Into the Unknown: Making Frozen II

With only 11 months until the world premiere, Frozen 2 filmmakers screen their current, rough version of the film to their fellow Disney Animation directors and artists. It’s clear there is much work to do with little time to do it, particularly on “Show Yourself” - while “Some Things Never Change” and “Into the Unknown” kick off cast and orchestra recordings.

Songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez propose an 80s rock ballad-inspired song for Kristoff, “Lost in the Woods,” much to the joy of directors Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck and actor Jonathan Groff. With the next internal screening a few weeks away, “Show Yourself” continues to be a challenge, with filmmakers and songwriters all having a tough conversation about its place within the film.

Frozen 2’s March internal screening at Disney Animation proves to be a “live-or-die” moment for two songs: “See The Sky” and “Show Yourself.” Sterling K. Brown and Evan Rachel Wood record for their characters, Mattias and Iduna, as Kristen Bell and director Chris Buck share the deep meaning and emotional resonance behind Anna’s song, “The Next Right Thing.”

The first audience preview screening takes place 5 months before the premiere, and stakes couldn't be higher. Filmmakers nervously hope the preview audience will embrace the film. With little time to make changes, directors Lee and Buck exhaustively work and rework scenes to ensure the audience laughs with Olaf, feels with Anna and Elsa, and follows the film's story clearly.

At the same time the voice cast and filmmakers unveil final scenes and musical performances to an audience of 7,000 of Disney's biggest fans at D23 Expo, the film is still in production, with the hard-working crew in visual development, animation, effects, technical animation and lighting all working together on what they hope will be an iconic transformation for Elsa in "Show Yourself".

An incredible journey reaches its end as the finishing touches are placed on the film through sound design and editing. Once complete, the hard-working crew screen the film and celebrates at a much-deserved wrap party followed by Frozen 2's official world premiere. As the film releases across the globe, the work of hundreds of people is at last seen, and embraced, by audiences.