Lights... Camera... ACTION!!: A Hollywood Quest

In the O'Brian household, a dark note of discontent echoed. The evening sun cast long ominous shadows in the living room, where the three O'Brian children had gathered for an urgent council meeting. It was a disaster of monumental proportions that threatened the foundation of harmony in the household. The crisis? Daddy was going away for a few months to make a movie.

"'Portant Meeting. Need to talk now!" Mary declared as she burst into the lounge carrying a clipboard officiously, her five-year-old authority ringing out loud and clear. She was nearly five and a half, which was practically six. Her position as the eldest O'Brian sibling came with certain privileges and responsibilities.

Joseph, aged three and already decked out in his favourite baseball pyjamas for the evening, reluctantly turned his attention from the baseball game on the Kermit box. He clutched the children's battered Kermit toy tightly, his focus wavering as he glanced back at the display. His orange tiger-striped cat, Tig, sprang to his feet, ready for the next challenge.

Meanwhile, Sarah, also three, continued drawing, absorbed in her latest masterpiece of something she saw for a moment and loved. Lami, her mixed-breed cat, had been watching intently but now bumped herself against Sarah's shoulder, prompting a giggle and breaking Sarah's concentration. With a bright smile, she put her pencil down and turned to her siblings, eager to join the conversation.

Mary nodded appreciatively as Fred, her sleek tuxedo cat, trotted in, carrying a pencil for her in his mouth. He dropped it at Mary's feet before sitting primly beside her, ready for whatever important business was about to unfold.

Natalie, the family Dalmatian, rose from her comfy basket and wandered over, her ears perked up. Ginger, the now-adult kittens' mother, joined, gracefully navigating the bookshelves to find the best vantage point.

Mary cleared her throat, channelling all the seriousness she could muster. "We have a problem. Daddy is going to make a movie."

"No! Want Daddy to stay!" Sarah pouted, her little brows furrowing in discontent. Joseph nodded vigorously, mirroring his sister's look of displeasure.

"Mummy is not happy either. Daddy is going to make the Conan movie with Sarah Douglas," Mary continued, her voice dropping in annoyance at the subject.

A scowl crossed both twins' faces. "Proper Kissy, and I love you, and I know with Mummy only," Sarah stated defiantly, clutching her drawing pad tightly as if it were a shield.

"Yes! We make Daddy promise before he goes. 'Portant," Mary insisted, waving her arms for emphasis. Nods of agreement came from her younger siblings; it was essential in their minds that kissing be restricted to mummy.

A note was made on the clipboard before Mary, at Saras grasping and pleading looks, the board was handed over. Sarah proceeded to him happily and started working on a no-kissing picture.

"Any other business, or should I call the meeting closed?" Mary asked, half rising from her spot, ready to run onto her next project.
Joseph looked contemplative and asked, "If Daddy goes, who makes food? Mummy?"

A look of sheer horror crossed Mary's face. "Mummy cooking? Yucky food every time? Food touching other food?" she exclaimed, a thousand-yard stare manifesting as she recalled past culinary disasters. "Last meal Mummy made was BAD!"

"Mummy, let me choose pretty food for the meal," Sarah complained, her earlier enthusiasm fading.

"Meal was yucky!" Mary declared, her voice full of authority. "Carrot touched peas!"

Joseph nodded in agreement

Sarah looked down, pencil wilting in her grasp, her spirits dampening. Lami rubbed against her shoulder, bringing a smile back to her face as she giggled at her cat's antics.

"You do better?" Sarah asked, a challenge evident in her tone.

"I microwave a potato better than Mummy does. No burnt bits!" Mary shot back.

"Potato not meal," Sarah retorted, hands on her hips. "Mary make meal? No? Then Mummy better cook."

"I can read a book and make a meal," Mary returned, undeterred.

"Make hotdog," Joseph chimed in. "I judge."

"Yes! Make hotdog, Mary!" Sarah joined in, their chorus of support growing stronger. "I hungry."

" Me too." came Joseph's support for the action.

"Dinner will be soon." Mary tried.

"Soon is not now. I hungry now." A crafty look crossed Sara's face. "If Mary makes dinner, then dinner is not Yucky. If Mary not Fibbing."

