Unit Two: Space Written Assignment

This essay will explore and analyse Lion King‟s visual concepts and design using published works such

as: „The Fundamentals of Animation‟ by Paul Wells, „The Art of „The Lion King‟‟ by Christopher

Finch, „Art direction for Film and Video‟ by Robert L. Olson, „The Filmmaker‟s guide to production

design‟ by Vincent LoBrutto and „Production Design: Architects of the Screen‟ by Jane Barnwell. These

works will give an overview from the eye of film-makers and professionals that offer insight into how

concept designs can be used for the purposes of film production. As „The Lion King‟ is an animated

feature this essay will look at how the designers used the medium to its advantage, how the theme/style

sells the story to an audience and how the colour palette is used to display characteristics, mood and

emotions throughout the film.

The Lion King was release in 1994 by Walt Disney Pictures as their 32nd animated feature. The film uses it‟s

visuals as a main tool for storytelling. Directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff worked closely alongside their

huge team of animators to create this African inspired film. Andy Gaskill, as art director, over saw the whole

creative process keeping the film‟s style and design continuous throughout. Chris Sanders, however, was

responsible for initially designing the „look‟ for the film as production designer¹. He and his team designed the

visual concepts during The Lion King‟s pre-production which would what set the style direction the film would

take.

As an animated feature the restrictions of a physical set are removed and the freedom to tell the story, quite

strongly, through visual means can be exploited. Sanders creates a look that greatly represents its African setting

and sells that theme to its audience. Paul Wells write about some of Disney‟s insider rules for their animations in

„The Fundamentals of Animation‟. He write “One of

the most important stages of production stressed by

Disney was „layout‟ – the scene by scene appearance of

the film, taking into account the staging and

dramatisation of the narrative in relation to

backgrounds and context” (Wells, 2006: 50). This

means that the „layout‟ has to tell everything about the

story so an audience can read it rather than having to be

told through dialogue and Sanders‟ designs do just that.

The freedom given by being an animation piece meant

that Sanders could be quite bold in its stylisation.

Originally he intended to have the whole film in a style that reflected traditional African fabric print. Figure 2 is

an early piece of concept art that reflects the idea of square, bright coloured print. Considered to be overly

stylised the concept became the grand, colour rich background seen in the film today. Even so, the scenery still

does its job of setting the film in a beauteous African landscape. It uses the audiences assumed existing

knowledge by applying an orange colour palette, using silhouettes and by having other items like the large sun

and tall savannah trees. All these elements are associated with Africa and by having them the audience will make

the connection. Wells writes about this technique: “The use of „iconic‟ associative imagery is a useful visual short

cut to locate an audience with the immediacy the Disney veterans suggest” (Wells, 2006: 50). The Disney

veterans suggest that “One quick look is all the audience gets – keep it simple, direct, like a poster; it must sell an

idea.” (Wells, 2006, 51). By this principle, any moment can be taken from the film, one cell, and this single

image should tell the location, mood and emotion of the scene.

The African pattern stylisation that was originally planned did however make it into the film. As written in „The

Art of The Lion King‟ by Christopher Finch “The most obvious example of this is Simba‟s “Can‟t wait to be

King” musical number which stands aside from the main

thrust of the narrative in that it is imagined as being through

the mind of a lion cub.” (Finch, 1994: 176). In the scene all

the mise-en-scène turns into a surreal setting rich in colour

and animal inspired pattern. As Finch states, they use this style

to transport the audience into the imagination of Simba and

his perhaps naive view of what being King will be like. The

film later changes its style again for another song “Hakuna

Matata” and in the following jungle set scenes. This is a more

subtle change but it gives the effect of a bountiful jungle and

helps place the audience in a more surreal realm again as the

song shows time passing by as Simba matures. The jungle has the same un-reality feel that the earlier song had so

it can be said that it demonstrates how Simba is now living the

simple, „no worries‟ lifestyle in the Jungle that he imagined for

himself in the Pride Lands.

