Furry Writers' Guild Forum

Zootopia?!!

Have other people heard about this movie?

https://www.yahoo.com/movies/zootopia-what-to-expect-disney-youre-familiar-127793182762.html

Thoughts? How is this going to effect the fandom?

It seems to be pandering pretty blatantly, doesn’t it? shrug

I imagine a portion of the fandom will go nuts, and the rest will carry on.

Some of those nuts will be good nuts, too.

I’m just not looking forward to a decade from now and some Wag saying Disney invented Furries.

Because then I will argue.

And then they will pull out Robin Hood.

And then I would lose.

As far as I’ve seen most people are pretty excited about it, though on the downside I’ve also seen fan art on Tumblr. The more sexual variety of it basically. So I’m guessing that there’s gonna be an argument at some point between people doing the artwork and the people who don’t want to portray the fandom in a sexual way, and if you ask me I pretty much saw it coming

A good portion of the fandom has already gone nuts over it. I’ve seen both fanart and a fursuit partial of the fox character already. Personally, I’m waiting to see what the story’s like. shrug

I’m not holding my breath at all. As far as I’m concerned, nothing much of the story has been revealed - they’ve just been hyping it up by giving us all an irrelevant lesson of what ‘anthropomorphic’ means. As with anything, the story is key, and we’ll see what happens about that when the film is released anyway.

On a side note, I know some of the fandom is going nuts because they think Disney is paying attention to the fandom, but honestly? It’s far more likely that they’re pitching this primarily to children. Anthropomorphic animals and children’s stories have a pretty strong link. I guess this is mostly just my cynicism that most of the world carries on in ignorance of the fandom.

The plot has been on the official website since the trailer launched. It’s covered here:

Of course they are. It’s Disney. This is not a film created for an adult or even a young adult audience – which is not to say there’s nothing there that will interest adults or teens, but that it’s their usual all-ages animated fare.

That’s what gets me about furries, and furry writers in particular, who are getting excited that Zootopia will somehow make it easier to explain what they do to the mainstream. I’m guessing some of them mean the “it’s animals for no particular reason!” aspect, but I think what they don’t realize is, most people are going to still think “cartoon” and “kiddie stuff,” and if you say “it’s like Zootopia!” when what you’re doing or writing isn’t G or PG rated, well… that might not exactly help you in terms of acceptance.

That’s a teaser, though, not a synopsis. When I say story, I mean, how well is it written – how the story plays out, the dialogue, the character development, all that sort of thing.

Mmm, it’s still been awhile since Disney had a movie with nothing but talking animals. Not since… what, Lion King? And even then it was the four legged kind. No matter the target audience, it’s nice to see Starbucks Fox being revisited. I don’t expect much beyond some painfully cheesy lines we’ve already heard countless times in the fandom- if the tagline on their promo tweet was any indicator- but we might catch it at the two dollar just because.

I felt the commercial explaining Anthropormorphic was a way for Disney to attract the furry audience without actually flat out stating furry in their commercials and thus attracting a lot of the negative press that is associated with the fandom.

It’s actually a pretty ingenious idea if that’s what they are doing.

Someone told me that this thread was happening, so I thought I’d jump in and give what I know about the movie.

A few weeks ago, my family and I attended Disney’s massive convention, D23, and half of us went to the presentation devoted to Zootopia. It started off with some discussion between the creators, some general starting topics, before getting into how they made the film, what really attracted them to it, and how far they actually are into finishing it.

What was really nice was seeing less than a dozen scenes from the film played right for us. The characters are adorable, and trust me, the scene with the movie’s sloths is going to be amazing. Most things had us laughing, while the furries in the audience (they were pretty easy to identify, since I knew most of them) were stuck staring open-maw with eyes peeled wide.

The crew also spent a majority of the panel telling us the story of the film, all the way towards the movies midpoint. It’s pretty simple, but there are a few moments where the emotion got me. The basic theme is dealing with prejudices and biases that society does contain, and because Zootopia is a world filled mammals of varying species, there’s a whole lot of prejudices and biases, and the characters have to learn to move past those beliefs as we all do.

Now, I’m not one for spoilers, but if you guys want, I can reply back in here with the main story streamlined for you. Just reply and let me know!


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Intriguing report - you should write up as much as you’re allowed to share for Flayrah!

There was no rule against sharing information, regarding the panel, outside of no film or photography. They had nightvision cameras in the back, so guards would be able to see our actions!!

Zootopia spoilers ahead!

The film begins with a young, hopeful rabbit named Judie Hopp wishing she could be on the Zootopia police force, or the first female, rabbit cop in Zootopia history. Zootopia is comprised of different cities such as Tundra Town, The Burrows, Sahara Square, and more, so the mammalian police are widely adept to the necessary work.

