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"Here I stand in the light of day. Let the storm rage on!  The cold never bothered me anyway."
-"Let It Go"

I was shocked the first time I walked into Mott.  With life constantly hanging in the balance, I expected a quiet, somber and even morbid mood to hang in the air.  And there are moments when that mood settles in.  But, when I walked into the Family Center for the first time, it was bustling with stuffed animals, colorfully iced cupcakes, freshly popped popcorn, volunteers in bright blue aprons, corners of coloring books, crayons and glitter, giant dinosours and laughing children.  There was even a magician.  With a white rabbit.  I would discover that while the magician (and, sadly, the rabbit) were special occurances, the infectious and undeniable air of resilience and joy was not.  In between pokes, prods, long procedures and scary diagnoses, patients and families need to take a moment to warm up in the light-whether that be with coloring, a magician or Disney music.  Here, I bring that light into focus with two interviews--one with Gerald, a patient at Mott with cancer and contagious courage and optimism and the other with Chris Buck, director of the blockbuster film, FROZEN.  

I talk with Gerald, pictured to the left, an insanely adorable and wise eight-year-old wearing a sweatshirt of a transformer-like character with a hoodie mask.

 

C: What do you like about that character?

G:  Well he's got this thingy in the middle and he grabs the thing to make him powerful.  

 

C:  Why do you like that?

G:  Um, because I have a port and he has almost like the same thing in the middle of him and I have one right here.  And Iron Man.  Like Iron Man has that.  

 

C:  How do you feel listening to music?

G:  I love to sing. It makes me feel happy like I can do cartwheels and like run on the walls and stuff like that.  Makes me like I can do anything.

 

C:  What is your favorite Disney movie?

G:  Probably Toy Story.  Because Buzz.  Buzz is an awesome character and Woody.  Woody says "Reach for the sky".  Buzz has cool stuff on him like a rocket and stuff and I even have a toy of him.

 

C:  Do you want to be like Buzz?

G:  Yeah.  To fly!  And I'm actually famous here, in this hospital.  Because I got cancer and I also tell people lemons help with nausea and that's been going around.  Like mostly everyone in this whole hospital knows me. 

 

C:  What do you want them to know about you?

G:  Be strong.

 

C: Is it hard sometimes to be strong?

G:  Yeah, but you always get through it.  Were you singing one of the songs?

 

C:  Yeah!  I sang "Let It Go".

G:  That was pretty good.  You actually sound like the show.  Uh huh. Ya you sound really good.

 

C:  What did you think about the movie FROZEN?

G:  It was good but a little sad parts.  But I love Olaf.  And the reindeer.  Like how Olaf said, "Watch my butt".  He's a snowman and I Iove winter.  That's one of my favorite seasons.  My mom says I'm crazy cause I love the snow and cold.  He's like hilarious and is trying to help Elsa and Anna.  And the reindeer is hilarious like when he eats the carrot.

 

C:  How does music from that movie, all music, make you feel?

G:  It makes me feel stronger.

 

C:  Why do you think it does?

G:  I don't know.  I think songs are like magic.  They're magic to your heart.

And if you want, you can follow me on Facebook, just look up supergerald.  But t’s with a G, not a J.

 

C:  And do you feel like you’re super?

G:  Yeah because I have cancer but I’m still happy like everyone else.  I can’t walk and I still have fun.  Like I go to the bouncy castle and climb on my knees to go up and down a slide.  And I always come up with good ideas.  I fix the problem.  Like we got stuck in an elevator with a bunch of people and I pressed this button and got us out.

 

C:  Do you think everyone can be super?

G:  Everyone can be super.  Just help other people and help your community. 

 

C:  Is there anything else you want to share?

G:  Peace?

 

I also asked Maggie, Gerald’s mom, a few questions.

 

C:  How does it make you feel seeing Gerald enjoy music?

M:  I just love that.  It puts a smile on him and music brings him back to life even when he’s having a really hard time, like even when he’s puking and he’s in pain.  He put on songs and songs just lift his spirit.  It just changes his mood, lifts him up and makes him feel alive, like he’s capable of doing more than what he can do when he’s stuck in his wheelchair or his hospital bed or something.

 

C:  What do you think Disney music has to offer kids who are so sick?

M:  I just think it makes them forget for a couple of minutes all the horrible things they have to deal with and it makes them feel like a normal kid.  It makes them feel that they can enjoy kid things instead of missing so much because they’re in the hospital or in treatment, or they can’t be around people because of their immune system.  So it just gives them hope, yes.

 

C:  As a parent, what does that mean to you?

M:  It’s awesome.  That’s why we try every time, even thought we’re just in for radiation.  We heard about this event (Music at Mott) and we just came.  Because we drive 45 minutes to do something that’s gonna make him feel sick.  But then we come in here and forget about that and enjoy the food the kids the singing and so it’s just awesome. 

Chris Buck (pictured to the right), director of the smash hit film FROZEN, is the father of one of my dear friends and former University of Michigan Musical Theatre classmates, Woody Buck.  He spent over an hour talking with me about the power of Disney music, the process behind creating Disney films and the impact of FROZEN.  You can read the full interview transcript as wel, but here, I've shared some of my favorite moments from our conversation.  