Mary turned away, hoping to avoid her sister and brother's puppy dog eyes, only to catch the crowd of pet eyes staring at her, daring her to act.

"Fine! I make hotdogs, and you see, my cooking is not yucky!" Mary declared, jumping to her feet and copying a pose she had seen Lynn Minmay do on Macross to emphasize her point.

>>>>

Four minutes later, Mary was not feeling so enthusiastic. She had found buns in the pantry that she could open herself with no help (or doggy slobber) from Natalie. She had found a packet of sausages in the fridge whose packaging proved problematic. She had retrieved the tomato sauce and mustard and only spilled a little, which Natalie had been happy to help clean up. She had even found a big pot to put water in to boil the sausages. The problem was that the following steps involved things she was told not to touch—like the stove.

Still, her siblings looked expectantly at her. She had come this far; she was not going to give up now. That would mean admitting she was wrong and, worse, eating Mummy's cooking for dinner.

"Next step: put buns in microwave and press go for one minute," she stated with authority she did not feel and matched words to action. Reaching up from the floor to open the microwave, she haphazardly put the eight buns inside. She closed the microwave door with a bit of shoving against the buns and turned the machine on.

"Now boil dogs," Joseph authoritatively stated. He had taken custody of the cookbook (actually an encyclopedia showing a picture of a hot dog) and was holding it upside down.

Mary hesitated. The packet of hot dogs had instructions for how to microwave the hot dogs, but the microwave was being used for the bread. She hesitates but pressed ahead anyway upon catching Sarah's annoyed look.

"Natalie, big pot!" she ordered, pointing at the giant pot hanging up. Natalie perked up at her name and followed the instructions, balancing on her hind legs and bringing the big pot down.

"Natalie, pot onto the stove. Good, Natalie." An involuntary wag of Natalie's tail betrayed her happiness at being praised as she lowered the pot, with the handle sticking out over the edge of the cooker.
Mary nodded, satisfied. Then, she mentally measured the pot's height to the floor. There was no way she could reach it to use it. "Bother," she whispered quietly.

It wasn't quiet enough.

"Ooh, bad word. I tell Mummy," crowed Sarah.

"Do you want your hotdog burnt and yucky?" Mary asked, watching Sarah frantically shake her head no. "Then no being mean." With her sister sufficiently cowed, Mary returned to her dilemma, surveying the kitchen before pushing a chair over to the stove to stand on. That got her to the correct height. Then, it was just a matter of getting water into the pot and putting the sausages in.

Another tentative pull at the packaging confirmed it remained as stubborn as ever. Mary had always been told she couldn't use knives because they were sharp, but what if she only used a little one?

She put the packet down and looked at the other challenge: putting water in the pot. Mummy and Daddy could lift the pot. Mary could push it but not lift it. She doubted Natalie could lift it and keep it steady if it had water. So that left one option.

Near the sink was a red solo cup dispenser, conveniently placed to grab when someone wanted a drink. It would be perfect to fill the pot with. Mary scrambled down from the chair and walked over. The distance seemed impossible from the ground. Another chair was obtained and pushed up to the side of the Bench. This time, by climbing onto the chair and then the back of the chair, she could just stretch and reach the cup before the chair started to squeak alarmingly and tilt.

Mary scrambled frantically forward and onto the Bench as the chair rocked violently and fell.

Joseph applauded. "Good airo… aro… good tumbling things. Four points!"
Sarah, trying to hide her impressed look at her sister's antics, turned to glare at Joseph. "Not fair. Mummy too big to do trick."

"But it was a good trick," Joseph countered.

"Yes," Sarah sulkily replied.

Mary, meanwhile, had almost caught her breath. The chair was no longer a way down off the Bench, lying on its back as it was. But she had a cup; the sink and the pot were over there, complete with a chair. Nodding to herself, she set off walking on top of the benches.

A filled cup later, she walked to the pot and tipped it in. Then she went back to the sink and back to the pot. It was a bit tricky, but by reaching past the pot, she could juuust reach the controls; a twist and the water started to heat up.

That just left the hot dogs stubbornly in the package. She wasn't supposed to use sharp knives, but she couldn't open the packet by just pulling. What if she got the littlest and bluntest knife? That should be alright, shouldn't it? especially if no one saw her do it.

