Goodreads Author Chat: Ask Kate Wolford About Writing New Fairy Tales

Want to have an "Enchanted Conversation" with Indiana University writing professor and fairy tale teacher Kate Wolford?

She'll be on Goodreads on Wednesday and Thursday (June 19 & 20) to answer any and all questions on the behind-the-scenes of fairy tale writing  - something we rarely get the chance to do! (No critique questions please!)

With her new release Beyond the Glass Slipper, Ms. Wolford has created a brand new resource for, not only fans of fairy tales and fairy tale readers, but those who want to write them as well. Take advantage of this unique opportunity and go ask her some questions! She is one of the most down-to-earth and encouraging teachers I know, inspiring creativity and excellence in all who work with her.


A screencap from the Goodreads site with words from Kate herself:
 

ANYONE can join. AND IT'S FREE! (While you will need to join Goodreads or sign in through Facebook you can choose to opt out of notices, emails etc and generally not be bothered by Goodreads afterward if that's what you prefer.) Opening remarks begin at 8am EST.

Go get some tips from our very own Fairy Godmother of fairy tale writing! 

Here are some starter ideas to prompt you:

• ask about trends and ideas in recasting the tales
• ask about submission suggestions in general
• ask about tales that weren't included in the book and why
• ask about choosing tales to rewrite
• ask what the challenges are - and the perks! - in writing new fairy tales 

While there's no instant spell for writing a good story, Ms. Wolford is the best at discerning your rotten pumpkins from your magic ones and showing you how to transform them to their full potential. Over the next two days you'll get a chance to peek into this Good Fairy's bag of tricks and discover some of that for yourself.

The magic awaits. You just need to ask...



Click HERE to go to the Good Reads link and join the Enchanted Conversation.

Breaking News: "Frozen" Releases Trailer, er, 'Toon

As anticipated, Disney has finally released a trailer for Frozen!

As promised, here it is!

Imma let you watch:


?

Huh.

OK. So it's not a trailer, it's a 'toon. And first impression is: if Disney gave Scrat (Ice Age) a makeover maybe this is what it would look like... although, this doesn't actually look Disney-esque at all. (?)

Don't get me wrong. I'll happily watch a little slapstick - even slapstick on ice, although Bambi and Thumper discovering Winter was precious and hard to top. And I might even watch a movie about a bumbling snowman and his pet dog, er, reindeer but... where's the.. EVERYTHING we're looking for in the next big Disney fairy tale?

I'll let you know when there is some actual fairy tale news. Please return to your regularly scheduled programs.

Note: Frozen is set to release on November 27th in the US and December 6th in the UK.

"The Snow Queen Cometh" (!)

"The Snow Queen Cometh" (gawd)

With a trailer coming out today (stay tuned for that) and official images released just yesterday (Monday) Disney's Frozen is officially counting down the days to the Thanksgiving release.

Here are the five new images:

  

Action shot - I really want to be impressed but I'm distracted by the prominent boxer-flattened schnozes of the character designs. And how they look a LOT like certain moose Disney have used before...

 

Going to give this one the benefit of the doubt since it's probably from a very nice looking sequence (though why release this still then...?).

I'm seeing a goofy (and very familiar looking) reindeer (not the majestic, iconic animal companion all Snow Queen fans adore)...

 

... and a talking snowman sidekick (What. The. What?)...

 

... and not very distinctive looking characters at all. (Who are these people? They look like CG stock!) Except for the goofballs, that is. Well, some of the goofballs. Which is... not what we want. :/

First official image from Disney's Frozen

My impression continues to jive with the "Tangled in the snow" quip I've seen thrown around since they changed Anna's hair color from an eye-catching white-blonde...

... to a much-closer-to-Rapunzel-colored strawberry-blonde (not to mention changing her eyes and face to be much more Rapunzel-round).