When she arrives, optimistic and ready to work, things don’t go as well as she’s planned. She’s on the police force, but she’s made into a “meter-maid,” and while it’s not what she wants, Judie knows it’s her job to make the most of it, and she does. Her day on the force goes well. As she’s doing work, she witnesses a weasel stealing a bag, and Judie must decide to wait for backup or go after the thief. Of course, it’s a film, so she chases the culprit into the neighboring mouse community, Rodentia, and all havoc ensues as cars are used as skates, homes are toppled over, and Judie’s forced to manage everything while capturing the weasel.

She does capture the culprit, and to celebrate her day, she goes to an elephant ice-cream bar, where massive servings of ice-cream are given to accommodate their massive patrons. Judie’s in line, but she watches as a fox holding a smaller fennec attempt to get a jumbo ice-cream pop, something twice the size of the largest fox, Nick Wilde. The server argues with Nick, but as the fox plays on his heartstrings (in actuality Judie’s), and states that the fennec is everything from adopted to blind and alone and, amazingly, one to believe that he IS in fact an elephant, Judie buys the fennec the bar.

Of course, foxes are tricksters, and Judie witnesses Nick and the fennec use that exact ice-cream bar to score big money by melting it down, refreezing it to smaller sizes, and selling the tiny pops to repetitive lemming herds. Judie’s outraged, and her day is ruined as she not only feels she’s been tricked, but the department is now angry with her for the previous weasel stunt. The film’s first emotional segment is shown, but through Judie realizing she needs to suck things up, she’s able to press forward and onto the next day.

The Zootopia police chief/head tells her that she’s done. Or, more precisely, he lets her know what’s what, and they eventually get to discussing that if Judie wants a case, some missing person issue that’s recently come up, she can have it, but she has 48 hours to solve it, and if not, she’s off the force. This is Judie’s big break, and she humbly accepts the case; however, she must work with a witness, the only witness that the police force has, and it’s Nick Wilde, the conartist fox who played Judie a fool just the day or so before. She’s not happy, but she needs to work with him. It’s only going to be much harder that he’s a fox, of course.

Judie and Nick are stuck together as they try their best to find the information they need. The rabbit, of course, is the only one working, while Nick is doing everything in his power to outwit or trick her. The pair eventually find the plate number of the kidnapper’s vehicle, and Judie being without much gear needs to run it. So, Nick tells her he knows someone speedy at the DMV, and the two are off to catch this kidnapping culprit.

Alas, I did mention an amazing sloth scene. Judie and Nick arrive at the DMV, but in all of the humor found on the internet’s best animal videos, the Department of Mammalian Vehicles is run by sloths, who do everything so slow that the comedic gag runs into the minutes of length. It’s hilarious, and after several tries to get the info, Judie obtains what she needs, only to find that Nick’s supposedly “speedy friend” at the DMV has lagged them on until night.

It’s ultimately hopeless, by this point. Nick has shown that he in no way is going to be helpful, and with 24 hours already passing by, solving the case is looking slim, making Judie realize that her job might be over. Running the plate, however, and working in the system at the station reveals that something even deeper than a usual kidnapping is taking place. With both Judie and Nick finding this out, only they can work together and solve this, hopefully saving the the day, if not the entire city of Zootopia.

That’s as much as we were given, as far as story goes, and this, I must mention, is based on memory; much of the info may change, and of course, new transitions will be added within the film’s final months of development, but the filmmakers assured us that this is the film’s plot, and throughout the panel showed the following completed scenes: Meter-maid, Weasel chase, Elephant ice-cream bar, Disheartened/Suck-it-up, and DMV. Everything else shown was either a smaller animation, set of images, or storyboards.

Again, the theme of the movie is dealing with prejudices and biases in a modern setting, which with varying species is given to the upteenth level as waterbuffalo are dumb herders, lemmings follow another mindlessly, foxes are sly, weasels are sneaky, sloths are slow, and rabbits…well, do what rabbits do (the animators showed the audience a post-card sign of the rabbit town, The Burrows, and let’s just say they know and account for rabbits’ growing populations).

If you do have any other questions regarding what I saw and heard, please let me know! Also, don’t tell Disney I told you!

I knew about it back when the teaser was uploaded. I honestly don’t think it will affect the fandom much at all. I’m gonna go see it with a few of my fur friends, and we’ll probably talk about it occasionally. Beyond that, I don’t see how there could be any long term effects.

I mean, the job description for a Disney animator/writer pretty much ASKS for furries. Creative, visual art, animals… I don’t see how it could have any negative affects, as its probably MADE by furries anyway.

That’s just what I think, though.

Take a look at the IMDB page, it has a proper premise on it >.<

I don’t play computer games myself, but I lol’ed at this YouTube video of DISNEY INFINITY: Nick Wilde vs. Stormtroopers:

The Judy Hopps vs. Stormtroopers is even better!

I suspect the largest change for me due to Zootopia’s popularity will be that when I submit outside the fandom.

Instead of rejection letters that say:

I'm sorry, but what is this furry trash?

I’ll get:

I'm sorry, we've already received our quota of Disney Zootopia rip-offs.

I just hope I know enough not to respond to that. ;D