The World of Ancient Scotland
AMBIANCE — The art department crafted approximately 350 paintings of leaves, brush and moss to create the appropriate atmosphere for the Scottish Highlands during ancient times.
LOCATION SCOUTS — The “Brave” production team took two research trips to Scotland. While the modern-day country does not reflect the ancient time period seen in the film, team members visited landmark locations and attended select events to get a flavor for the current culture, and observe how much of Scotland’s ancient history and tradition is still present. 
ORDER UP – During the Scotland research trips, the production team frequented a restaurant near the Edinburgh Castle and feasted on its homemade haggis—a pudding made with sheep’s heart, liver and lungs.
WEE ROOM — On one of the research trips, the group stayed at the Kintail Lodge Hotel, in the western highlands of Scotland. There were eight men on the research team during this trip, and all eight were assigned to lodge in the hotel’s “Wee Bunk House,” a tiny room separate from the main hotel building that had six beds and one bathroom. (The women enjoyed more comfortable accommodations in the main building.) Lodging in these cozy quarters proved a memorable experience: the production team’s key meeting room at Pixar is named in honor of the Wee Bunk House.
MAGIC OR MYTH — In Scotland, there is a natural phenomenon of swamp and bog gasses that seep up through the earth, and are blue in color like the flame of a pilot light. Scottish lore says that some people would follow these lights, thinking they were little fairies. The production team took this myth and created the “will o’ the wisps” in “Brave.” The will o’ the wisps light a path and beckon Merida into the forest, leading her to change her fate.
ROCK AROUND — The Callanish Standing Stones on the Isle of Lewis are one of the oldest of Scotland’s mysterious wonders. They provided reference for the mysterious ring of stones Merida discovers in “Brave.”
The Film
DO THE MATH — In creating “Brave,” 111,394 storyboards were drawn, 84,421 of which were delivered to Pixar’s editorial team to create story reels of the work-in-progress film.
ON THE MOVE — There is simulation work (computer simulated movement) in 96 percent of all shots on “Brave.” This is an unusually high amount for a Pixar film – the studio’s simulation team was especially brave taking on such a challenge!
Brave will be in theaters June 22nd.
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