Monday, July 27, 2015

Nana


Nana, who acts like a nanny to the Darling children, is a minor, but terrific character nevertheless in the film Peter Pan. She is handled in a somewhat cartoony, but still believable way by animator Norm Ferguson. She walks like a real dog, yet is able to act out human like business like in the film still above. Because she doesn't talk, the animator had to get the character's emotions across through pantomime performances. Ferguson had been an expert in animating Pluto, so he was well equipped to take on an assignment like this one.

A 1940 model sheet from the film's earlier concept period, drawn beautifully by J.P. Miller, who made Disney history when he provided final story sketches for Baby Weems. 




Just when you thought that Milt Kahl couldn't possibly have been involved with every Disney feature character, this roughly put together model sheet shows that he probably was. The length of the dog's jowls gave him a little trouble.