One of the Disney trademarks in their concept design is their use

of colour association to show characteristics of a character. This

colourisation spreads into the environment around the character.

Jane Barnwell, author of „Production Design: Architects of the

Screen‟ writes “The use of colour in film and television enhances

the images, giving added depth and nuance to plot and

character... the psychological effect of colour is important aspect

when designing” (Barnwell, 2004: 106). It‟s not enough to just represent realistic colours in film as colour can

be such a powerful tool, as Barnwell writes, psychologically.

Purple tends to be a Disney standard to represent a villain

whereas Hero‟s are typically warmer tones such as yellow. The

Lion King is no exception as it uses this idea to great effect

within it. Scar, the villain, has auburn fur and a black mane but

in constantly set into a purple environment most notably when

Scar is King of Pride Rock all the land is converted to a

desolate wasteland, the colour is limited to a blue/purple pallet.

The hero‟s however fit into the African colour scheme of

brilliant yellows and oranges. Figure 6 is a section of the story

board depicting a scene between King Mufasa and Scar. Mufasa is sketched in yellows with a neutral green

backdrop whereas Scar lurks in purple tinted rock. The use of colour association means that the audience are

aided throughout the film by the use of the colour. The colour shows the mood of the scene and can evoke an

emotion such as fear or joy and can guide the audience through a scene so they become drawn into the story.

Chris Sanders, Andy Gaskill and all the design team successfully managed to create this visually

stunning and memorable film through the use of production design and visual concepts. Although the

film includes all these different components of setting, style and colourisation they are all masterfully

tied together to produce the finished film. Sanders and team were able to use colour and style to show

character, emotions, setting and also able to take the audience into the minds of the characters. Their

attention to detail and strong pre-production work is the reason why The Lion King remains a

stunning film almost 17 years on.

Fig 1. Mufasa's Ghost by Chris Sanders. (1993) [Pastels] At:

http://fancysomedisneymagic.tumblr.com/post/4247087102/father-concept-art-for-the-lion-king

(Accessed on: 20.11.2011)

Fig 2. Initial Concept by Chris Sanders. (1993) [Pastels] At: http://www.cartoonjr.com/the-lion-

king-early-character-sketches-and-storyboard-art/ (Accessed on: 20.11.2011)

Fig 3. “Can‟t wait to be King”. (1994) From: The Lion King (1994) Directed by Roger Allers and

Rob Minkoff. [film still] USA: Walt Disney Pictures

Fig 4. “Hakuna Matata”. (1994) From: The Lion King (1994) Directed by Roger Allers and Rob

Minkoff. [film still] USA: Walt Disney Pictures

Fig 5. Scar‟s Pride Lands. (1994) From: The Lion King (1994) Directed by Roger Allers and Rob

Minkoff. [film still] USA: Walt Disney Pictures

Fig 6. Mufasa and Scar in storyboard by Chris Sanders. (1993) [Pen and Pencil] At: http://drawn-to-

life.tumblr.com/post/6368898395/the-lion-king-concept-art (Accessed on: 20.11.2011)

Barnwell, Jane. (2004) Production Design: Architects of the Screen. USA: Columbia University Press

Wells, Paul. (2006) the Fundamentals of Animation. USA: AVA Publishing

Finch, Christopher. (1994) the Art of the Lion King. (3rd ed.) USA: Hyperion

Barnwell, Jane. (2004) Production Design: Architects of the Screen. USA: Columbia University Press

Wells, Paul. (2006) the Fundamentals of Animation. USA: AVA Publishing

Finch, Christopher. (1994) the Art of The Lion King. (3rd ed.) USA: Hyperion

Internet Movie Database. (Date unknown) The Lion King (1994).

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110357/ (Accessed on 18.11.2011).

Beck, Jerry. (2005) the Animated Movie Guide. (illustrated ed.)USA: Chicago Review Press

Olson, Robert L. (1998) Art Direction for Film and Video. (2nd ed.) USA: Focal Press

LoBrutto, Vincent. (2002) the Filmmaker‟s Guide to Production Design. USA: Allworth Press