Overall it just looks... like-Alpha and Omega-met-Brother Bear-as-Tangled-went-on-a-ski-trip.  :(

I really don't understand why they're releasing these sorts of images. Presumably (hopefully?) I'm way off the mark with all the parallels but if this all we have to go from what else are we supposed to think?

This is appearing everywhere as Disney concept art but it's not. More is the pity. This is everyone's favorite go-to, "look at the pretty" Disney is doing image but it's actually by Laura Csajagi.

Even if these impressions are not what the movie is like (oh please say it isn't!!) there's a world of potential in HCA's The Snow Queen that I'm barely seeing signs of being tapped. It's as if someone said "we're doing a fantasy in the snow, with a girl and a snow queen" and that's all they gave the artists to work with. :( :( (Yes, that's a double-sad face.)

Jennifer Lee - Disney's 1st female director

I wish I could be excited about Frozen having the first female director (EVER! Sheesh! Although she's actually sharing a Co-director credit with Chris Buck, but still...) but I'm guessing Jennifer Lee had a lot on her plate just holding on to juggling her job (notes from up to 150 people?? OMG). She did display good writing chops on Wreck It Ralph however so I'm holding out some hope...

Unfortunately, it's pretty clear Frozen's plot isn't based on Andersen's fairy tale. At most, it's "inspired by" the beloved story but first looks tell us it's barely that either. Right now, the most I'm looking forward to from this movie is the "Art Of" book, especially if it includes anything like the images above, because that could  be from a classic tale.

[Little side note: no matter what negative things people have to say about the look of Frozen, how the new Anna looks like Rapunzel or that the new villain is looking a little too delicate, EVERYONE seems to love that image by French artist Laura Csajagi above and is hoping this is what they end up seeing... Too bad.]

But here's something more positive from USA today, which gives me hope for a beautiful film, even if there's no reference to the classic fairy tale:

The animators traveled to Norway to scope out the winter world firsthand and incorporated the look into Frozen's 3-D-enhanced scenery. (Co-Director, Chris) Buck says his team had "a blast" re-creating the beauty on-screen.
"The light is amazing, the way it refracts and dances off the snow and ice," Buck says. "We're still working on the film, but what we have seen is stunning."

Here are a few screen grabs, presumably from todays' trailer (not yet seen as of this writing), from a behind-the-scenes YouTube news source I found a while back.

 It will also be the first time Disney has had a beautiful evil princess...

... with powers! (Which you can see a glimpse of above.)

And I particularly like the concept of the snowflake bridge and use of animation to have the sun shine through the snow and cause rainbow reflections as it drifts down.

Fan-made posters - they look similar to final designs though

But will Elsa stay evil and be a unique addition to the Disney villain canon?

Chances seem slim with a "girl sets out to save sister" premise. Does Anna fail? Does Anna turn to the dark side?

Mehinks... no.

From Collider yesterday:

The story will focus more on the relationship between Anna and Elsa.  “That’s such an important part of this,” co-director Jennifer Lee tells USA Today.  “Two sisters torn apart by a big family secret.”  (Kristen) Bell (who is the voice of Anna) adds that Anna is “not a good fighter, she doesn’t have good posture, she’s not very elegant, and she’s constantly putting her foot in her mouth.  But, Bell  adds, “she’s a good person and she’s utterly determined.” 

Sounds just like.. never mind.

I'm afraid it must be said: so far, Frozen is leaving me cold.

Fairy tale bonus of the day: A gallery full of Frozen art - some legit, some not but all exploring the Disney movie-to-be based on The Snow Queen.  Some very pretty pics here (and a few wishes too). Click HERE to go see the shiny.

Breaking News: Disney's "Frozen" Taking Over The Weather Channel

It's marketing time!

And to kick it off we're going to talk about the weather. (Heh.)

I have a feeling this was (happily) grabbed during a test to go live properly tomorrow, since there's a link to the as-yet-unreleased trailer, and I can't get the site to show me this anymore, BUT it appears that Disney's Frozen is taking over The Weather Channel.
(source BleedingCool.com)

Look!

