In the first “Toy Story,” writers wanted to show Woody dunking his head in a dog bowl. But, says chief creative officer Pete Docter, “we could not do water.”
Instead of dousing the cowboy, animators decided to show cereal stuck to his eyes “and we got an extra laugh out of it. That was born out of the inability to put all the work into making a splash.”
Now, water isn’t a problem. In “Toy Story 5,” there’s a scene that accomplishes what the original couldn’t.
“The tech has gotten to a point where it’s honestly almost impossible to present them with a problem they can’t solve,” says producer Lindsey Collins.
Bad news for Jessie (voiced by Joan Cusack): She has to deal with high-tech gadgets taking over in "Toy Story 5."
That shift gives filmmakers more time to concentrate on the story.
And that’s where technology has its push/pull force in the latest film.
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Director Andrew Stanton wanted to tackle the impact electronic devices was having on traditional toys. Making them villains was too easy — particularly since computers were able to open doors for animation.
“Rather than come in with a take on it, (we decided) to represent what we are all feeling — our complicated relationship with technology and what we’re seeing in terms of our kids’ relationships with technology and start from there — a place of truth rather than a place of judgment,” says Collins.
The villain, they discovered, wasn’t a device, but the way devices could affect relationships. Online bullying became an issue, as did extended screen time at the expense of play.
From left to right are Bullseye, Jessie, Atlas, Smarty Pants and Snappy in Disney and Pixar's "Toy Story 5."
Using Jessie, the cowgirl, as their heroine got them to confront those issues. Lilypad, the new device that enters the story, isn’t trying to kick the toys to the curb.
“She’s coming in with the same kind of intent — ‘I’m here to help. I have a purpose,’” says Collins.
That forces the old-school toys to rethink their stance and use the computer devices to solve problems.
Co-director Kenna Harris says “Toy Story” veterans and newbies were able to join forces and give the new film its share of surprises.
“There were these Gen Z kids who had this awesome new perspective,” Harris says. Among their offerings: “Let’s make Woody bald.”
“All of us have way more in common than not … and it was this united craving for play which this movie is celebrating," Harris says.
Jessie (voiced by Joan Cusack) and her faithful steed Bullseye ride a horse in "Toy Story 5."
To demonstrate how inventive children’s imaginations can be, “Toy Story 5” shows characters staging Forky’s wedding in sketch form. That addresses the divide between old-school toys and new age ones and lets audiences see what’s shortchanged in a shift to electronics.
When those old-school toys need help, they turn to the devices to help them locate others and find where Jessie and company may have been dropped.
Harris, who was “at the cusp of iPhones” in childhood, has a nostalgic feeling for the joys of play without devices. Harris wanted Jessie to try to help her owner, Bonnie, connect with others.
“Once we unlocked, ‘Oh, it’s about how toys and tech connect us,’ things started getting really juicy," Harris says.
With everyone on the same page, it was just a matter of playing out the story. With new toys in the mix, some worried there wasn’t enough time for all the characters, but Stanton quickly dispelled the notion.
“Who hasn’t spoken in five minutes?” Harris remembers him saying. “There was, at times, a kind of mad scramble.”
If one — like newcomer Smarty Pants — starts stealing scenes, “we do need to see less of certain characters that we love,” Harris says. “But we have a newfound confidence that our audience is going to enjoy these new characters. It was never easy. It’s a lot of mouths to feed when it comes to characters in a ‘Toy Story’ production.”
Making a splash? Now, that’s a no-brainer.
"Toy Story 5" is in theaters now.