 

CM: (Tells story of background of Music at Mott)

 

CB:  “These poor kids, you know my heart goes out to them.  And then what you do is just inspire them and you know just bring a little light into their day.  You’re the one.  Kudos to you.  What you guys do, you know, music is a form of magic, I think, and not everybody can do it and when you guys come in and not only sing so beautifully but also perform it, it really takes these kids away. It takes them to a different place, from what I can tell. 

 

CM:  What do you think it is about “Let It Go” that made that song specifically such a phenomenon?  I sing that probably ten times every time I sing at Mott.

 

CB:  Why that song means to much to so many people it is a celebration of survival, of being true to yourself and finally saying, “You know, I don’t care what anybody thinks.  I’m so tired of that. I’m just gonna be me and embrace that and love myself for who I am.  And you know, that message right there just speaks to so many people.  I mean everybody everybody has a struggle in their life. 

 

CM:  (I talk about the power of the lyrics of the different songs and the variety in characters.  It seems there is a character for each child.)  Do you keep in mind wanting to appeal to all children?

 

CB:  As we develop our characters, like Anna, we knew was an ordinary hero.  We knew that that was what was going to make her special.  She didn’t have these magical powers as Elsa did.  There was this little girl that I met at the vet that I go to like just a month ago and the vet introduced me because they knew the mom and the daughter and all of that and they said, “This is the guy who made FROZEN and she said, “Tomorrow, I’m going in and in school it’s “Dynamic Duo Day” and my friend is Elsa and I’m Anna.”  And I said, “That is fantastic! I love it, that’s so cool!”  And then I said, “So you know what Elsa’s magic power is?” And she said, “Oh yeah, I do.”  And I said, “Do you know Anna’s magic power?” And she looked at me and she said, “Well no, I don’t.  And I said, “Her magic power is her love. I mean that’s her super power.”  And her eyes got big, you know she was like, “What?  Oh my gosh, that’s amazing.”  And so again creating these characters, we knew that Anna was going to be an ordinary hero but that nothing was going to stop her.

 

CM:  What about Olaf?

 

CB:  Olaf—we always knew that he was gonna be fun--funny and fun.  Jen kept bumping on Olaf some.  She said,  “He needs a little more than just being a funny sidekick.”  Cause I knew animation-wise, he was going to be gold.  His head can come off and the kids were gonna love him no matter what, but we needed…we needed a little more depth to him.  So you know the idea came about that the girls would create him when they were younger so that they both they both are part of Olaf.  They’re both part of Olaf and he is part of them.  So he represents throughout the movie their innocence and love from when they were kids.  So we kept to that—he is innocent.  He’s not stupid, but he’s new to the world and very positive about everything.  And I think kids really respond to him because, you know, they a lot of times feel just like Olaf in a world that sort of swirls around them too much.  And they’re just trying to hang on to understanding it.  And we’ve had parents with autistic kids that have really responded to Olaf.  There have been some parents who have told us that their children really haven’t responded to anything, and then they see FROZEN, and especially Olaf, and the kids just really connected.  They’ve watched the whole movie and some kids, we’ve heard, started to speak because they saw that movie, because suddenly they’re watching Olaf and they’re just connecting with Olaf. 

 

And so I think we just strive to make characters that are relatable.  And you know, everybody struggles through it.  We don’t really make super heroes, none of our characters necessarily.  I wouldn’t call Elsa a super hero.  I mean, she has super powers but she has all the flaws that we all have, you know.  She’s just given a certain gift, which you know some people have been given something special about themselves, whether it’s viewed as a gift or not, they are special in certain ways.  They can relate to Elsa and what she is going through. 

 

 

CM:  You obviously care about much more than just the commercial success of a film.  Do you have a message you hope to communicate to audiences for each film?

 

I’ve just learned throughout the years, my mission is really I like to inspire people.  I don’t understand filmmakers who end on such a down note and its very depressing.  And you know, yes, it’s the reality of life and all that, but as a filmmaker, I don’t think I could spend four years of my life in that place.  I have to do some thing that inspires me and gives me hope. And especially with a family audience, that’s my mission, really, is to have a good message in the movie.  We don’t try to hit anybody over the head or be too preachy because they smell that and don’t like that and we don’t wanna do that.  But it is, you know, always trying to have something to say...We take from what’s out there now and then we bring a message that will hopefully inspire people. We find something that we think might be broken somewhere. And is there a way we can help in any way? And especially with these movies, we know that young people will watch them over and over and over.

 

CM:  Is there a certain type of character you try to create for these kids with your message in mind?

 

CB:  What we really love is flawed characters.  Because if they’re too perfect, you can’t relate to them.  There’s no conflict within the story.  But for us, it’s mainly the relate-ability that the character should have.  The interesting thing is that when people get sucked into a cartoon, they forget it’s a cartoon.  They go,  “Oh my God, that’s like me, like my brother, like my sister.”  That speak to them.  That’s our job. 

 

CM:  I love that idea of relate-ability.  Do you try to keep in mind the balance between reality and fantasy?

 

CB:  There’s a believability factor.  And everybody’s wish is for a happy ending.  You know, to these kids it’s the same thing.  Why not?  I mean why not give them the hope?  They should be hoping every day that its all gonna be ok, that its all gonna work.  And I think that with people like you and others who can give them that little bit of hope throughout their day…you know those are gifts you guys are little guardian angels.

 

 

 

 

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