• Frozen background
• Frozen colors
• Promo poster
• Gallery
• Link to a trailer
• A reindeer/moose (?? check the link, you'll see what I mean)
• A sidekick snowman... (Oh no!)

What are you thinking of the first marketing look?

I have a much meatier (and prettier) blog post set to go live at midnight for you all, complete with bigger views of the newly released images and much more.

And I should be posting the trailer some time tomorrow too...

Stay tuned!

Herakut: "My What Big Tales You Have!"

"The little giants & the goddess of dreams" - 2nd mural in Lexington KY, USA

Herakut are taking their new fairy tale to the streets, then leaving it there, one chapter at a time...


 The Giant Storybook Project by German street artist-duo Herakut is one of my coolest discoveries of late. The artists are creating a new children's book (chock-full of fairy tale themes), wall by wall around the world.

Waking the Giant from The Giant Storybook Project - Montreal, Canada

The project began in September 2012 and is continuing throughout 2013 so we can watch as the story of Lily, Jay and two giants unfolds (if you're lucky and live in a town they will be painting in - literally!) in murals and on buildings (from warehouses to monasteries) around the globe. Check HERE for some very cool pics on the development of a few different paintings. There is also a fantastic and beautiful promo video below which shows some of the process too.

The Giant Story Book Project - Trailer

If you aren't familiar with Herakut here's a little background from Inspire Me:

1st mural "Lily & the silly monkeys" also in Lexington, KY USA

Herakut is comprised of Hera, a classically trained painter who “creates gestural, emotional figures in a freestyle manner using numerous tools including spray cans, brushes, and her hands.” and Akut, a completely self-taught yet skilled painter, creating hyper-realistic images of animals and flesh using only a spray can. 

Their pieces range from traditional canvases to urban decay art installations / murals and can be seen clear across Europe. Their pieces are loaded with symbolism and context and you’d be hard pressed to stand before their work and not feel a piece of you reach out in appreciation or possibly discomfort. (More on their work, book releases and projects at the Inspire Me link above.)

I've also created a Pinterest board dedicated to their artwork - which includes a number of The Giant Storybook Project pieces - and chose pieces that display their use of symbolism, metaphor, animal people and fairy tale themes in images and words, painted in unexpected urban places. You can see that board HERE.

Miami FL, USA - 8th mural of The Giant Storybook Project

You can follow The Giant Storybook Project (and Herakut) on Facebook HERE, on Pinterest HERE and on Tumblr HERE.

Here's their description from Facebook:

"I am different" painted on side of a monastery in Eresing, Germany

We are Giants and Children and Monkeys and Chameleons. Come along and see our story...

The Giant Storybook Project will follow the creation of a new children's book being created by the internationally-renowned street artist duo Herakut. Launched in September 2012 and continuing through 2013, the project follows the artists as they introduce the story's characters on murals that they are painting around the world. If you're in one of the cities where we're painting, come on by! If not, follow the progress through this (Facebook) page. Either way, get to know Lily, Jay (her brother), the giants, and the other interesting characters as they reveal more of themselves over the coming months!

Jay's Creative Spirit - The Giant Storybook Project installment in Leslieville, Toronto, Canada

And here's an excerpt from Chapter 1; the first draft, of Herakut's Giant Storybook:

They were also involved in the (crazy-popular music event) Coachella, teaming up with Poetic Kinetics Inc. this year in April with their giant (seriously giant!) snail Helix, to help promote their project and spread inspiration.

Helix in the sunset at Coachella 2013

Currently they have completed eleven storybook page murals (I believe Helix's paint does not count as a storybook page) and are working on fundraising projects (via some truly beautiful looking prints, among other things) before they continue traveling, painting, storytelling and inspiring...

"Will power always consume the ones that seek it?"
Possible children´s-book-version of our wall in Rochester, NY.

