Cast of Disney+ film 'Phineas and Ferb' discuss challenges of finishing film from home

Like the rest of America, the voice actors involved in the new Disney+ movie "Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe" had to do a quick pivot while circumstances had them finishing up work on the project at home.

"The challenge is that we actors are now learning how to be producers, audio engineers and technicians," said Alyson Stoner.

"Phineas and Ferb" was mostly finished when we all learned we needed to stay home. For some of the actors, it wasn't a tough turn.

"I am very grateful my husband is actually a composer in film and TV," said Ashley Tisdale. "We had everything to do all of that stuff."

"When the lockdown and stay-at-home orders started coming, the animation industry hardly skipped a beat," said Dee Bradley Baker. "Each studio, project or game found their way very quickly to how to keep the collaboration machine running."

For others it was a whole new ballgame.

"Just as everyone else throughout the last couple months, we've had to figure out the best way to complete our tasks," said Vincent Martella.

"There was a run on mics," said Maulik Pancholy. "Like all the good mics, you had to wait for a month because everybody was trying to do this, trying to work from home."

Of course no one knew we'd be dealing with a pandemic when this movie first started production. But the actors think there is a bit of art imitating life here, with the film's characters dealing with situations that keep them on their toes - something we can relate to our own changing times.

"What are we gonna do today? What can we dream of? And they make it happen," said Pancholy. "I think that is what happened when the world shut down... if you were gonna be an artist you had to come up with a new way to do it."

"Be willing to reinvent yourself, your skills, find ways to adapt, that is what we are all doing right now in varying degrees and I think this whole story is perfectly timed," said Stoner.

"Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe" premieres on Friday, Aug. 28 on Disney+.

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