Mind made up, she again walked along the Bench and fiddled with the drawer's magnetic lock. Discarding several knives onto the Bench before pulling out a small one, she then spent the next minute sawing at the package.

A small hole appeared, and by levering the knife in and pulling it hard, she could rip the packaging, accidentally flinging the knife across the room and nearly dropping the sausages. One did drop, and Tig quickly followed it, catching it in his jaws. He was then all but mugged by Lami and Fred, insistent in their bit.

Mary caught herself laughing as the cats growled at each other without opening their mouths or letting go of the sausage. Sarah giggled along, too, while Joseph looked more impressed at the distance the knife had gone. Mary returned to her feet and pretended the entire display was intentional.

Tipping the slightly battered sausages into the pot wasn't hard, but it did reveal an oversight. There had been ten sausages, nine now, and only eight buns. That wasn't right. But it was a problem for the future. And neither Ginger nor Natale had a sausage yet. The next challenge was getting down from the Bench.

The chair was there, and so was Natalie, but Natalie didn't like Mary jumping on her back anymore and whined when she did so. Daddy said it was because she was too big.

A careful step here around the boiling pot, another there onto the stove, and she was almost there when Daddy was suddenly there, grabbing her off the stove, shoving the pot to the back, and turning the fire off in one quick move. "Mary! What are you doing?" he shouted, his eyes wide with concern.

Mary felt her stomach drop. She hadn't burned herself with the hot water or spilled anything on Joseph, Sarah, or any pets. She hadn't even cut herself with a knife like he always warned!

"Making not Yucky dinner? she tried, hopefully

The stare she got back adequately conveyed his less-than-impressed feeling about that answer.

….

Daddy immediately took charge of the kitchen. Benches were wiped, knives picked up, sausages carefully put in water, children and pets banished from potential splash zones and out from underfoot, and a sulking Mary banished to a stool in the corner and made to stay there.
He hadn't let her help at all but wouldn't let her go anywhere either, just sit in the corner. He had called out safety things to Mary while she cooked, but she was too annoyed to listen properly. After a while, he called everyone for dinner, including Mary, and they ate the hot dogs.

They had tasted good—definitely not yucky. Joseph agreed, grinning from ear to ear after finishing his second. However, Sarah stated it wasn't pretty enough but reluctantly decided it was. "Not Yucky, but it didn't count because Daddy finished it." Mary countered that she didn't get to finish it, and it would have been fine if she had. Then Mummy told them both to stop fighting and eat or go to bed hungry. Mary stuffed the rest of her hotdog in her mouth and ran back to her room, slamming the door behind her. It felt so unfair.


<<<<<

"Do you know why I was angry, Mary?" a deep voice From the door cut through Marys thoughts from where she lay on her bed in the dark room.

Mary straightened up from where she had flopped on her bed as her father turned on the harsh light as he walked into the room. He narrowly avoided stepping on several on-the-go projects to reach a clear space by her bed.

"No? I was hungry. Sarah and Joseph were hungry. I made hotdogs. They were good. Sarah ate one, I ate one, Joseph ate two, and Mummy ate one. It wasn't yucky!" she exclaimed, her defences rising.

"Mary, you used a knife, which I remember telling you not to do without supervision," Daddy said, kneeling down to meet her gaze. "You made a big pot of water very hot and left the stove on. The pot could have been knocked over or boiled dry and caused a fire."

"But the pot was too heavy! And I was still cooking!" Mary protested

"While walking on the Bench? Is that how to move a pot safely? Do you see me walking on the Bench?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. His tone softened but remained serious.

"No, you're too tall. And strong enough to lift it." Mary shot back.

"If I had been in the room helping with the meal, I could have done. Or your mother," he pointed out somewhat unfairly, in Mary's opinion. He wasn't supposed to be right.

"Mummy Makes Yucky Foods." she hit back with the ultimate truth

"But she doesn't burn or cut herself." her father countered

Mary shoved her head in the pillow and pretended he wasn't there.

Her father sighed, and Mary heard him move to fully sit on the floor beside her bed, bringing their heads to the same height. He touched her shoulder to reassure himself that she was still in one piece. She felt slightly guilty for scaring him but hadn't hurt herself. Really, he was blowing it all out of proportion.

