'The Swan Princess' And 25 Years Of Creating A Classic

Walt Disney animation dominated most children's childhoods, but the movies that weren't from the House of Mouse connected just as heavily. In 1994 audiences were gifted The Swan Princess, a fairy tale version of Swan Lake where the beautiful Princess Odette was forced to break an evil spell that turned her into a swan. Everything, from its animation style to Odette wanting to be known as more than beautiful, seemed different and it would usher in a host of other alternative princess features, most famously 1997's Anastasia. Last week in Hollywood the pink carpet was laid to celebrate the 25th anniversary of a film many have said defined their childhood. Actress Liz Callaway, the singing voice of Princess Odette and Anastasia was on-hand, as well as producer Seldon Young and director Richard Rich, to talk about the impact the film has had after all this time.

Director Richard Rich

What was the development process was like?

I wanted to do an animated feature that was like the old Disney classics, like Cinderella. We searched all over trying to find a fairy tale that had all the elements that it needed. We found Swan Lake and the ballet was made off the fairy tale. From the fairy tale we started to develop it. We kept the name Odette, and Rothbart. The prince's name in the fairy tale was Siegfried and it wasn't quite the feeling I had so we changed it to Derek because Derek and Odette rolled off the tongue. I've been involved with it since the day of the concept art. It took us over a year and a half to write it, work it all out, and then we went into production which took us another two and a half years. It was a labor of love.

What do you think it is that makes it stand out compared to other animated features of the era?

I honestly believe the reason this movie has held up so long is the love between Derek and Odette. I don't think that kind of pure love, and how you believe they're actually real, has existed in any other animated feature. It hasn't been matched, to this very day. Every time you see it you're rooting for Derek and Odette.

You have a princess who wants to be more than pretty!

That was a really important beat for us and it is as relevant today as it was 25 years ago.

Is there a part of the movie that still blows you away?

In the scene where Derek has been chasing Odette as the swan, thinking she's the Great Animal. She lands on the lake and changes into Odette; that moment of them running together gives me chills every single time.

Producer Seldon Young

What was the development process?

I was producing other kinds of films but they were all animated, all religious and historical-based. Our producer and director, Richard Rich, was in the stages of trying to create the Swan Lake story. In that process of trying to create the Swan Lake story we'd go in and see our own films and he'd have all these storyboards up. He'd explain all the storyboards and says, "We have to find a way to make a full-length movie, released in theaters; not ones that are 22-minutes and educational in nature." That's what enticed us. Rick had an amazing ability to tell a story and see that opportunity. We jumped on it and took a hurdle and went forward.

Can you talk about how this stands out compared to the other animated features of the '90s?

You know what's funny? We didn't know we were doing that. When you create an original film you want to put goodness in it. Disney puts goodness in them. It happened to be a director and writer who put these in and then we tested it with audiences. The test didn't come back right so we'd have to redo it. But at the end of the story we couldn't figure it out. It must have been the whole team, the animators, which includes all genders that were doing this film. It must have bubbled up because we actually thank all of our creators for helping us create this story.

Is there a moment you're blown away by to this day?

It's actually the philosophies I'm blown away by. When I watch I go, "I didn't get that one." For example, when King William is killed by the Great Animal, Prince Derek goes up to King William and he says, "It's not what it seems." After years of seeing this I started to develop this concept that since Derek didn't know what it was that killed his father he kept saying to himself "it's not what it seems." Now, I do this with every argument with people when it starts; "it's not what it seems." You're not on the same page, you don't know. You have to figure out how to gel back together. So I'm always saying, "It's not what it seems. Let's go back." It's a common theme I use in my family when there are arguments.

What has it been like interacting with the fan community?

It's so humbling. I've been doing Comic Cons for the last four years and I had no idea we had the number of fans. It's the common staple; "I grew up on this film. This was my childhood. This was my favorite film. I watched it every day." I got a message today, "I watched it with my grandma every other day." When you hear those kinds of things, this is what creates a fan experience so that I can look at my own fan experience and say, "this is not about me. It's about this film that did something for somebody."

Actress Liz Callaway

Do you remember being offered this role 25 years ago?

I remember being thrilled to get the part. I don't remember [though] what I did at the audition. Obviously whatever I did did the trick and they were like "that's our princess." Just to see, 25 years later, it still goes strong and how many people have felt the impact of the movie is so gratifying.

You also did the singing voice for Anastasia in 1997. What do you think it is about both Odette in Swan Princess and Anastasia that still resonate?

Both characters are awesome women. Strong, spunky, hearts of gold, and something that a lot of girls and boys related to their quest. Also, the scores are so glorious.

What's the fan experience been like?

I don't think I realized until I started doing concerts around the country and I'd talk about doing The Swan Princess. People would come up to me and cry and say, "Oh my God, that's the soundtrack of my childhood." I didn't know! Because the movie opened and you don't know the effect it has in the moment and all the years of video and DVDs in people's homes, I really had no idea.

How long has it been since you revisited the film and what was that like?

I watched the movie on my iPad about three weeks ago. I hadn't seen it in years. When I was recording the songs my son was maybe three and now he's a grown-up. It was so great to see the movie again, I forgot. Everyone else involved, Michelle Nicastro, who did the speaking voice of Odette was just fantastic, and all the other actors. I appreciate it even more now. There's a lot of heart.