Moana 2 concept art

 What We Do

Filmmaking
Process

Sketch of Pua & Hei Hei

What goes into making an animated film?

Each department works together to bring us the big picture. From sequence to shot to frame, the film comes together through the deep collaboration between everyone at the studio.

An animated film is approximately 90 minutes long.

Moana 2 has a total run time of 89 minutes and 33 seconds

A film is composed of many sequences.

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Each sequence is typically 1 to 7 minutes long.

Moana 2 had 46 sequences that ranged from 7 seconds to just under 4 minutes.

Each sequence is made up of many shots.

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A shot, which is one camera setup, is typically 0 to 30 seconds long.

We're Back contains 70 shots and is 2 minutes and 56 seconds long.

Frame 01

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There are 24 frames in one second of animation.

Each frame is on screen for approximately 0.04 seconds.

Moana 2 had 129,507 frames.

Stereo 3D accounts for a left eye and right eye to create depth.

Click on the image below to toggle between the left eye and right eye images.

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Left Eye

There are 259,014 total frames rendered for Stereo 3D.

Mirabel storyboard
Mirabel final frame

From storyboard to final frame, each film takes an average of three to five years to create what you see on screen.

And it all starts with an idea.

Development
Developing the idea

Our filmmaking process begins in Development, where our storytellers begin to craft the narrative, and our artists define the look of the characters and worlds.

Moana 2 editorial

Shaping the Story

Editorial and Sound teams piece together evolving story ideas, guiding production.

Editorial & Sound

Oceanic Cultural Trust

Like on the first Moana film, the filmmakers assembled a team of cultural experts in anthropology, history, dance and movement, canoes and navigation, linguistics, and various cultural practices from the Pacific Islands. They provided cultural advice and support for design, choreography reference, and language throughout the film.

Handmade rope
Recording Studio

Finding the Voices

Breathing life into our characters through the perfect actors.

Casting

Research & Experiences

In preparation for and throughout production, the Production Training and Development team provides education in filmmaking, art, storytelling, and tools through experiences, classes, lectures, workshops, field trips and screenings. 

Building the Foundation

Technology is at the basis of all things created within our pipeline. Through an empathetic approach, Technologists work to design and build working environments that enable artists to do their best work.

Pre-Production Technologies

Exploring our Legacy

The Walt Disney Animation Research Library is home to over 65,000,000 assets from Disney Animation's nearly hundred-year history, and is a resource for our artists and filmmakers to explore throughout production.

Animation Research Library collection

Asset Creation
Entering the third dimension

Once development is on track, our artists turn our visual development and concept drawings into three-dimensional characters and environments by creating the models, rigs, and textures that define the look of the world being created.

Production Management

Keeping it on Track

Great communicators, strategists, and organizers, Production Management is quick to respond to ever-changing schedules.

Production Management

Strategizing Solutions

Stewards of the pipeline, Technical Directors solve problems and tackle new and interesting challenges through a combination of tool building, support, and software development. 

Technical Direction

Crafting Next Generation Workflows

The partnership between Art and Technology is behind the best of what we create. Through close working relationships between our artists and technologists, we develop groundbreaking tools and workflows that allow us to explore ways we can optimize the creation process.

Tools & Support

Shot Production
Putting it together, frame by frame

Once our characters have been crafted and our environments realized, we begin the process of creating the scenes that will comprise our movie. Shot Production includes the work of many animators and technicians who bring sequences to life in everything from a character’s acting to the fine details in their hair, clothing and the world.

Higher Quality, Faster Iterations

Disney Animation’s Technology teams have created a best-in-class shot development experience. Their focus is not only the ease of data access and collaboration, but also the safety and security of our data. With the artist in mind, technologies are introduced or improved upon to enable higher quality visualization and faster iteration of the final, rendered shot.

Collaboration & Rendering Technologies
Moana 2 Post Production

The Finishing Touches

Shaping the film through final delivery of picture and sound.

Post Production

Archiving

When a production wraps, art and assets created for our films, as well as materials and items acquired during development and production, are organized and archived so the Walt Disney Animation Research Library can make them available to the entire Walt Disney Company for inspiration and reference.

Bringing It All Together

And finally, through the deep collaboration between Production, Technology, and with the support of everyone on the Studio Teams, our compelling characters come together with their imaginative worlds, to tell the universal stories that become part of our films at Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Moana 2: Now in theaters.

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