There are new exciting things on the horizon from ABC. ABC is working on new content with its new Alternative Division led by Fernando Hernandez. He is the former head of Universal TV Alternative Studios and EVP of Development and Production at Ryan Seacrest Prods. Out of this new endeavor is a new show that is being produced for the Disney Streaming Service focused on the story of the Ink & Paint department starting from the early years of The Walt Disney Company.
Ink & Paint is being developed based on the book fo the same name by Mindy Johnson. This book was officially sanctioned by Disney and shares how animation has progressed through the years at Disney. Starting with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs all the way up through the animated movies of Disney and Disney-Pixar today. The story is told from the perspective of the workforce who were largely unrecognized for their efforts in the progression of animation. The women who were initially hired to work Ink & Paint and then went on to help create some of the greatest animated movies ever.
The documentary series will be including the story of 108-year-old Ruthie Thompson, perhaps the oldest surviving animator. She started at Disney as a cel cleaner in 1937. Eventually, she became a scene planner. She was interviewed at the Ink & Paint building at the Walt Disney Studios lot.
“She’s very funny and very spry, and having her come back onto the lot and be able to help us launch this story was extraordinary,” Hernandez told Deadline who broke this story.
The title of the series refers to the animation process where cels were developed for animation. First, the lines were drawn by the ink department and then the colors were filled in during the painting part of the process. “When Walt Disney first brought on these women, a lot of them came on as inkers and painters and then moved onto being full animators and to be leads in the industry,” Hernandez said.
At this point, it isn’t known when Ink & Paint will arrive on the Disney streaming service, which will become available in 2019. It is being produced in partnership with Sertner Productions. Are you excited for this series? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