"The problem, Mary, is that what you did was very dangerous. And you are big enough now to understand that it was dangerous. Did you know you used to scare me by getting into high places? I couldn't be angry at you because you didn't know better. But if you climbed up somewhere unsafe now? I would be angry because you do."

"So, no climbing, Daddy?" Mary asked, muffled through the pillow" Any other fun thing you want me not to do?"

"No unsafe climbing. Or cooking. or showing off for your siblings."

"But you are not going to be here! Only Mummy and she makes yucky food with burnt bits or cold bits!" Mary exclaimed, sitting up to glare at her father, frustration rising again. "I can cook a good potato since forever. Mommy still makes it wrong."

"Your mother is not that bad. Can't you practice with her and surprise me when I return?" He asked

"Mummy is good at sports teams, acting, singing, going 'I know', and kissing goodnight. Mummy is not good at cooking. You are good at cooking and going "I love you", and acting too. " Mary retorted, arms crossed defiantly, unwilling to budge on the subject.

"I had to learn how to cook too," her father laughed. "You could try with your mother?"

"I don't want to learn from mummy how to make food that has cold bits and burnt bits. I want to learn to make good food like you, Grandma, or Grandpa do at the Jumping Whale," Mary insisted, her voice firm. Then she hung her head. "I don't want you to go even if mummy is cooking anyway." came the next muttered comment, almost involuntarily.

"I have to. I already said yes to Mike, and your mother isn't bad…" he began, but Mary interrupted.

"You are a lot better than Mummy!" Mary said, flinging herself back upright and putting her hands on her hips for emphasis. "I want to learn, right! If you're going away, then I need a good cook to come and make meals like grandma or grandpa and…" she trailed off thoughtfully.

"And what, Mary?" he prodded.

"And you teach Mummy, and she still makes yucky things. Grandpa taught you, and you make no yucky things. Could you ask Grandma and Grandpa to teach me while you are away?"

Daddy roared out with laughter and the room seemed lighter. Maby the light had finally warmed up en ugh?

"Alright, alright! I'll ask. Dad will love the idea. We'll figure something out. But no knives or boiling water unsupervised. Only when you are big enough to do so safely. Promise?"

"Promise." Mary nodded and then threw herself at her father. "I miss you, Daddy. Go 'way and come back soon."

"As soon as I can Mary, As soon as I can."

The Origins of the Furry Fandom: A Reflection on Treasure Planet and the Role of Captain Amelia
Published in the Journal of Anthropomorphic Studies, Vol. 32, Issue 4, 2024
By Dr. Evelyn Richards

Abstract
The release of Treasure Planet in 1983 by Lucasfilm revolutionized the landscape of animated cinema and had a profound influence on the nascent furry fandom. This article explores the film's cultural impact, focusing on the character of Captain Amelia and her role in inspiring creative communities. We examine how Treasure Planet, particularly through Captain Amelia, helped shape the early furry fandom and inspired the creation of alt.fan.furry, one of the first online communities dedicated to anthropomorphic characters. The article delves into Captain Amelia's lasting legacy as a cultural icon and examines the broader implications of the film on anthropomorphism in media.

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Introduction

In the summer of 1983, Lucasfilm released Treasure Planet, an animated epic that captured the imaginations of audiences around the world. Produced by LucasFilm Studios, the film fused classic adventure with science fiction, reimagining Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island as a sprawling interstellar journey. Treasure Planet was a landmark moment for Lucasfilm's animation division, combining traditional hand-drawn animation with revolutionary CGI, and ultimately cementing its place in cinematic history as a financial and critical success.

However, Treasure Planet's influence stretched far beyond its immediate commercial success. The film became a catalyst for the burgeoning furry fandom, a community centered around anthropomorphic animal characters. At the heart of this connection was Captain Amelia, the elegant and commanding feline starship captain whose sharp intelligence, grace, and charisma left an indelible mark on fans. This article examines the role that Captain Amelia and Treasure Planet played in shaping the early furry fandom, leading to the creation of the influential online community alt.fan.furry, and discusses the character's ongoing impact on anthropomorphic media and fandom culture.