Here's a list of where the The Giant Storybook Project murals are so far:

Lily & Jay meet up in Kathmandu, Nepal

• Lexington KY, USA (murals 1 & 2)
• Eresing, Germany (3)
• Montreal, Canada (4)
• Toronto, Ontario, Canada (5)
• Rochester NY, USA (6)
• San Francisco CA, USA (7)
• Miami FL, USA (8)
• Melbourne VIC, Australia (9)
• Kathmandu, Nepal (10)
• Lily at Coachella (on Helix) Indio CA, USA (no notes on where Helix can be seen sorry)
• Bad Vilbel, Germany (11)

Print of Lily for fundraising*

Oh and YES! 

There will definitely be a book of The Giant Storybook Project (on the various pages I've linked to, you can see Herakut making mock-ups of how a mural could be adapted for print as a page or double-page spread for a book). It is yet to be named although, really, The Giant Storybook Project seems just fine. :)

The release date is, understandably, yet to be announced. 

"How you do something reveals your talent. Why you do something reveals your character." Lily uses her gift to make gifts. June 2, 2013 - The Giant Storybook Project latest installment: Bad Vilbel, Germany

*The print is (adorably) titled "You know there is something wrong with you if you don't even get along with your imaginary friends."

"7D" - These Are Not the Dwarves You Are Looking For

 

With Snow White still being a buzz name in entertainment these days, Disney has dug into its archives and ordered a new animated series for Disney Junior based on its first feature film. But it's turning out to not be as reminiscent of the beloved film as you might think. This series was in development 2011 and production started about a year ago. With the 2013/2014 season program slate recently released (in March) and 7D firmly on the ticket, we should be seeing more from these guys soon.

Here's the premise, according to Deadline:

Described as a comedic take on the world of Seven Dwarfs in a contemporary storybook world, 7D takes place in Jollywood where Queen Delightful relies on the 7D — Happy, Bashful, Sleepy, Sneezy, Dopey, Grumpy and Doc — to keep the kingdom in order. Standing in their way are two laughably evil villains, Grim and Hildy Gloom, who plot to take over the kingdom by stealing the magical jewels in the 7D’s mine.

Dwarf fight - classic style

Knowing the popularity of Grumpy products is making quite a mint for the Mouse House these days, I would have been more interested in a series with him as the main character (the grumpiest dwarf with the biggest heart") and seeing various fairy tale tropes, obstacles and issues being played out through him and his seven companions.

That won't be happening.

The dwarf's names will remain the same but they've been completely redesigned. The new looks were unveiled some time ago and, well, call me old school, BUT.

Maybe I should make that bigger:

BUT:

!

This is not the incarnation of Snow White's legacy I was hoping for.

(And I'm not the only one).

Not everyone is having such a bad reaction, however, and there is some hope as Craig Shemin (Jim Henson Company staff writer) wrote the test episode, which has been described as sweet and whimsical. Unfortunately it feels very much like we're in for an(other) Enchanted Kingdom mash-up, of dwarves, fairies, magical items and other pop-fairy tale staples that have little to do with time honored märchen.

ABC's Once Upon A Time - Grumpy is "born"

I'd be happy to change my mind on this (please!) but it's going to take some excellent writing to convince me. (Please-don't-let-them-hatch-from-eggs-please-don't-let-them-hatch-from-eggs!)

At least we won't be inundated with even more princess stuff. (Or will we?)

The new series is slated to debut on Disney Junior in 2014.

* The characters were designed by Fish Hooks creator Noah Z. Jones; Tom Ruegger (Animaniacs) exec produces.

Snow White Drifts To the Dark Side in SWATH Sequel?

 Ah yes, Snow White the Trilogy. (Or is it SWATH the Franchise?) Either way, we've known from the very early on that Universal was eyeing Snow White and the Huntsman as the first (story?) in a three-movie deal and you'll be glad (? - yes there are a few question marks here) to know that the sequel is well underway and a release is planned for sometime in 2015.

