To Infinity and Beyond – Diving into the Wonderful Animated World of Toy Story 4

Directed by Josh Cooley and produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures, this animated feature film stars the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Tony Hale, Christina Hendricks, Jordan Peele, Annie Potts, Keanu Reeves and John Cusack. A sequel to Toy Story 3, which was released in 2010, this movie has been released in RealD 3D, IMAX and Dolby Cinema.

Toy Story 4 continues from where the third installment left off and introduces viewers to a new toy or character who leads them into a road trip adventure. New friends, reunions, misery, vulnerability, relationships, love and more – the film perfectly captures the essence of these situations and feelings through its masterful scriptwriting, dialogues and scenes.

The life of a toy, or life as a toy, is a concept that has caught the imagination of millions of viewers across the globe, thanks to the originality of the idea, blended with refreshing animation. Pixar’s commitment to excellence is evident in the quality of their animated films. Whether you talk about the relatable settings, lovable characters, world-class animation, warm messages or inventive brand of storytelling – they have managed to level up with every film that has followed the very first Toy Story.

Here are some interesting tidbits and facts about Toy Story 4’s incredible animation:

1. The aspect ratio which was previously 1.85:1 has been changed to 2.39:1 for this film. The makers say that this was done to create a larger depth of field.

2. Pixar’s cutting-edge 3D animation and special effects tools allowed them to make the characters appear more realistic and smoother.

3. The animators added elements like fibers and weave to Woody’s clothing.

4. The 3D asset modeling and detailed shading for each set, combined with adding imperfections, rust, dust and cobwebs to the antiques store gave a life-like look to every scene.

5. The lighting and motion effects in Toy Story 4 are highly advanced.

Take, for instance, the intricately-designed opening rain-storm sequence outside Andy’s house – something like that was unimaginable for animation companies to pull off in the years gone by. The makers created realistic rain droplets to bring the scene to life.

At Seamedu, our animation and VFX degree students are taught the nuances of the art – using software and tools to put their skills to use. 2D and 3D animation, character modeling, lighting, shading, advance compositing, 3D prop modeling, texturing, camera tracking and stop-motion animation are just a few examples of the subjects we cover during the program.

Toy Story 4 takes its well-established characters a notch up by throwing them into a novel milieu, with an integral new character coming into the fray and a long-lost character forming the crux of the drama. With a message about love and attachment, this theme stands out due to its resonating nature and the rich animation.

“Heartwarming, funny and beautifully animated, Toy Story 4 manages the unlikely feat of extending – and perhaps concluding – a practically perfect animated saga.”

– Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus

From making the first-of-its-kind computer animated feature film with Toy Story, to creating realistic animation with meticulous composition, apt lighting and expert framing – Pixar has managed to deliver an output that is a visual treat.

While using advanced technology and contemporary 3D animation techniques to make the characters and settings look and feel more realistic, the makers have not compromised on making sure that the characters stay true to what they are – toys.

At Seamedu School of Pro-Expressionism, we encourage our animation degree students to watch wonderful films like Toy Story 4 and interpret or break down the animation in their own ways. Apart from teaching them the fundamentals of animation students are also trained to work on practical assignments and solo/team projects.

Wish to make a  career in VFX and animation industry?  Get in touch with our student guidance counselors now!