PRODUCTION SNOW WHITE
Snow White DOP Mandy Walker, AM, ASC, ACS sits down to discuss the process of going from animation to live action – and the honour of recreating Disney’s first animated feature
WORDS KATIE KASPERSON IMAGES DISNEY
L ike many Disney movies that followed, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is the stuff of fairytales. Released almost a century ago in 1937, the film borrows its plot from the Brothers Grimm’s eponymous story – one that involves an evil stepmother, a magic mirror and a poison apple. An iconic animated film that kicked off the Disney Princess Line, Snow White was long overdue for a live-action remake – a retelling of the classic tale, with Rachel Zegler ( West Side Story and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes ) stepping into the protagonist’s slippers. Following the likes of Maleficent ( Sleeping Beauty ), Cinderella , Beauty and the Beast , Aladdin , Mulan and T he Little Mermaid , Snow White (2025) elevates the existing IP with a contemporary cast and updated visual
effects. For DOP Mandy Walker, AM, ASC, ACS the key was to maintain the magic. STRIKING A BALANCE Once Marc Webb signed on as Snow White ’s director, the cast and remaining crew quickly came together. “During my interview,” recalls Walker, “Marc and I had a great discussion about the story and the possibilities of translating this iconic Disney animation to live action.” Co-written by Greta Gerwig and Erin Cressida Wilson, the script makes some key changes, replacing the prince with a love interest named Jonathan and strengthening Snow White’s character. “Early on, we talked about being conscious that this is a fairytale – a story that should be beautiful, wondrous and a visual spectacle,” Walker continues. “The characters brought their own inspirations; when the Evil Queen takes
over the kingdom, the light literally dims from the world and it becomes darker and cloudy.” While the film deals with some intense themes, it’s also a romance, striking a balance between misery and magic. “Many of the discussions with Marc and the other visual departments always deferred to retaining the wonderful elements of the original film,” explains Walker, “while consciously bringing it into a more modern vision that will be new to audiences.” Rated PG and marketed as a family movie, Snow White largely appeals to kids. “I didn’t want to make the film too scary for the younger audience,” says Walker, “so when the film is dark and there are moments of fear, I went to a colourful, heightened look – something the original film did so well.” In contrast, the more cheerful moments come
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