So what do we know about SWATH 2?

We know Ravenna, the evil queen, (played by Charlize Theron) died - really died.
The mirror, however, did not. (Does that mean it was/is alive??)
But.
There is magic here so ya never know...
We know that despite the rumors a sequel would concentrate on the Huntsman instead of Snow White, Snow's character is confirmed as being front and center once again. (And it would make a lot of fairy tale sense if the queen became the mirror...)

But what do we REALLY know?

Both Kristen Stewart (Snow White) and Chris Hemsworth (the Huntsman) are confirmed as attached (and reportedly already gearing up for filming). The director is... still unknown (though it's definitely NOT Rupert Sanders*). The various design teams are still a question marks too (please come back Ms. Atwood!).

Fans speculate about SWATH 2

It would appear, however, that David Koepp is (still) the screenwriter (with a new, official IMDB credit and completed script tucked under his arm, just awaiting a director to add, change, approve it) and on May 1st, 2013, Mr. Koepp was reported as talking enthusiastically about the SWATH sequel to Vulture, saying:

"It's like The Empire Strikes Back. I felt like they had a really, really great idea that seemed like a natural extension of the story ... Snow White is queen now, but the mirror is still there. It doesn't bode well for our innocent little queen." Assuming even if she succeeds in vanquishing yet another evil in the second film, the fight is far from over: Koepp is already thinking past the sequel. "There's plenty to go," said Koepp, who has been pulling some of his new characters from Russian fairy tales*. "There's also a great idea for a third movie." Feel the Force, Snow.

Will Snow be whistling while she works to clean up the countrywide mess left by the evil queen? (Yawn.) Will she battle a new antagonist? (??) Or will she be her own worst enemy and become a reflection of the queen her (step)mother was?*** (I vote for this one.)

Fan-made SWATH 2 poster

The hype for the first Snow White and the Huntsman talked a lot about being more faithful to the darkness of the original (aka Grimm's) tale and was summarized very nicely by Empire Magazine (in an article well worth reading if you like the tale and/or movie.) The main push was that this was no pixie-dusted Snow White, that it was edgy and yet stayed true to the original character of Snow, both as described in the Grimm text as well as the more well known version animated by Disney. But with a sequel (and likely a third installment) on the way, will those all-important characteristics of the fairy tale heroine develop in a logical way or are we in for something completely different?

(And don't forget it was pretty clear that the story between Snow White and the Eric the Huntsman wasn't over, so there is plenty of room for romantic speculation as well.)

The only other thing we know for certain is that Ms. Stewart is "very excited" about the sequel or as she puts it: "Oh, it's gonna be f----n' amazing. No, I’m so excited about it, it’s crazy." (To which all at Universal were like "OMG Stop talking already!" so that was all we got.)

* Though The Playlist appears to be voting for Neil Jordan, [The Company of Wolves, Interview With A Vampire and the very beautiful and recent Ondine] which would be really interesting to see. I can't, however, find any whiff of that being a real possibility.

** But wait! Rewind to the Episode V hint - did you just read what I did? "New characters from Russian fairy tales"? -swoon- [If you've been reading the blog for a while you'll know I adore Russian fairy tales. From Baba Yaga to Koschei the Deathless and all the Ivans and Vasilisas in between.] I can actually see how that would fit with the direction the first film took.

*** I wanted to write something about "apples" and "giving in to temptation" but the mixed metaphor thing was getting ridiculous!

Hmm, well, Kristen could be on the road to becoming the next Evil Queen. She could also end up battling the remnants of Charlize’s magic-infused reign. But which is it?! - See more at: http://perezhilton.com/2013-05-03-kristen-stewart-evil-queen-snow-white-and-the-huntsman-sequel-villain#.UblAr-uA0hd

Hmm, well, Kristen could be on the road to becoming the next Evil Queen. She could also end up battling the remnants of Charlize’s magic-infused reign. But which is it?! - See more at: http://perezhilton.com/2013-05-03-kristen-stewart-evil-queen-snow-white-and-the-huntsman-sequel-villain#.UblAr-uA0hd

A New Journey Into Fairy Tale Films From Fandor

Traditions of folklore and fairy tale inspired the earliest of filmmakers and it didn’t take them long to discover how to visualize the miraculous via trick photography and special effects.

