Disney has unveiled \u201cOnce a Princess, Always a Princess: A Disney Short\u201d, a four minute film that puts friendship and imagination at the center of the Disney Princess universe. The release coincides with World Princess Week and combines a story about two children with practical filmmaking techniques created on set.<\/p>\n
The film follows two girls who live in neighboring apartment buildings. They meet through play and begin creating an imaginary world inspired by Disney Princess stories. Rather than focusing on the princesses themselves, the story explores how these characters can give children a shared language for dreams, play and friendship.<\/p>\n
The production also has a connection to the real lives of its young performers. Thea Evans and Ivy Jukes had met several years earlier during an audition. They later became pen pals, adding a real friendship between the two actors to a story centered on the same theme.<\/p>\n
Directed by Alex Prager in collaboration with Disney and Fallon, the short relies on physical sets, props and effects created directly in front of the camera.<\/p>\n
The production teams built sets and objects inspired by \u201cBeauty and the Beast\u201d, \u201cAladdin\u201d and \u201cThe Little Mermaid\u201d. They also produced full scale models known as \u201cbigatures\u201d to create depth and perspective within the scenes.<\/p>\n
The backgrounds use traditional matte painting techniques. An original musical score was recorded by an orchestra of 56 musicians.<\/p>\n
The production places particular emphasis on physical materials and visible craftsmanship. Instead of relying mainly on digital effects, the film uses practical techniques to build its fantasy world on the set.<\/p>\n
Several of the film\u2019s most distinctive effects were created without filming the performers underwater or relying primarily on digital production.<\/p>\n
Flying carpets, moving clouds and other fantasy elements were suspended or manipulated physically during filming. The underwater sequences use the \u201cdry for wet\u201d technique, which creates the appearance of being underwater without actually placing the performers in water.<\/p>\n
The scenes combine blue lighting, large structures designed to resemble seaweed and cable systems that create the impression of floating.<\/p>\n
The production also used eight mechanical puppets. They include Flounder and Sebastian from \u201cThe Little Mermaid\u201d. Several puppeteers operated the characters simultaneously.<\/p>\n
The practical approach extends to the costumes. Dresses inspired by the Disney Princess universe were made specifically for the production under the direction of Vin Burnham.<\/p>\n
The costumes help transform the girls\u2019 everyday surroundings into an imaginary setting. Their textures and physical details contribute to the transition between ordinary life and the world created through play.<\/p>\n
Prager\u2019s filmmaking approach also emphasizes effects created directly in front of the camera. The production uses physical objects and techniques to give the images a tangible presence.<\/p>\n
The film arrives during World Princess Week, an annual celebration of the Disney Princess legacy and its connection with audiences across generations.<\/p>\n
Disney launched the celebration in 2021 as part of the \u201cUltimate Princess Celebration\u201d. In 2026, Disneyland Paris is marking World Princess Week from August 15 to 23 with activities and experiences at Disneyland Park.<\/p>\n
The celebration highlights values associated with Disney Princess characters, including courage, kindness, confidence and the ability to imagine one\u2019s own future.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce a Princess, Always a Princess\u201d also follows Disney\u2019s \u201cCreate Your World\u201d campaign from 2024. That campaign encouraged children to use their imagination, believe in themselves and create their own worlds.<\/p>\n
The four minute short therefore connects the Disney Princess brand with a story about childhood friendship. Its central idea comes through the relationship between two children who use familiar characters and stories to build a world of their own.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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