Mulan’s Ming-Na Wen Narrates Animation Documentary Pencils Vs Pixels

Mulan’s Ming-Na Wen is set to feature in a collaborative venture film between Minutehand Pictures and Hideout Pictures, Pencils Vs Pixels.

As confirmed by Variety, the venture will see Wen narrate a documentary focusing on the history of 2d animation. Outlining the aims of Pencils Vs Pixels, producer Tom Bancroft said, “Because of my 34 years in the animation industry, mostly as a Disney animator, I still meet people that ask me: ‘What ever happened to 2D animation- why did it go away?’ Pencils Vs Pixels finally answers that question. Through passionate stories by artisans that made the films that people still treasure today, this film will give viewers the never-before-told answers of what happened to the hand-drawn artistry that is 2D animation.”

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Pencils Vs Pixels will feature animation heavyweights such as Pete Docter (Monsters. Inc) and Tina Price (Hercules), as well as Bancroft himself, who worked on The Lion King. The documentary will be distributed by Strike Back Studios and is directed by Bay Dariz and Phil Earnest. Also featured in Pencils Vs Pixels are Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy), Kevin Smith (Clerks: The Animated Series), Lorna Cook (Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron), Jorge R. Gutiérrez (The Book of Life), John Musker (The Little Mermaid) and Bancroft’s brother Tony, who worked on Mulan.

Ming-Na Wen’s Impact on Animation

Wen has been a pioneer for representation in cinema, with her first animated role as Fa Mulan in Mulan (1998). She reprised the role in the direct-to-video sequel Mulan II (2004) and played Esteemed Guest in the live-action Mulan (2020). Wen currently voices Fong, protective parent to Sam Wing (Izaac Wang) in the animated series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, where she reunited with fellow Mulan actors BD Wong and James Hong. In reference to her current role and the pioneering effect Mulan had, Wen said, “In something like Mulan, when you have a character that is really heroic or fleshed-out, it has a strong impact. There are so many people for who it has such an incredible, positive impact, and I’m hoping that Sam and our characters will make those positive changes.”

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Pencils Vs Pixels is set to premiere at the Annecy Film Festival alongside The Spider Within, an animated film set in the world of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. While neither film has announced a release date, Strike Back Studios did confirm that fans can expect Pencils Vs Pixels sometime this year.

Source: Variety