We're gonna learn about each other today.

Hey, everyone, Welcome to what's up, Disney Plus, where we talk.

All things Disney Plus today we're celebrating Black History Month by honoring black stories and black creators that helped shape the world of Disney Plus two.

Spot like that, you can find an entire collection of Siri's and films centered around black characters, families, heroes and storytellers called Celebrate Black Stories.

Yes, all the favorites are there, including hidden figures.

Remember the Titans, Lucasfilm's Red Tails, Ruby Bridges and Safety.

Today we'll be talking to Marlon West, the VFX supervisor of the Walt Disney Animation Studios, Siri's Iguazu, and we're gonna be bringing on a Disney plus YouTube dynamic duo.

And no, we're not talking about us.

You know, we're talking about kids and Marcellus, the host of Disney, Plus Dietz.

We'll be talking to them today in one big Disney plus YouTube family event.

Let's get things going, shall we way.

You have seen his work over the years.

I'm talking to Princess and the Frog marijuana frozen one into my personal favorite, The Lion King.

Marlon West has been bringing the magic for over 20 years.

West newest project I Wa Ju is the first ever collaboration between Walt Disney Animation Studios and the Pan African entertainment company Kugel e here to talk all about it and more is Marlon West himself.

Hey, Marlin, Thank you so much for coming on the show.

How are you doing today?

I'm doing very well.

Thanks for having me.

So we would love to hear how you got started on your journey.

Were you always interested in animation?

Yes.

I was always interested in movies and moviemaking.

I would just get books on movies.

Seeing this behind the scene photo of a grown man animating but look like to toy dinosaurs fighting to my second grade mind.

That was like a job where a grown man could take his toys to work with him.

I love that.

And what does it mean to be a V effects supervisor?

And what led you to that specifically?

Well, for a long time that most of my Disney career up until a couple of months ago, I was in effects.

Animator and head of effects and effects is generally everything in an animated film that moves on screen.

That's not the characters themselves.

The fire the water, The rain smoke effects are there to kind of give.

I like to call production value.

It's a lot of stuff that you don't notice.

Being in effects artist is a lesson and kind of going.

I noticed a lot of the times.

Well, we noticed it E notice, but I can imagine seeing a scene without those elements.

I have been very fortunate to work on Disney films like Both Frozen's and Wanna were effects or Front and Center.

When you have a woman shoot No.

One ice out of her hands holding her own eyes, palace or a lava guardian, people notice those because especially, you hear so much about traditional hand drawn animation versus CG animation.

But seems like you've been doing a lot of the merging of the two every film that I've worked on, starting with the lacking had C G like some of the wilder bees for a computer generated Pocahontas dugout canoes, computer generated grandmother willows trunk, you know, in the not holding her face would appear in these air films that I would watch over and over again on my VHS.

So I'm getting out right now.

Marlon, I am giving you have a movie or a scene from a movie.

They just like a personal favorite, something you're very proud of.

All these films have had different moments for me, you know, professional milestones.

My kids got to see the princess and the Frog and the first film they saw in the theater, you know, look like that.

That meant a lot.

So some of the projects you worked on like marijuana, the princess and the frog and the upcoming A watch you, they all showcase great representation.

Can you tell us how that feels and why you think that's important?

I feel it's really important to see yourself on screen, and I also think the representation is very important behind the camera.

900 people make these films, and they need a lot of folks of all different hues to make him.

Everybody brings a little bit to the table, a little bit of themselves.

What do you hope to see more off in the animation landscape?

We have some new directors that have entered a studio in the last couple of years.

They're people of color and they've got some stories to tell are coming straight from their heart.

And I can't wait for folks to see those movies for there to get their voices amplified.

It's gonna be cool.

So tell us about Watch You and the collaboration between Walt Disney Animation Studios and Kigali.

I'm really thrilled to be working with the leaders of Kugel to make you watch Ju.

It's a show that's set in Lagos, Nigeria, maybe 50 to 100 years in the future.

We're not being very specific about it.

We're just here to kind of help tell their story.

So obviously diversity is important in front of the camera.

But I would like to know what experiences you've had.

We're having diversity behind the camera helps with the storytelling to make it genuine and authentic.

You want everybody to be entertained, but you want 1% of people who might recognize something to go like, Oh, you see that they got that when somebody stops me or or having a conversation, and it recognized something that's from their childhood from their culture.

I know we got it right.

And I'm sure with working on a project like watcher, you're definitely keeping that in mind.

I'm curious what that process has been like.

We haven't filmmakers that are African, two of them from Lagos, where the story is set, one of them from Uganda, and they are actually making an African story for Africans.

There's Uraba language in it.

There's pidgin English in it.

There's inside jokes.

There's a lot of things that are very, very specific.

Sometimes when you see stories like that, you'll even have people.

Other countries Wait.

I understand that, too.

So you kind of feel like the universe specific, but also universal.

Yeah, and it brings us all together that way.

There's universal truths, too, you know, too true.

The great kind of classic storytelling.

That's what we're doing as a company.

Generally you wanna have those things that really re intruded people either Someone spoke up.

Somebody did some homework.

Somebody brought something from the mama's house.

And just like, this is how we dio agree.

