An animation artist recently shared insights about Disney's much-anticipated animated feature "Moana 2" in an interview with China.org.cn.

A Chinese poster for "Moana 2." [Image courtesy of Walt Disney Animation Studios]

"The audience will see a fantastical scene that has never been shown in any other movie," teased Benjamin Huang, who served as the environment look supervisor for the production. Huang led the team that created surfaces and textures for environments in "Moana 2," which will premiere in China on Nov. 29.

"I was responsible for presenting the film's visual effects on the final screen, transforming 2D concept designs into 3D rendered images, from assets to lighting, through to the final display," he explained.

Huang confirmed the sequel features more fantastical elements developed through extensive concept design and close collaboration with the director. Like the first movie, "Moana 2" is heavily inspired by Oceanic culture and visual style.

Though he remained tight-lipped about specific details, Huang expressed satisfaction with the visual elements of "Moana 2." He emphasized that audiences should get ready to see an amazing scene unlike anything they have seen before, noting the film's extensive special effects and dramatic ocean sequences.

Huang revealed that the new film advances Moana's journey from self-discovery in the first installment to a quest for her future.

"It's a sublimation or extension of her character, including more adventurous plots in 'Moana 2,'" he said. "Together with Maui, they experience more adventures, different scenes and different characters. I think it's a significant upgrade compared to the first installment in terms of visuals, storyline and music, which audiences will definitely feel in the cinema."

Walt Disney Animation Studios' epic animated musical "Moana 2" reunites Moana (voiced by Auli'i Cravalho) and Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson) three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey into the dangerous, long-lost waters of Oceania for an adventure unlike anything she's ever faced.

According to director Dana Ledoux Miller, the story of "Moana 2" was inspired by the Pacific Islands communities themselves. There are old legends within the Pacific of meeting points for navigators from different islands, and the filmmakers were intrigued by the idea that people would travel to find each other, she said.

A photo of Benjamin Huang. [Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Animation Studios]

Raised in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province of China, Huang studied at Tiangong University in Tianjin and later at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. He joined Walt Disney Animation Studios in 2006 as a lighting artist on "Meet the Robinsons" and subsequently worked on "Wreck-It Ralph" and "Frozen."

He became a look development artist for "Big Hero 6" and continued in this role for "Zootopia" and "Moana." Huang was promoted to supervisor for "Ralph Breaks the Internet" and served as environment look supervisor on "Raya and the Last Dragon" and now "Moana 2."

Huang described Disney Animation Studios' collaborative culture as unique in the industry. "Every artist strives to do their best work or elevate it to the next level," he noted. 

"So, the director just needs to communicate her ideas to us. We're responsible for providing her with different options and presenting the final result," he said. "This company has a culture of collaboration unlike any other. You can see this in our new film, where the visuals are truly the best."

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