Behind The Scenes: The Making Of ‘Lost In Oz’ Short ‘Packing Magic’
Bureau of Magic’s new short Packing Magic marks the return of the Emmy Award-winning animated series Lost in Oz.
When production of Lost in Oz came to a standstill, fans were left wondering if the newest Dorothy Gale (voiced by Ashley Boettcher, Weathering With You) would choose to return home to life in Kansas or start a new life among magical friends (and foes) in the legendary land of Oz.
“After all the energy Dorothy has put into trying to find a way back to Kansas, she has now built a home for herself with these incredible people and magical creatures in Oz,” says Darin Mark, executive producer.
Packing Magic addresses that show’s cliffhanger and launches the series into a new chapter. It also brings back some friendly faces including Dorothy, the not-so-wicked witch West, Reigh the conspiracy realist lion, and, of course, the furever loyal Toto. But not every face is friendly; a new mysterious foe also makes an appearance, promising a brand-new adventure for Dorothy and her friends.
How Did They Do It?
The creators of Lost in Oz used the visual collaboration platform Bluescape to coordinate teams and studios from across the globe in one digital workspace, putting a modern twist on the Emerald City without losing any of its much-loved magic.
“As a showrunner and executive producer, I’m looking for tools that are going to help our teams work better together,” says Mark Warshaw, co-creator and executive producer of Packing Magic. “Bluescape helped us take teams from various time zones across the planet and get them all on the same page quicker, in the same virtual space together.”
“[In Bluescape], we could be looking at everything we needed in one place to feel like we were truly collaborating in person,” adds fellow co-creator and executive producer Jared Mark. “We could really connect with each other in Bluescape to create something that no single one of us could have created on our own.”
A New Generation of Oz
“Oz has become so ingrained in our culture,” says Mark. “People know and respond well to its story, and it’s an honor to make this new entry point for a generation who might not be as familiar with that story. If this show can get those kids to pick up the Oz books and dive in, what a joy that would be.”
“We explored new technologies to see how best they can be utilized to tell better stories and connect deeper with our audiences, as well as connect all our audiences around the world,” sums up Warshaw.
What’s next for Dorothy and the gang? Stay tuned to find out.
You can see the entire Lost in Oz behind the scenes short here or check out the recent Q&A with Warshaw and Mark.
To learn more about the visual collaboration platform Bluescape, visit their website.
