Production Oz the Great and Powerful

1 production

1.1 disney s history oz
1.2 development
1.3 filming
1.4 music

1.4.1 soundtrack

production
disney s history oz

after success of snow white , 7 dwarfs in 1937, walt disney planned produce animated film based on first of l. frank baum s oz books. roy o. disney, chairman of walt disney productions, informed baum s estate had sold film rights first book samuel goldwyn, re-sold louis b. mayer in 1938. film ironically approved due success of snow white. project developed metro-goldwyn-mayer well-known musical adaptation released following year.

in 1954, when film rights baum s remaining thirteen oz books made available, walt disney productions acquired them use in walt disney s television series disneyland lead live-action film rainbow road oz, abandoned , never completed. disney s history oz series continued 1985 film return oz, performed poorly, both critically , commercially, has developed cult following since release. after return oz, disney lost film rights oz books , subsequently reverted public domain.

development

screenwriter mitchell kapner intrigued prospect of exploring origins of wizard of oz character discussed in many meetings. after wicked came out, kapner felt missed window of opportunity. in 2009, kapner met joe roth, turned down current pitches, request other ideas had. discussion turned kapner reading indicated reading oz series kids. roth interested knew first book. kapner went through plot of novels, when roth stopped him on sixth novel in series, emerald city of oz, had of story of wizard. producer joe roth became involved same reason kapner, stating … during years spent running walt disney studios—i learned how hard find fairy tale strong male protagonist. ve got sleeping beauties, cinderellas , alices. fairy tale male protagonist hard come by. origin story of wizard of oz, here fairy tale story natural male protagonist. why knew idea movie genuinely worth pursuing. kapner , co-writer palak patel presented idea sony pictures turned down. in 2009, project set @ walt disney pictures when studio s president of production, sean bailey commissioned oz great , powerful under working title brick during tenure of walt disney studios chairman dick cook, succeeded rich ross , later alan horn, succession in management major studio release rare survive. david lindsay-abaire later hired re-write.

roth sought out robert downey jr. titular role of wizard in april 2010. summer of year, sam raimi hired direct film shortlist reportedly included directors sam mendes , adam shankman. in january 2011, raimi met downey, did not secure casting. downey s disinterest acknowledged, johnny depp approached due previous collaboration studio in pirates of caribbean franchise , alice in wonderland. depp liked role declined involvement, citing commitment disney tentpole film, lone ranger. film without lead until february when james franco entered final negotiations star in film (including $7 million salary), 5 months before filming scheduled begin. franco , raimi had worked on spider-man trilogy. franco received training magician lance burton prepare role.

screenwriter kapner adopted information wizard l. frank baum s novels conceptualize original story. raimi made sure film nod lovingly 1939 film , inserted several references , homages film. disney wanted reduce film s production budget approximately $200 million. casting calls put out local actors in michigan.

in june 2011, composer danny elfman chosen score oz great , powerful, despite elfman , raimi having had falling-out on spider-man 2 (2004) , elfman declaring never again work together.

filming

principal photography oz great , powerful began july 25, 2011, @ raleigh michigan studios in pontiac, michigan, employing 3d cameras.

raimi opted use practical sets in conjunction computer-generated imagery during filming. physical sets constructed actors have visual reference, opposed using green screen technology every scene. chroma key compositing used background pieces. zach braff , joey king on set, recording dialogue simultaneously other actors, whenever cg characters present in scene. puppetry employed physical version of china girl serve visual key-point actors manipulate. braff wore blue motion capture suit create finley s movements , had camera close face flying sequences obtain facial movements.

art director robert stromberg, worked on avatar , alice in wonderland, drew inspiration films of frank capra , james wong howe achieve art deco design envisioned emerald city. stromberg contrasted colorful tonal qualities of oz restrained appearance of alice, affirming although both films explore similar fantasy worlds, overall atmosphere , landscape of each different. in 2011, stromberg , team visited walt disney archives during pre-production phase reference production art disney s animated films such pinocchio, bambi, fantasia, cinderella, sleeping beauty, alice in wonderland, , snow white , 7 dwarfs, drawing designs , textures, in order give settings in film affectionate nod classic disney style. costume designer gary jones focused on authenticity wardrobe designs: started doing lot of research , having ideas of ways (costumes) should in order (historically accurate) went on, began creating whole new world.

sam raimi on recreating land of oz under legalities.

the film technically prequel 1939 metro-goldwyn-mayer film, wizard of oz, not allowed considered such. filmmakers had toe fine line between calling film mind not infringing upon it. end, had copyright expert on set ensure no infringement occurred. production team worked under constraint of abiding stipulations set forth warner bros., legal owner of rights iconic elements of 1939 film (via turner entertainment subsidiary purchased mgm film library in 1986), including ruby slippers worn judy garland. therefore, disney unable use them nor character likenesses particular film. extended green of wicked witch s skin, disney used legal department considered sufficiently different shade dubbed theostein (a portmanteau of theodora , frankenstein ). additionally, studio not use signature chin mole of margaret hamilton s portrayal of wicked witch of west, nor employ yellow brick road s swirl design munchkinland. expert ensured emerald city not close in appearance emerald city in 1939 film.

while wb , disney did not engage in copyright battle, did file rival trademarks. disney filed trademark on oz great , powerful. 1 week later, wb filed own trademarks great , powerful oz. patent , trademark office suspended wb s attempt @ trademark because disney had filed same 1 week earlier.

in addition legal issues, film faced delays when several cast members went on hiatus due unrelated commitments , circumstances. rachel weisz left halfway through shoot film entire role in bourne legacy, michelle williams required promote release of week marilyn, , franco s father died during production. roth compared task of managing overlapping schedules being air-traffic controller. mila kunis s makeup , prosthetics supervised greg nicotero , demanded 4 hours apply , hour remove, kunis taking 2 months recover subsequent removal of makeup skin. raimi had edit frightening nature of several scenes secure disney s desired pg rating mpaa. sony pictures imageworks contracted create film s visual effects.

music

composer danny elfman noted film s score accessibly quick produce, majority of music being written in 6 weeks. regarding tonal quality of score, elfman stated, re going take approach s old school not self-consciously old-fashioned. let melodrama melodrama, let is. think there s advantage m able write narratively, , when m able write narratively can move quicker because s natural instincts, can tell story in music.

american singer-songwriter mariah carey recorded promotional pop single called home written carey, simone porter, justin gray, lindsey ray, tor erik hermansen, , mikkel eriksen (a.k.a. stargate) soundtrack of film. single released on february 19, 2013 island records.

soundtrack

the original soundtrack oz great , powerful released digitally , physically walt disney records on march 5, 2013. physical cd release in association intrada records.

all music composed danny elfman.