‘Encanto’ Co-Director and Writer Details Designing the Magical Casa Madrigal
variety.comJazz Tangcay Artisans EditorWhile the Madrigal family is the heart of Disney’s “Encanto,” another key character in the film is Casa Madrigal, the family’s magical home and center of the narrative.From the very beginning, co-writer and co-director Charise Castro Smith says the creative team knew that the house would be a reflection of the family and their magical powers, with a personality and a point of view.“We knew it was going to be alive, magical and fun and a friend to the kids who lived in the house,” she says.Each room in the house also had its own personality and early on, Castro Smith says the magic of technology allowed her to visualize the world of “Encanto” through VR.“The visual design team modeled it in 3D, so we got to put a headset on and walk through the house.” That process came in handy when she was polishing the story that is rooted in magical realism — she was able to step into the casita and immerse herself in the experience.
Although the house is alive, in designing the home, associate production designer Lorelay Bove added touches that were inspired by Colombian homes while making sure it oozed energy and vibrancy.The kitchen had items that would be found in a cocinar Colombiana, “like a molinillo, which is a hot chocolate stirrer, a corn grinder and traditional clay pottery called La Chamba,” Bove says.“The one thing the directors said was that there needed to be truth to the materials.
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