There's a couple of moments, and Chris is the frog where I was like, Yeah, don't work.

Absolutely got to do is try to get it right.

Well, thank you again, Marlon, for being on the show.

This was such an important conversation toe have.

And I'm pretty sure you just inspired a bunch of new future visual effects artists.

That's really good to know.

But, yeah, I had a really great time talking to you.

All that was super duper fun.

Yeah, thanks for having me.

Be sure to stream some of Marlins work right now on Disney Plus, and now it's time for what's new?

Yeah, okay.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, the 1997 movie starring Brandy, starts streaming February 12th.

Writer director producer Ryan Coogler and Proximity Media will develop a Black Panther spinoff Television.

Siri's, based in the Kingdom of Wakanda for Disney plus be a part of hashtag black history.

Always by exploring the Celebrate Black Stories collection featuring movies that both honor black history and made history, including hidden figures, Black is King Soul, and many more life could be perfect when it's made just for you.

We have a new midseason trailer from Marvel Studios, one division now streaming on Disney, plus to toot beep beep that's right from digitally right next door.

We have two very special guests from our Disney plus YouTube family to chat with us today.

Yes, here are two guys who are just as obsessed with Disney plus, as we are Marcellus Kid and Kenneth Brown, the host of Disney Plus Deeks.

But you can watch right here on the Disney Plus YouTube channel.

What's up way Y'all were matching.

Wait a minute.

Everything.

A multi verse Israel.

I loathe folks at home.

We may not be familiar with you or the Siri's.

Tell us about yourselves and give us the deep on Disney, plus Deep.

Absolutely What Me and Kim have been friends for a very long time.

We know each other super well, and we love Disney plus movies and Siri's.

And what better way to home that all in, then to talk about it on Disney plus deep.

What we did was we talk about the things that you need to know.

Or maybe you didn't know about your favorite Disney plus movies and Siri's.

We take a deep dive into all things Disney Plus, and I get to go on that journey with this crazy guy over here.

Yeah, after watching the first episode, I knew immediately I was like These guys know each other for a while now, absolutely a long time.

I'm always poking fun and kids my favorite thing wouldn't be a proper Disney plus YouTube family re union without a little competition.

So kind of.

How well do you think you know, Marcellus?

I believe that I know Marcellus quite well.

I'm worried about how well he knows me on there's gonna be a lot comes out.

Kenneth is unpredictable, so e well or about to be put to the test with a little challenge called Battle of the Hosts.

In order to find out which duo knows each other best, we're gonna be asking some deep cut questions.

So in order for your team to win, we have to guess what our co host is thinking.

Are you ready?

Yeah.

Andre, I'm counting on you.

All right.

Let the battle off the hosts.

Bigon.

Hey, if we could be any Disney plus character, who will we be?

Can't look, Don't look.

Okay, I'm ready.

We're gonna show it.

Let's do it.

What did you put Jack?

I put Mr Incredible Film.

Marcellus loves the incredible.

So I figured he was going to be Mr Incredible.

Jack, Jack is okay.

All right, Here we go.

Okay.

123 How?

Oh, my God.

That was the other.

And I was gonna be Oh, I even drew the symbol.

Terrible.

Don't stand out.

Who are our inner marvel?

Superheroes?

E Think I got you on this one?

Jenny, Let's do it.

Go ahead.

Go first.

Oh, okay.

Now, I was like, all you talk about Michael.

Okay.

Okay.

123 Okay.

Yes, that one division.

Look through friendship Look like Marcel.

Let's take a look at what is our hosting superpower.

I know.

Okay.

Myself is you got this.

All right.

Let's see what you got.

Oh, I think that he's amazing at memorizing the line.

Yes, I think I just make jokes at anything.

That's how I get through stuff.

Andi Review.

It's a lot.

Oh, that is good.

To Andre is a walking encyclopedia.

Uh, and finally, for Marcellus and me, which Pixar films make us cry the most?

This is a tough one.

Things has to be it.

Okay, we're ready.

Okay.

Ready?

Go Ware back on track to be proud of you.

I'm sort of proud of you in the way.

Oh, I wasn't sure if it was one or three.

There was definitely something in my eye when I was watching e am ready to announce the winner of the Battle of the host E.

Oh, are you kidding?

May we owe that friendship?

You really do know, E.

Oh, well, if you want to see more of this friendship, working together, telling you all the details of Disney Plus and make sure you check out Disney plus Dietz right here on the Disney Plus YouTube channel.

Kids Marcellus, thank you both for being here.

Definitely.

Appreciate your time.

Is there anything you would like to say?

Any final words before we head out?

Absolutely.

Everyone take care of yourselves and the planet Marcellus and kid signing off.

We got to talk to some amazing black creators today, both from the big screen and the YouTube screen.

Make sure you support and uplift these creators by checking out Marlins work on the Princess and the Frog, Atlantis, the Lost Empire, Hercules and so much more.

And be sure to check out kids.

Marcellus right here on this channel on Disney plus, Dietz continue celebrating Black History Month together by streaming the Celebrate black stories collection.

And until next time, be sure to stream all of your favorites on Disney.

Plus, I'm gonna watch more proud family truth.

A times off.