Director-choreographer Kenny Ortega says he experienced flashbacks while shooting Disney鈥檚 Descendants 2 at Hatley Castle in Colwood last summer.
One memory from his first foray into the capital region three years ago, when Ortega, his cast and crew created the kingdom of Auradon for the original Descendants, recurred as he filmed the sequel, he said.
鈥淚t was very emotional for me, but I was in a good frame of mind,鈥� Ortega said during a visit to the set of Descendants 2, which debuts on Disney Channel sa国际传媒 tonight at 8.
He found himself flashing back to a warm, summer night in 2014 as starry as his dream Disney cast 鈥� headlined by Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Booboo Stewart, Cameron Boyce and Mitchell Hope 鈥� when they filmed the spectacular, rainbow-coloured fairy tale finale for Descendants.
The Emmy Award-winning director recalled the original shoot鈥檚 final night of filming here. He remembered pausing to share his reflections with cast and crew that night on how his longtime collaborator, the late Michael Jackson, continued to inspire his work. Coincidentally, Ortega staged the finale on the fifth anniversary of the pop star鈥檚 death.
Last summer鈥檚 sunshine and blue skies were in stark contrast to that night when 鈥渢here was an 80 per chance there was going to be a storm that was going to explode over the castle by eight o鈥檆lock,鈥� he recalled.
Still, Ortega kept shooting, with fingers crossed.
鈥淏y 1 a.m., the storm hadn鈥檛 come and I just couldn鈥檛 believe we鈥檇 been given the opportunity to finish our work. We were just in one little patch that the storm happened to miss,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was that kind of night. There really was something magical happening. Michael was with us in spirit because we got our production completed without being rained out.鈥�
Ortega reminisced during setups for an elaborate rose-garden party sequence for Descendants 2 in which a key character is repeatedly drenched while bobbing for apples.
鈥淥K, more water! And he鈥檒l go down, then he鈥檒l come up,鈥� Ortega instructed his crew. 鈥淟et鈥檚 shake his head 鈥� boom, boom, boom!鈥� he continued, before teasing those who seemed surprised by the sudden watery spectacle.
鈥淵ou all knew that was coming, didn鈥檛 you? C鈥檓on, this is Descendants, guys! It鈥檚 a musical,鈥� he said with a laugh.
Staging the finale for the first film, Ortega said, made him realize filming at Hatley Castle was meant to be. It also bolstered his resolve to ensure they returned, despite some uncertainty.
鈥淭here was a question at one moment whether we could afford all the things we wanted to do and whether we could find a way to do it without [shooting at Hatley Castle], and I said: 鈥楴ooooo,鈥� recalled Ortega, who is also executive producer.
鈥淣ow that we鈥檙e here, everyone realizes that. My instinct was you can鈥檛 trade this out for anything. This is a big part of the heart and soul of our movies.鈥�
Watching Ortega in action is a show in itself. His creativity is as boundless as his infectious enthusiasm, and his direction is hands-on, down to bellowing commands often conveyed by assistant directors.
鈥淚f there is anything I do take away from them it鈥檚 saying 鈥榩layback鈥� [to cue the cast鈥檚 pre-recorded music] and 鈥榓ction,鈥� but they鈥檙e the ones who make all that stuff back there work,鈥� Ortega said with a smile as he pointed to his first assistant director, Elizabeth Scherberger, and second assistant directors, Rosalee Yagihara and Caroline Battista. 鈥淭hey are absolutely ruling the show. And believe me, they have their hands full.鈥�
He also praised Tony Testa, his co-choreographer, with whom he had just collaborated on The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
鈥淩ock 鈥檔鈥� roll is where I come from, but I was in musical theatre growing up,鈥� Ortega said, explaining why he moves between projects, from concerts and music videos with Jackson, Madonna and Miley Cyrus to Disney musicals.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the yin and yang of Kenny,鈥� Ortega said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 this rock 鈥檔鈥� roll guy who grew up on the streets of the San Francisco Bay area, inspired by James Brown and great rock 鈥檔鈥� roll music, and this other guy who loved the fantasy of Disney.鈥�
His experience includes working with rock band the Tubes, directing musicals such as Hair, choreographing the 1987 hit Dirty Dancing and helming Disney鈥檚 High School Musical trilogy.
If the larger-than-life filmmaker seems playfully demanding on set 鈥� he has a 鈥測awn jar鈥� that requires performers who yawn on set to contribute cash 鈥� he attributes it to his musical theatre background.
鈥淎 director鈥檚 role was more vocal and less reliant,鈥� said Ortega, who learned filmmaking by working with the likes of Francis Ford Coppolla, Emile Ardolino and John Hughes.
鈥淚 really am a lucky guy. I saddled up as a choreographer at the beginning, and then a second-unit director with some great teachers,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 love this so much I鈥檇 never trade it for a vacation. This gives me more pleasure than anything in life.鈥