Client: Junction Point

One of Powerhouse Animation Studios’ most exciting projects has been creating the video game cinemas for Disney Interactive’s Epic Mickey. Powerhouse worked closely with Warren Spector’s Junction Point Studios to create these unique animated story segments for the game. Powerhouse created the storyboards, animatics, character designs, and traditionally animated and directed the pieces. It was great to work with characters like Mickey Mouse, but we also got to animate historical characters like Gus the Gremlin and Oswald the Rabbit for the first time in decades. Powerhouse had been doing work on the project since 2005, and we are so excited about the final product. It was truly an Epic project.

Powerhouse Animation started working on Epic Mickey in 2005, doing concept and character designs for the Warren Spector/Disney franchise. Powerhouse created more than 60+ minutes of traditional animation for the games to serve as in-game cinemas. Powerhouse used Flash Animation, custom Photoshop brushes and After Effects animation to create the textured look to the traditionally animated characters. Powerhouse developed the art direction for the cinemas, focusing on a Mary Blair like aesthetic. There are few projects that carry the burden of animating and directing Disney’s most beloved characters and characters not seen in decades, but working with Warren Spector, Junction Point, and Disney Interactive was a great experience and they gave Powerhouse Animation a lot of trust to care of these fundamental brands for their company.