Lightyear director Angus MacLane, producer Galyn Susman discuss making of Toy Story spin-off

The upcoming Lightyear, origin story of the Toy Story space ranger Buzz Lightyear, finds a fine balance between presenting a fresh perspective of the titular character and being just familiar enough that fans still feel connected to the franchise and the Toy Story world at large. Producer Galyn Susman and director Angus MacLane position this as the film Andy watched, which then inspired him to purchase his beloved toy. With this framework, the creators could focus on Buzz the film protagonist, separating him from Buzz the toy, which allowed them more creative autonomy while still staying within the bounds of the franchise’s world. The Buzz that emerges in the film is a layered, complex, evolving character. One of their strategies to drive home the distinction between the toy and film protagonist was roping in a different actor to voice Buzz, instead of continuing with Tim Allen from the earlier films. With Chris Evans as their choice, Buzz takes on a certain playfulness and sincerity that the Captain America star draws out brilliantly. “Chris brings so much to the table,” says Susman in an interview. “He does superhero very well. And he’s a phenomenal dramatic actor. And really strong in comedy - his comedic approach isn’t goofy, so it doesn’t diminish the stakes that you want to feel in a sci-fi film,” she adds. For instance, when reading the mission logs, Evans uses a lower register. He also tips his hat at Allen with more popular lines like ‘You’re mocking me, aren’t you?’ and ‘Not today Zurg.’ But for the most part, Evans was given enough creative freedom to explore the character and make Buzz his own. “I gave him the freedom to deliver,” says MacLane. “Chris did his own thing and we really pushed him to bring what he could to the performance using his own take on it,” he adds. [caption id=“attachment_10792101” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Galyn Susman (Photo by Pixar)[/caption] Likewise, the film itself, while making a few references to them, doesn’t rely too heavily on its predecessors, preferring to stand as its own entity.

“We didn’t want to have too many references because then you’re thinking of Toy Story and you’ve lost the narrative that we’re building up for this film,” says MacLane.

The film follows the age-old trope of a group of misfits out on a deadly adventure; but instead of being repetitive, it’s delightful, primarily because of the care with which these characters are crafted and voiced. Taika Waititi as Mo Morrison, Keke Palmer as Izzy Hawthorne, and Dale Soules as Darby Steel deliver the type of performance that makes these characters endearing and has the audience rooting for them. It’s especially commendable since with animated projects, actors aren’t performing live in front of each other, and don’t have the chance to feed off of each other’s energies. [caption id=“attachment_10792151” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Angus MacLane | Image by Pixar[/caption] While most of the characters are loveable, winning the cake is Buzz’s robot cat Sox, voiced by Peter Sohn. Sox came about primarily because the creators needed someone who could force the standalone, one-man-army type Buzz to open up and talk. The character’s allure stems primarily from his genuineness, and the makers made a concerted effort not to let his animation get too flashy. MacLane likens Sox to Star Wars’ R2D2, who doesn’t move much, whose head rotates, whose eye moves up a little, who has antennas, who can rock back and forth, and can translate. “A lot of the charm of R2D2 I find compelling. And as an animated character of limited possibility, they provide a lot of appeal and comedy through their limitations,” adds the director. Besides fashioning Sox as a simple, charming character, MacLane has made sure to streamline the film’s design language. From the sets to the costumes and details like whether cigarette butts would be lying around at that time, the film boasts a subtle, nuanced design world. “It’s easier to do stuff that’s going quickly and is really balloony and weightless. But the subtlety of the animation in this film is only available through the level of practice and discipline the team has applied to the film,” explains MacLane. The team has carefully created each prop. Every set feels cohesive. The characters and their animations fit comfortably into this world. [caption id=“attachment_10792171” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] A still from Lightyear | Pixar[/caption] This detailing of his vision was aided by the fact that the creators didn’t start out with a script, but simply with the idea that they wanted to make a Buzz Lightyear movie. So MacLane could envision what he wanted to see in the movie and work backwards from there. And it’s his attention to detail and focus that encouraged producer Susman to rope MacLane in for the project. “I love his sensibilities. He’s an amazing director, smart, considerate of the crew. He gets it when someone’s giving their all. He’s a great storyteller, and a lot of fun to work with,” says Susman about her choice of director. With its memorable characters, detailed and fresh animation, and lively voice actors behind the screen, Lightyear stands as a proud, deserving addition to the Pixar world. Lightyear releases in Indian cinemas on 17 June.

Aarushi Agrawal is a culture journalist with interest in research, reading, writing, and spending time with her cat. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News ,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.