Captain Amelia: A Groundbreaking Anthropomorphic Character

Captain Amelia, was a breakout character in Treasure Planet, and her unique blend of human and animal traits became central to the film's success. Designed with the utmost attention to detail by Lucasfilm's animation team, Amelia possessed feline characteristics such as pointed ears, sharp eyes, and an agile build. Yet she also exhibited distinctly human qualities—her posture, facial expressions, and emotional depth were all carefully crafted to create a complex and relatable character.

Dr. Cynthia Meadows, in her comprehensive analysis of anthropomorphism in animation, writes that "Amelia exemplified the fusion of animal and human characteristics in a way that was previously unseen in mainstream animation. Her character had agency, intelligence, and depth, which made her an ideal candidate for fans interested in the anthropomorphic form" (Meadows, 2019). This design allowed Captain Amelia to resonate with a broad range of viewers, many of whom found themselves drawn to her not only because of her visual appeal but because of the strength and complexity she represented.

The merchandising campaign surrounding Treasure Planet reflected this interest. Amelia's likeness appeared on a wide variety of products, from action figures and lunchboxes to the now-iconic Captain Amelia body pillow, which became one of the most popular and sought-after pieces of Treasure Planet merchandise. The widespread availability of such items helped cement Captain Amelia's place within the broader pop culture landscape, and for many early fans of the furry fandom, these products represented their first tangible connection to anthropomorphic characters.

The Formation of alt.fan.furry

The now famous in the fandom furry circles Louis Steward, a 16-year-old from Boston, was one of the many fans whose life was changed by Treasure Planet. After seeing the film during its theatrical run in 1983, Louis became enamored with Captain Amelia. As he recounts in an interview from 2004, "I was drawn to Amelia's leadership and grace. She was so different from any character I had seen before—part cat, part human, but more than that, she felt real. I couldn't stop thinking about her" (Louis, personal interview, 2004).

Louis began creating fan art and stories centered on Amelia, eventually sharing his work on early online message boards. It was through these boards that Louis discovered other fans who were similarly fascinated by anthropomorphic characters. In 1986, under the pseudonym "AmeliaLover83," Louis helped establish alt.fan.furry, one of the first organized online communities dedicated to fans of anthropomorphic media. alt.fan.furry quickly grew in popularity, becoming a gathering place for fans who wanted to discuss characters like Captain Amelia and share fan-created content. As noted by historian Timothy Gallant, "alt.fan.furry became the breeding ground for what would later be recognized as the furry fandom. The community's roots in early internet culture gave it a unique identity, centered on creativity, expression, and a shared love of anthropomorphism" (Gallant, 2020).

The launch of alt.fan.furry marked the beginning of a formalized furry fandom, where fans could interact, collaborate, and celebrate anthropomorphic characters without the stigma often associated with niche interests. For many, Captain Amelia became the face of this burgeoning movement. Her status as a beloved figure within the fandom cannot be overstated—her blend of animal traits and human personality was the embodiment of the themes that would come to define the furry subculture.

Merchandise and Media: Cementing Amelia's Iconic Status

The commercial success of Treasure Planet extended into its massive merchandising efforts, which were unparalleled at the time. Captain Amelia quickly became a fan favorite, and her popularity was reflected in the variety of merchandise released. Fans could purchase everything from high-quality figurines to posters, T-shirts, and bedding adorned with her image. The aforementioned Captain Amelia body pillow became a cultural touchstone, a collector's item that symbolized the devotion of the fandom and the intense connection many fans felt toward the character.

Beyond merchandise, Treasure Planet was extended into several media tie-ins, including comic books, a novelization,etc wich provided fans with even more content and helped solidify her status as an enduring figure in popular culture. As Amelia became a fixture in fans' lives, her importance within the furry fandom only grew.

As media scholar Dr. Evan Shapiro notes, "Captain Amelia became a beacon for anthropomorphic media. Her character was nuanced, visually stunning, and intellectually sharp, providing a template for what fans could aspire to in terms of creative anthropomorphism. She wasn't just an icon within Treasure Planet—she became a symbol of the entire subculture" (Shapiro, 2021).

