Toy Story 3 was the first movie we took the kids to see in the theater. We went during naptime hoping that just in case they weren’t able to sit there for a few hours watching a movie that they would take a nap. Umm, Toy Story Three captivated their attention and they could do nothing but stare at the screen and watch it. Occasionally they would ask, what happened to Woody, what happened to Buzz. Oh know, did they get thrown in the garbage? It was so much fun for all of us. So as soon as we could pre-order it we did. Thanks to Disney we received a free copy, so look forward to a giveaway later this month, of course, I have a special surprise to go along with the Blu-ray, you’ll just have to wait and see.

In Toy Story 3, Andy has grown up and the toys are desperate to get him to play with them. They fear that when he goes off to college he’s just going to throw them away. Turns out he wanted to keep them in the attic but they accidentally get donated to Sunnyside Daycare; a place run by Lotso bear. The toys quickly find out it’s not the best place to be after all, and Buzz tries to make an arrangement with Lotso and that’s when the Astronut returns. Toy Story 3 isn’t titled return of the astronut because that’s just a small part of the movie, but it is one of my favorite lines. Woody asks, Where’s Buzz. Jessie says something like they did something to him. Hammy says, yeah, Return of the Astronut. And Woody slaps his own head because he completely understands what that means. LOL.

What adults don’t like Toys Story, with all of the innuendos and little funny nuances. It’s a perfect combination of kids movie that adults can love too! My kids love Toy Story 1, 2 and 3, whose don’t?  They have Woody, Jessie, Buzz and….. yes they are just a tad bit spoiled, but you would never notice by their attitudes. Miles has Toy Story Bedding to go along with his Robot themed room. I know Buzz isn’t a robot, he’s a spaceman but it’s close enough for a 2 year old. I thought for sure Miles would only be happy as Buzz for Halloween, but look at my little red headed cowboy. He dressed up as Woody and was quite excited. We have a new dog, her name is Abby but the kids said that in honor of Halloween, Abby became known as Slinky Dog!

So that is our family story involving Toy Story 3. I have included some videos and DVD specs below, and I hope you enjoy the show!

The Rides

Story Boards:

#1_Story:

This storyboard was drawn by Toy Story 3 story artist Jeff Pidgeon and is one of approximately 500 drawings done by various story artists in the final storyreel of Sequence # 300 – Warm Welcome, where the toys are welcomed by Lotso and tour the Butterfly room at Sunnyside Daycare.

#2_Art:

This concept art piece was done by Toy Story 3 Art Director Dice Tsutsumi, showcasing the exploration of color and design of new characters and new environments.

#3_Layout:

This frame shows the camera and staging phase which precedes character animation, known as Layout. The set is not fully built at this point and is finalized once layout is finished. Some background toys are still not present. Set dressing is also not final and will be refined once animation is completed.

#4_Animation:

Final character animation poses. The primary and secondary characters are animated by keyframe. Hundreds of background toys are populating Sunnyside Daycare.

#5_Final Clothing Simulation, Shading and Lighting:

Final animation of the characters’ clothes, which is animated by dynamic simulation.  In this shot, Barbie and Ken clothes are simulated.  This final frame shows the final shading (material textures) for the set and all of the surfaces have texture, color, patterns, and material properties that will respond appropriately when lit by the Lighting Department.

Final lighting. The Lighting Department is responsible for integrating all of the elements (characters, set pieces, cloth animation, etc.) to create the final imagery. The lighting is achieved by placing virtual light sources in the scene which illuminate on the characters and the set. Many dozens of lights are often required as well as lighting effects such as the shafts of sunlight seen in this shot. Lotso was a particularly challenging character for the Shading and Lighting Departments because he is completely covered with fur.

Day & Night

With the November 2nd release of TOY STORY 3 on Blu-ray & DVD, Disney presents us with an in-depth look at the animated short, “Day & Night” (shown prior to the feature, theatrically, and now included on the bonus material with the home entertainment release).

“The Most Beautiful Things in All the Universe are the Most Mysterious.”

TOY STORY 3 – Bonus Features:

DVD :

· Day & Night – The innovative and entertaining short from the imagination of Pixar artist and Director Teddy Newton.
· Toys! – A closer look at all of Toy Story 3’s beloved toys from updating the classic characters to the creation of the Sunnyside Daycare and Bonnie’s Room toys.
· Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs: The Science of Adventure – Produced in conjunction with NASA, this hybrid animation documentary of Buzz’s visit to the International Space Station focuses on research in zero gravity and Buzz’s triumphant return to Earth.
· Paths to Pixar: Editorial – Pixar editors, past and future share anecdotes about their careers.
· The Gang’s All Here – A touching look at the returning voice talent for Toy Story 3 and an introduction to the voices of the new characters.  
· A Toy’s Eye View: Creating A Whole New Land – A sneak peek at the new Toy Story-themed playland at Hong Kong Disneyland.
· Studio Stories – A series of amusing animated anecdotes about life at Pixar.
“Where’s Gordon?” – An animator finds a hidden room at Pixar.
“Cereal Bar” – The majestic and expansive Pixar cereal bar is explored.
“Clean Start” – The Toy Story 3 animators shave their heads to mark the start of the film.
BLU-RAY COMBO PACK:   Everything on the DVD plus…

· Toy Story Trivia Dash – This cool game challenges you to sprint to the finish with Woody, Buzz, Jessie and Rex as you quickly answer questions about all three Toy Story movies.
· Cine-Explore – Commentary by Director Lee Unkrich and Producer Darla K. Anderson.
· Beyond the Toybox: An Alternative Commentary Track Featuring Leads from Story, Tech, Art and Animation – Commentary by Story Supervisor Jason Katz, Supervising Technical Director Guido Quaroni, Production Designer Bob Pauley and Supervising Animators Bobby Podesta and Michael Venturini.  
· Beginnings: Setting A Story In Motion – Screenwriter Michael Arndt analyzes successful opening scenes from Toy Story, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles.

· Bonnie’s Playtime: A Story Roundtable – A roundtable discussion with Director Lee Unkrich and the story artists who brought the “Bonnie’s Playtime” scene to life.  
· Roundin’ Up A Western Opening – The development of the movie’s exciting opening scene.
· Life Of A Shot – Toy Story 3 artists and technicians describe their contributions to a few of the shots in the film’s “Western Opening.”
· Goodbye Andy – An exploration of character design, acting and animation in the scene “Andy’s Goodbye.”
· Accidental Toymakers – By creating the Toy Story characters, the Pixar filmmakers found themselves in the unlikely role of toy designers. Meet the toy company that took a chance on manufacturing the now iconic toys and learn of their incredible success that began with a modest number of Woody and Buzz Lightyear toys 15 years ago.
· Making of Day & Night – The story behind the unique 2D/3D blended short.