the Star of the North

Storyboards are often a big blueprint of films. Both animated AND live-action, and not just this century for the latter.

And it's the HUMAN HANDS and HUMAN BRAINS that make those early drawings and outlines possible.

Yeah, after much hinting and speculation, Taylor Swift wrote a song for TOY STORY 5. Titled 'I Knew It, I Knew You', some are already figuring - if one of the cover arts didn't already imply - it's about Jessie and Emily, given how the plot of the movie will land Jessie at her first home.

If so, massive boots to fill right there. Newman's 'When She Loved Me' from TOY STORY 2, sung - fittingly - by the ASPCA ad queen herself, Sarah MacLachlan... Is there anything to say that HASN'T been said? Good luck matching that, I wouldn't envy being tasked with such a job.

Ever since TOY STORY 2, there have been callbacks to Jessie's past and fear of abandonment, even if the character largely plays second fiddle to Woody and Buzz in many subsequent endeavors. In TOY STORY 3, she briefly worries about such a thing happening as their future at Andy's house grew uncertain, and in TOY STORY OF TERROR!, she's made into the main hero and has a pretty great scene where she confronts her phobia of being stored. Her envisioning the cardboard box closing in all around her? Good stuff. I feel like TOY STORY OF TERROR! doesn't get talked about enough, it's my favorite thing to have come out of the franchise since the release of the 3rd movie. A literal under-half hour TV special that could've just been any old gap filler but actually went an extra mile... And directed by the sadly laid off Angus MacLane.

When they announced that Jessie was basically going to be the main character in TOY STORY 5, that's what really piqued my interest. She lead OF TERROR!, which I'm a fan of, now this. So that did it for me. If it's going to be about her, then it's got to incorporate something pertaining to her abandonment, as she now faces a similar situation under her third kid owner... So, it makes sense that there will be another likely really emotional song about that! And a likely Oscar play, at that.

Fascinatingly, the only TOY STORY song to win an Oscar was 'We Belong Together' from the 3rd film, while 'You've Got a Friend in Me' lost to 'Colors of the Wind' from POCAHONTAS, and 'When She Loved Me' lost to 'You'll Be In My Heart' from TARZAN. That goes to show just how dominant the music from the Disney Animation films still was in the latter half of the '90s, that they could still outlast really tough competition like that. (While I like 'You'll Be In My Heart', I think 'When She Loved Me' was the clear winner there.) Funnily enough, 'We Belong Together' was up against TANGLED's 'I See The Light' for Best Original Song 2010. Then for 2019, 'I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away' lost to '(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again' from the Elton John fantasy-biopic ROCKETMAN. That same ceremony, 'Into The Unknown' from FROZEN II was nominated.

Vera from Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie is Autistic!

Listen listen listen, I love that we recognize Egon and Ray as autistic as a fandom. It's wonderful. And it speaks heavily to the great representation. (Thank you Dan Akroyd.) I would be willing to bet this is because Dan himself is autistic so, y'know, hell yeah.

What I would also like to remind everyone of: Peter is also autistic?? I see him erased from the discussion so much when we start talking about neurodivergency in Ghostbusters. Bill Murray himself is diagnosed aspergers. (Yes, I am well aware this term is since outdated, but I am not a licensed psychologist so I'm not going to change the wording and risk being even more incorrect)

I don't know about you guys but does it not feel at least a little strange that the only two we see constantly recognized as autistic are the two that can best fit the wider understanding of autistic characters? This is not me saying that Egon and Ray are bad rep by any stretch. I absolutely have no problem with them and genuinely think they are good rep. My point is that the elimination of Peter form these discussions often reads, to me at least, as another form of forcing characters into boxes and having strict expectations for what an autistic character can and can't look like.

Stims using propreoceptive input, ie: hopping, waving, flapping.

So much deadpan humor

He and Egon have a sort of sign language they use when things can’t be expressed/are hard to express verbally.

Uses sarcasm as a default tone

Jokes around as a social strategy (it doesn’t always work, think “game show host”)

Hyperfocuses on people he likes, (Dana, Ray and Egon to some extent, Winston) kinda pushes away the loud, cranky ones (Walter). Has trouble focusing on other things.

Hates to travel

Has trouble shaving/washing clothes/cleaning because of executive dysfunction

Fascinated by patterned clothing (he loves to wear patterns, occasionally conflicting ones)

Automatically takes on other people’s interests to advance the friendship/mask an interest in them as a person. He doesn’t realize he’s doing it but he does. Ie: interest in parapsychology because Ray and Egon love it, interest in art and music because Dana loves them. Part of codependency.

Very clumsy dancer. Not the greatest spacial awareness here.

Has trouble performing/remembering tasks assigned to him because of verbal instructions/executive dysfunction.

Occasionally communicates/stims through song, especially when uncomfortable/uncertain.

Difficulty expressing negative emotions (results in hitting because dammit Egon there’s a ghost right there, put the PKE meter down)

Only likes touch from certain people, disgusted and uncomfortable with unfamiliar people touching him (even shaking hands, Janosz)

Hates the texture of slime.