Anthropomorphism, Identity, and the Furry Fandom

The popularity of Captain Amelia coincided with a broader cultural interest in anthropomorphism during the 1980s and 1990s. Animated films and television shows featuring anthropomorphic characters, such as The Secret of NIMH and The Lion King, continued to draw audiences into the world of anthropomorphism. These characters often embodied qualities that were both aspirational and relatable, providing fans with new ways of exploring identity, personality, and expression.

Within the furry fandom, characters like Captain Amelia were more than just objects of admiration—they were central to the creation of fursonas, personal anthropomorphic identities adopted by fans. As anthropologist Dr. Samantha Crewe notes, "Fursonas allowed fans to connect deeply with the anthropomorphic characters they loved. Captain Amelia was an ideal fursona model—her balance of human and animal traits allowed fans to explore their own identities in ways that might not have been possible through purely human characters" (Crewe, 2022).

For many, the fandom was a space of creative freedom where fans could express parts of themselves that might otherwise have been constrained by societal norms. The flexibility of anthropomorphic characters, embodied by Captain Amelia, provided fertile ground for fans to experiment with their own stories, designs, and personalities. Alt.fan.furry became a creative hub where these explorations flourished, and Captain Amelia remained a central figure in these discussions.

Academic Perspectives on Treasure Planet and the Furry Fandom

In recent years, scholars have turned their attention to the cultural impact of Treasure Planet and its role in shaping the furry fandom. Dr. Cynthia Meadows' seminal work The Evolution of Anthropomorphism in Animation (2019) explores how characters like Captain Amelia changed the landscape of animation and paved the way for the acceptance of anthropomorphism in mainstream media. "Amelia was pivotal," Meadows argues. "She was one of the first characters to challenge the perception of anthropomorphic characters as secondary or comical figures. She was fully realized, and her character arc had real depth. This resonated with fans and laid the foundation for the type of storytelling that would become central to the furry fandom" (Meadows, 2019).

Dr. Timothy Gallant, in his analysis The Furry Fandom: Identity, Creativity, and Anthropomorphism (2020), highlights Treasure Planet as a turning point in the development of the fandom, noting how the film "legitimized the idea of anthropomorphism as a complex and sophisticated storytelling device, rather than just a trope for children's entertainment. The furry fandom grew out of this acceptance, with Captain Amelia as one of its key icons" (Gallant, 2020).

The cultural legacy of Treasure Planet and Captain Amelia extends beyond fan communities and into the broader realm of identity and creative expression. The film's combination of traditional and digital animation, its bold storytelling choices, and the unforgettable presence of Captain Amelia have ensured its place as a cornerstone of anthropomorphic media.

Conclusion

More than four decades after its release, Treasure Planet continues to resonate with fans, scholars, and creatives alike. Its influence on the furry fandom, particularly through the character of Captain Amelia, is undeniable. Captain Amelia became a symbol of creativity, strength, and the possibilities inherent in anthropomorphic storytelling. Through her, fans found not only a beloved character but also a way to explore their own identities and form communities around shared passions.

As the furry fandom continues to grow and evolve, the legacy of Treasure Planet remains a key chapter in the history of anthropomorphism in media. The film's success, bolstered by merchandise, fan communities, and academic recognition, underscores the cultural power of anthropomorphic characters and their ability to inspire generations of fans.

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References
Crewe, S. (2022). Fursonas and Identity: The Role of Anthropomorphism in Fan Culture. Anthropological Perspectives Journal, 41(2), 134-155.
Gallant, T. (2020). The Furry Fandom: Identity, Creativity, and Anthropomorphism. Fandom Studies Review, 18(3), 45-76.
Louis, (2004). Personal interview.
Meadows, C. (2019). The Evolution of Anthropomorphism in Animation. Animation Studies Quarterly, 12(4), 97-113.
Shapiro, E. (2021). Anthropomorphism and Cultural Expression: The Enduring Legacy of Captain Amelia. Popular Media Journal, 25(1), 67-89.

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A big thanks to Schehera Zade who gave me this idea when i asked him if he had any idea of potential omake i could do to boost treasure planet and it's cultural impact,quality and reception.
I tried to make it like the author of the article is a fan of the captain but try to hide it,was it too obvious or something ?