June 19, 1998

Latinos Artists Proud of Their Work in "Mulan"

by Amy Boothe Green

Enrique Santos and Ruben Procopio are among nearly 700 artists, animators and technicians who have worked on Walt Disney Pictures' full-length animated feature, "Mulan," which will open in theaters across the nation on June 19th. Both Santos and Procopio, were delighted to work on "Mulan," which is based on a 2,000-year-old Chinese legend.

Santos, who is the head of digital production, at Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida, where the film was primarily produced, stated, "I think `Mulan' is the best movie I've worked on. The visuals are breathtaking and it has great humor. It's a unique film that will resonate with audiences, particularly Latino audiences because it expresses values, such as family and honor, which run deep within our community."

Procopio, who is the artistic supervisor of clean-up animation, adds, "It's got heart, strength, warmth, and sincerity in its characters. It's a powerfully entertaining film."

Based on a popular Chinese poem, Walt Disney Pictures' "Mulan," chronicles the daring aventures of a young Chinese woman whose irrepressible spirit clashes with her tradition-bound society. When her country is forced into war by the invading Hun army, Mulan searches deep within herself, takes her ailing father's conscription notice, and joins the Chinese army in order to save his life. With the support of Mushu, her feisty, fire-breathing, "wanna be" guardian dragon, Mulan disguises herself as a man, trains to become a brave and disciplined warrior, and in a bold and selfless act of courage, brings Victory to her country and honor to her family.

While Enrique Santos and Ruben Procopio share working at Disney as a common link, their life stories are quite different.

Santos, born in Cuba and raised on a tobacco farm, never thought that one day he would work at Disney. The only Disney influences in his life were Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck comic books, which he avidly read as a kid. During his 20s, Santos taught chemistry to adults seeking their high school diplomas. But, by age 29, he decided his future lay elsewhere, and in 1980, he left his parents and siblings behind and made his way to the United States.

Once here, he recalls, "I knew English well enough that I was able to communicate and make good friends. I found a job and went to school immediately."

Santos received his bachelor's degree in electronics from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and his master's degree in computer science from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Then, while working at Hewlet Packard in Boston, a friend told him Disney had an ad for a technology manager listed on the Internet, so he applied. He recalls with a chuckle, "For some reason they liked me and hired me."

Since 1993, Santos has helped support the animation crews by providing and maintaining state-of-the art technology, such as video conferencing, which played a vital role in the production of "Mulan." He says, "We had artists in Florida and in California who needed to talk to each other and show each other art. Our video-conferencing system, which is state-of-the-art, made that possible. In my position, I ensure the technology systems meet the production team requirements without hindrance. When nobody complains, we know we're doing a good job. We run a very well-oiled machine."

Working for Disney makes not only Santos proud, but also his family back home in Cuba. He says, "My family is ecstatic that I work for Disney. They have been able to see a few of the movies I've worked on, like The Lion King,' and they saw my name in the credits. To them, it's a source of pride and happiness."

Unlike Santos, who grew up far away from Disney and its influence, the Argentina-born Ruben Procopio was raised with a family that discussed Disney around their dining room table every night. By age 4, his parents had immigrated to the United States and not long after, his father got a job as a sculptor for Walt Disney Imagineering, where he has worked for 30 years helping to bring theme park attractions to life, such as the Jungle Cruise.

Recalls Procopio, "Every since I was 6 to 7 years old, it's been Disney, Disney, Disney. So, I feel like I'm with family." Procopio's father, Adolfo, supported his son's desire to become an artist, providing him with private classes and even daily summer school assignments. Procopio says, "During the summers, before my dad would go to work, he'd leave me an assignment to complete by the end of the day. He'd come home at night, and I would have completed a painting or samples of an art technique."

By the time he was in high school, Procopio was earning scholarships to attend classes at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, and after high school, he attended California Institute of the Arts on scholarship. He was only in school a short time, however, before he submitted his portfolio to Disney and won a job as an in between artist.

Over the past 18 years, Procopio has worked his way up through the ranks of animation contributing to such films as "The Rescuers Down Under," "The Little Mermaid," and "Aladdin." As the Artistic Supervisor of Clean-Up for "Mulan," he ensured the visual integrity of all of the characters.

He says, "We have over 150 artists whose task it was to clean up drawings by animators. Whereas many animators draw a little differently, our team made sure their characters looked consistent. Being an artistic supervisor is a big responsibility. Virtually every scene of the movie crossed my desk, so I could check for visual integrity."

Through his work at Disney, Procopio continues his family's legacy of honor and pride in a job well done. "My father, my sister, and myself all work at Disney and do the best work we can. In my own little grain of sand, which I contribute here at Disney, I think there's a story of success and honor. Who ever would have thought, back home in Argentina, that we would become successful here at Disney."