Director Kirk DeMicco discusses new animated musical Vivo, featuring original songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda, in a new episode of The Hollywood Reporter‘s Behind the Screen series. Vivo will be released Aug 6 on Netflix.
Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the movie follow Vivo, a kinkajou voiced by Miranda, who plays music in a lively Havana square with his beloved owner Andrés, voiced by Juan de Marcos González. But when tragedy strikes, Vivo realizes he must find his way to Miami to deliver a love song from Andres to the famous singer Marta Sandoval, voiced by Gloria Estefan. DeMicco co-wrote the screenplay with Quiara Alegria Hudes (In the Heights).
In this conversation, DeMicco talks about making Vivo with Miranda, as well as working with collaborators including legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, who served as virtual consultant. He also described the influence from research trips to Cuba and Miami, the character design and of course Miranda’s new songs.
He also shares that he met Estefan in New York at the premiere of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, where he first told her about Vivo. “She was so warm and nice,” he relates. “We reached out after that and she read the script and looked at the designs and heard the songs…. We are so grateful that she said ‘yes.'”
Hosted by THR tech editor Carolyn Giardina, Behind the Screen features interviews with directors, cinematographers, editors and other talent behind the making of motion pictures and episodic series.
