One of the interesting things in the process, I think, is sorta finding the themes.  Sometimes, you go through these kinda soul-searching times when you begin to question: Is this really our theme? or Is there another theme emerging?

I think from very early on we were going to take on the telling of a story about coming of age, and because it was about kingship, it was the taking of responsibility.

                  Mufasa: “One day, Simba, the sun will set on my time here and will rise with you as the new king.”

In this case, the story was telling you that it wanted to tell - itself - about responsibility.

The metaphor of how are you responsible for your own community; how are you responsible in your own family.  I think that is something universal that people can relate to and I think it is always appropriate.

Whether it is expressed as loyalty; whether it is expressed as taking your place in the circle of life, this notion that Simba takes responsibility for himself and realizes that, although, he makes mistakes he must go back.

Rather than checking out of life because life is too hard, he choose to actually go do something that is much more life-affirming.  It was very important to embody that theme about taking responsibility and about the defining moment that happens when you choose to stand up.   We were talking about how were we going to teach the lesson; how were we going to convey it.  ..and then, Irene, as a joke, said: “Why doesn’t he just hit him over the head?”

                  Rafiki hits Simba over the head.

                  Simba: “GEEEEZE, What was that for?”

                  Rafiki: “It doesn’t matter, it is in the past.

And that’s one of those times when the crazy idea becomes the great idea.

You think you have a theme, and as the movie pulls together, it becomes more apparent in each scene.

We wanted to not skirt the issue of death, because it was essential to the story.  It’s the big story that every one deals with – it’s about dealing with life in the face of death. 

                  Mufasa: “Simba, let me tell you something that my father told me.  Look at the

  stars.  The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars”

                  Simba: “Really?”

                  Mufasa: “Yes.  So, whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will

 always be there to guide you …and so will I.”

Life is about balances and it is the contrasts of it all that make it work.  Sun only shines in contrast to the darkness.  So, the brighter you want the movie to be, the more celebratory and joyous, you have to, at times, go into the darkness and show that side of the movie.  You had to deal with the bottom rung of life in terms of loss to be able to celebrate the last scene of all the gain that this character goes through.   Experiencing the full spectrum of life from joy to sorrow; from hopes to hurts. …and all of that spectrum is what we tried to follow in what we asked of the audience.

So, it sorta goes beyond the quotation marks of story-telling and it speaks to experience.  It doesn’t matter how bad things are or can get, you can get through it and the human spirit can rise above everything, 

The strength of animation - and certainly the team of artists that made The Lion King - is that together we made something that not one of us could have made on our own.  …and that is a very magical thing.

We are all part of something bigger than us; that we all belong and our time here is brief, but that our impact can be everlasting, if we will stay part of that circle of life.