Disney had four computer animated movies in the works at the time. Chicken Little, Meet the Robinsons, American Dog, and Rapunzel Unbraided. Morale and hopes were low for Chicken Little, which had a hellish development from start to finish. American Dog was taken from its director and turned into Bolt (2008). Meet the Robinsons was more or less started over from scratch and 80 % of finished movie was completely redone. But if there was any movie Disney was determined to see work, it was Keane’s story of Rapunzel. From 2003 to 2008, Keane directed and oversaw the production of Rapunzel Unbraided with uncompromising passion. Since Keane couldn’t use the tools to make a CG animated movie, Keane made the tools work for him.

In a recent interview with Collider, Keane recounts the creative process behind the film’s style. “The computer fights against anything organic and a sensuous kind of feel… rhythm, expression, tilt, flexibility. All of those things don’t naturally come to it.” So when animators brought their CG work to Keane, he had no sympathy for its limitations. If the animation was too stiff or unpleasant, Keane sent it back. He’d draw what he wanted with his own hand and not accept the scene until it matched his artwork.