Yet who could have predicted just how “special” those effects would eventually become in the present day, when CGI-engorged new versions of old favorites like Snow White emerge yearly? Fairy tale-derived titles do, however, stray from the well-beaten commercial path and the best delight and terrify with their quirky imaginative breadth...

(continue reading on the Journey into Fairy Tale Films HERE)

Attention: fairy tale fans, film buffs, special effects people

and cultural history detectives! 

Welcome to a new online fairy tale film collection from Fandor: Journey Into Film (The Fairy Tales Edition), curated by longtime film critic (Variety & San Francisco Bay Guardian) Dennis Harvey!

I wasn't quite able to get the blog up and running again in time for the launch (so sorry!) but this is a not-to-be-missed, brand new and  extremely cool resource for fans of fairy tale and film. We are so fortunate to live in a time when resources like this are made available to us (where before we had to have special access to film archives and more) so please go take a look, let Fandor know we are truly excited to see this and that it was worth the effort (and that we'd love to see even more!).

Journey Into Fairy Tale Film, isn't your average, random, (or dry) collection either. The films within  are carefully chosen to be shown together. They're related via theme (and other insights the curator reveals as you go "on the journey"), go from the older films to the very recent and the presentation is designed specifically to help you "connect the dots" between them. 

 

Mr. Harvey*, was kind enough to give Once Upon A Blog an additional statement regarding curating the collection:

"Choosing films for this particular "Journey" was especially easy because fairy tales surface in many types of film that Fandor offers, particularly silent cinema and animation. 

Dennis Harvey - Film critic for Variety & SF Bay Guardian

Some of the later films in this "Journey" tap Fandor's sizable collection of camp and exploitation movies. "Cinderella 2000" is one of many erotic films from the 1970s that send up (and sexed up) childhood fables, while the completely nuts Hong Kong kung-fu fantasy "Deadly Snail vs. Kung Fu Killer" draws on their  Chinese equivalents.

The most recent films in the series illustrate the popular trend in recent years of taking legendary tales and figures (not least 20th-century ones like Batman and Superman) into "darker," more adult directions. The 2008 Korean "Hansel and Gretel" plumbs the macabre and disturbing qualities of a "children's story" the way Angela Carter or Gregory Maguire have in the literary realm. Then there's "Sita Sings the Blues," which puts a very modern and playful spin on primary piece of epic Indian mythology."

- Dennis Harvey (on curating Fandor's Journey Into Film - Fairy Tales collection)

 It's online, accessible to everyone (even without a Fandor "online cinema subscription") and just very cool to look at and move around in (no special skills required).

 

It's also interactive so you can choose to read a quick overview (with big beautiful pics), view clips or even view whole films.

Excerpted from the announcement in my mail:

Today (May 30, 2013), Fandor.com — the streaming source for indie film — launched a new series called Journey Into Film.  Each Journey Into Film theme is curated by a respected film critic or Fandor film buff, and offers viewers a behind-the-scenes look at specific films and genres through interactive visuals and expert insight.

...This collection of folklore and fairytale favorites utilizes trick photography and special effects  to bring fantasy to reality. 

OK - no more online time here. Instead, go to Fandor's Fairy Tale Journey and check it out. I hope the collection stays available in the long term but even if it doesn't, they have lots of fairy tale (and fairy tale influenced) films to browse through - especially if you're a real film buff. 

Take advantage and enjoy!

 

* To read more about Variety film critic Dennis Harvey and his work, click on the link to read an interview in which he speaks about his time at the University of Michigan (of which is an alum) and the changing nature of film criticism. You can also click HERE.