Reverts to politeness scripts when he’s in trouble with authority.

Smiles at inappropriate times, makes jokes about “inappropriate” subjects, overshares about some things

Special interest in the Jets and “figuring out” (pshychoanalyzing) other people.

Listen listen listen, I love that we recognize Egon and Ray as autistic as a fandom. It's wonderful. And it speaks heavily to the great representation. (Thank you Dan Akroyd.) I would be willing to bet this is because Dan himself is autistic so, y'know, hell yeah.

What I would also like to remind everyone of: Peter is also autistic?? I see him erased from the discussion so much when we start talking about neurodivergency in Ghostbusters. Bill Murray himself is diagnosed aspergers. (Yes, I am well aware this term is since outdated, but I am not a licensed psychologist so I'm not going to change the wording and risk being even more incorrect)

I don't know about you guys but does it not feel at least a little strange that the only two we see constantly recognized as autistic are the two that can best fit the wider understanding of autistic characters? This is not me saying that Egon and Ray are bad rep by any stretch. I absolutely have no problem with them and genuinely think they are good rep. My point is that the elimination of Peter form these discussions often reads, to me at least, as another form of forcing characters into boxes and having strict expectations for what an autistic character can and can't look like.

Thank you autistic peter nation, I knew you'd get it.

His name is actually pronounced 'Vinkman' (if you listen closely that's actually how he pronounces it)

His ego is a sham. He's incredible self-conscious and covers it up with bad humour

He's autistic but presents differently than Egon and Ray. His struggle with social interactions and forming bonds drove him to study psychology.

He's bipolar.

Listen listen listen, I love that we recognize Egon and Ray as autistic as a fandom. It's wonderful. And it speaks heavily to the great representation. (Thank you Dan Akroyd.) I would be willing to bet this is because Dan himself is autistic so, y'know, hell yeah.

What I would also like to remind everyone of: Peter is also autistic?? I see him erased from the discussion so much when we start talking about neurodivergency in Ghostbusters. Bill Murray himself is diagnosed aspergers. (Yes, I am well aware this term is since outdated, but I am not a licensed psychologist so I'm not going to change the wording and risk being even more incorrect)

I don't know about you guys but does it not feel at least a little strange that the only two we see constantly recognized as autistic are the two that can best fit the wider understanding of autistic characters? This is not me saying that Egon and Ray are bad rep by any stretch. I absolutely have no problem with them and genuinely think they are good rep. My point is that the elimination of Peter form these discussions often reads, to me at least, as another form of forcing characters into boxes and having strict expectations for what an autistic character can and can't look like.

Listen listen listen, I love that we recognize Egon and Ray as autistic as a fandom. It's wonderful. And it speaks heavily to the great representation. (Thank you Dan Akroyd.) I would be willing to bet this is because Dan himself is autistic so, y'know, hell yeah.

What I would also like to remind everyone of: Peter is also autistic?? I see him erased from the discussion so much when we start talking about neurodivergency in Ghostbusters. Bill Murray himself is diagnosed aspergers. (Yes, I am well aware this term is since outdated, but I am not a licensed psychologist so I'm not going to change the wording and risk being even more incorrect)

I don't know about you guys but does it not feel at least a little strange that the only two we see constantly recognized as autistic are the two that can best fit the wider understanding of autistic characters? This is not me saying that Egon and Ray are bad rep by any stretch. I absolutely have no problem with them and genuinely think they are good rep. My point is that the elimination of Peter form these discussions often reads, to me at least, as another form of forcing characters into boxes and having strict expectations for what an autistic character can and can't look like.

Listen listen listen, I love that we recognize Egon and Ray as autistic as a fandom. It's wonderful. And it speaks heavily to the great representation. (Thank you Dan Akroyd.) I would be willing to bet this is because Dan himself is autistic so, y'know, hell yeah.

What I would also like to remind everyone of: Peter is also autistic?? I see him erased from the discussion so much when we start talking about neurodivergency in Ghostbusters. Bill Murray himself is diagnosed aspergers. (Yes, I am well aware this term is since outdated, but I am not a licensed psychologist so I'm not going to change the wording and risk being even more incorrect)

I don't know about you guys but does it not feel at least a little strange that the only two we see constantly recognized as autistic are the two that can best fit the wider understanding of autistic characters? This is not me saying that Egon and Ray are bad rep by any stretch. I absolutely have no problem with them and genuinely think they are good rep. My point is that the elimination of Peter form these discussions often reads, to me at least, as another form of forcing characters into boxes and having strict expectations for what an autistic character can and can't look like.

Ray Stantz from Ghostbusters is Autistic!Ray Stantz from Ghostbusters is Autistic!

It’s a *Toy* Story 🤠

You knew it! My new original song “I Knew It, I Knew You” for Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 will be yours on June 5th. I’ve always dreamed of getting to write for these characters who I’ve adored since I was a 5 year old kid watching the first Toy Story movie. I fell instantly in love with Toy Story 5 when I was lucky enough to see it in its early stages, and I wrote this song as soon as I got home from the screening. Sometimes you just know, right?