appeared as the loveable half-giant Rubeus Hagrid throughout the entire Harry Potter saga.

Brave opens in theaters June 22, 2012.

Pixar at D23 Expo

At last, some Pixar news to share with you all.

You've probably heard of D23 Expo, often called "The Ultimate Disney Event for Fans and Families". This year, for the first time ever, Pixar will be present at the event, and it seems that it will be pretty hard to ignore Pixar's presence at D23.

Many Pixarian "celebrities" will be present at the event, such as Kelly Macdonald and Kevin McKidd from Pixar's upcoming release, Brave, Ricky Nierva, production designer for Monsters University, Jim Morris, general manager of the Pixar studios, and best of all, a group of almost all of Pixar's directors, from John Lasseter, all the way to Dan Scanlon! Not to mention, legendary Pixar composer Michael Giacchino will be there too. Wow, if I was lucky enough to be attending the event, I'd probably pass out from all the excitement.

Here is an official list of all the Pixar-related panels to enjoy at the giant event:

A Conversation with the Pixar Creative Team

Enjoy a rare opportunity to spend some time with the key figures responsible for Pixar’s unprecedented success, including John Lasseter (chief creative officer, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios), Jim Morris (general manager, Pixar Animation Studios), Pete Docter (director, Monsters, Inc., Up), Andrew Stanton (director, Finding Nemo, WALL-E), Bob Peterson (co-director, Up), Lee Unkrich (director, Toy Story 3), Mark Andrews (director, Brave), and Dan Scanlon (director, Monsters University).

The Characters of Monsters University

Director Dan Scanlon and Production Designer Ricky Nierva discuss how they combine hair, horns, and a lot of heart to bring the wonderful Monsters University characters to life.

Michael Giacchino’s Music of Pixar

In this musical presentation, award-winning composer Michael Giacchino explores his early influences through the creation of modern-day classic scores from Ratatouille, Up and Cars 2.

The Art of Brave

Production designer Steve Pilcher and shading art director Tia Kratter show how they and their team put paint to canvas and fingers to computer keys to create the stunning visuals of Scotland for Disney•Pixar’s upcoming film Brave.

Pixar Shorts

This retrospective screening of the animation studio’s legendary short films will be followed by a panel discussion with several of the filmmakers, including Ralph Eggleston (director, For the Birds), Andy Jimenez (director, One Man Band), Angus MacLane (director, BURN-E), Pete Sohn (director, Partly Cloudy), Teddy Newton (director, Day & Night), and Enrico Casarosa (director, La Luna).

So not only will many Pixar celebs be there, but we'll probably get our first peek at Monsters University, and see more concept art from Brave! This is sure shaping up to be one heck of an event!

Visit D23's official website for further details, and if you are interested in attending, you can buy tickets there as well.