Artist Statement

I wrote and illustrated the book “A DAY WITH WILBUR ROBINSON” in 1990. In many ways “Robinsons” is my most personal and favorite book. It combines elements of my own childhood in Shreveport, the Science Fiction movies and cartoons I loved and T.V. shows like “Leave it to Beaver”, “Lost in Space” and the matter of fact absurdity of “Green Acres”.

Disney Live Action optioned it several months before its publication and so the wild ride began. I wrote 10 or so drafts of the screenplay which was shopped around to various directors. It finally landed with Peter Jackson just after the release of “The Frighteners”. For reasons still obscure he was forced off the project and went on to do well...those little ole “Lord of the Rings” movies. For the next few years this project ping-ponged back and forth between Animation and Live Action. I wrote more treatments, made other books, movies and T.V. shows. Heads of studios came and went. Some were supportive; others displayed almost comic levels of connivery.

Finally, like a miracle, the film was green-lit by Mr. Eisner himself. I was welcomed back into the process as an Executive Producer and did story work as well as a significant amount of character and location design, along with the usual producerorial duties.

17 years is a very long time, but the current crew was great. They weathered many storms. For several uncomfortable days the studio wanted the titled changed to “Get Lewis”. After some well reasoned urging the title was reconstituted to “Meet the Robinsons”.

Despite all the drama (which is always a part of filmmaking) the film retains its charms. And it manages to channel many of the cheerfully insane inspirations of the book.

Picking through nearly two decades worth of art and materials was almost as daunting as making the movie. But fun too. In the way going through a drawer full of old family photos is. Funny, nostalgic and wistful. The exhibit is a much condensed but vivid record of our journey. I hope you enjoy it.

---William Joyce
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