Paper Engineer Matthew Reinhart is a master when it comes to the element of surprise, and in his latest project in collaboration with Insight Editions and NBCUniversal, he is transporting us to the world of Oz with the new Wicked: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book. In celebration of the recent release of Wicked For Good, Reinhart was tasked with re-creating some of the iconic landscape scenes and movie moments from Wicked and Wicked For Good.
Production Designer, Nathan Crowley, crafted larger-than-life sets for both films, rigging and erecting 52ft sets for Shiz University and taking architectural inspiration from Chicago’s White City to build the green-infused set of The Emerald City. Director Jon M. Chu and Oscar-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell teamed up to create notable looks like Nessarose’s iconic silver tornado heels, a nod to the 1939 ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland, and created magical costumes for the Oz Dust ballroom scene, which are both featured in the book.
Matthew then collaborated with illustrator Rui Ricardo to depict and brilliantly tell the story arc of Wicked. I recently had the opportunity to interview Matthew Reinhart via Zoom about his full creative process for crafting this pop-up book, and below, he unveils what it took to bring the land of Oz to life for readers.
Oz Map Room and Building Kiamo Ko
In the first Wicked film, Jon M. Chu and Nathan Crowley drop an easter egg that alludes to what happens in the second film. When Elphaba and Glinda first meet the Wizard, they are summoned into his palace in the throne room, where the map room sits and displays a 3-D replica version of Oz.
When you take a closer look, you can see Prince Fiyero’s castle, Kiamo Ko, right behind Elphaba and Glinda, and this is a nod to Elphaba’s “No Good Deed” number in Wicked For Good, where she goes to his castle to seek refuge and save Prince Fiyero by turning him into the scarecrow.
This is also where Glinda comes to do her “For Good” duet with Elphaba, where they serenade each other on how this journey and friendship has changed them for the better, and eventually saying their goodbyes at Kiamo Ko.
For Kiamo Ko, where did you start when building a 3-D paper model of such a large castle?
I had the chance to see a model of Kiamo Ko and knew it had to sit tall on the page with a leading bridge attached. So I had to reflect and ask myself, “How would this all collapse on itself?” I start by outlining the overall rectangular shape of the castle, and because there is so much internal structure visible, I had to begin cutting away to add more detail. For the mechanics of this pop-up, I enjoy how it rises up and gets up to 12 inches tall.
Welcome To Shiz University
As the story begins to unfold in Wicked, we see our two spellbinding witches meet and first cross paths at Shiz University, where their unique friendship starts to develop. Shiz is an ancient educational institution where students like Glinda arrive by landlocked waterways with classic trunk suitcases to major in sorcery, while other students like Elphaba arrive in all black turn-of-the-century clothing and lodge in medieval dormitories to study and hone their magical powers. Set Designer, Nathan Crowley, incorporated several of his favorite architectural elements, like onion domes, gothic rooftops, and Venetian staircases, to make Shiz University feel whimsical. Plus, he used a bright color palette to evoke this feeling of warmth and light.
“After seeing the detailed set and costume pictures, I thought to myself, they better be making an Oz land at Universal Studios,” says Reinhart. For many of the key locations, like Shiz University, Matthew starts his process off by jotting down words and ideas. “I think about how it will be divided up on the page, and how many pages it will be?” says Reinhart. Then, rough sketches are drawn to give a sense of the layout of the spreads and how they interlink. This is then presented to the Wicked team at NBCUniversal for early approvals.
Price: $75
The Pop-Up Book Process
Once approval is given, the paper engineering process begins with materials like cardstock being cut and folded by hand to figure out how each mechanism will be constructed and perform. “I start by crafting an early sketch prototype, and when I’m satisfied, I’ll work to clean it up to have it look pristine and then present it to my publisher, Insight Editions, and NBCUniversal,” says Reinhart.
After final approval is given, the pop-up is carefully taken apart, markings are made with a pencil where all the pieces attach, and then the pieces are traced and scanned as JPGs. The images are then traced in Adobe Illustrator to create vector or dye lines that are ultimately turned into templates. The pop-up undergoes refinement, and rough artist guides are created and sent to illustrator Riu Ricardo to draw and fill in. “I would make notes on all the pieces, letting Riu know this is the front of Shiz University and this is the tower on the left,” says Reinhart.
The color artwork is made and sent back as digital files, typically in Photoshop. Matthew then layers the artwork under the templates, creating a color prototype. “Once I get the perfect prototypes, I send that along with the digital files to the manufacturer, where they make the book thousands of times over, all by hand,” says Reinhart. The machines print the artwork and cut the templates, and another team then hand-assembles all the books that come to the shelves. Along the way, the studio oversees and gives the ok during every step of the process.
One Short Day In The Emerald City
“One short day in The Emerald City, one short day full of so much to do” synthesizes the journey Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo, and Glinda, portrayed by Ariana Grande, go on. Elphaba leaves Shiz University, inviting Glinda to travel via train with her to go to The Emerald City to meet the Wizard. Once they arrive, they’re greeted by the residents of Oz who inhabit this booming green-filled metropolis. Elphaba and Glinda explore the wonders of the city, visiting the dressing salons and libraries, and realize there is another walk of life outside of school. While there, they visit the Wizomania stage to see the wise ones, played by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth (the original Wicked Broadway Elphaba and Glinda), sing about the propagandist view of the Wizard and allude to a new prophet who can read the ancient text of the Grimmerie again.
Defying Gravity and The Wizard
Entering the Wizards’ palace, Elphaba and Glinda are excited to finally meet and help this sentimental man, but things take a dramatic turn when Elphaba unlocks the power of the Grimmerie, chanting a spell that changes everything.
Matthew crafted and weaved in many of those moments using hidden features that are seen throughout the pop-up book. For example, in The Emerald City, you have the smaller scene of the animatronic head from the film, and when you grab the pull tab, the mouth opens to reveal the Wizard inside. This is a nod to him being an illusionist in the story.
Hidden Treasures To Explore
In addition, he adds grand reveals from Elphaba summoning her broomstick to turning the page and seeing her fly in her big “Defying Gravity” number. Several of these incorporated elements make it feel as though you’re going on a treasure hunt to discover the land of Oz. It’s also a huge feat to design a city that prides itself on grandiosity and create a pop-up mechanism that embodies that at the core.
What was the process like creating the 3-dimensional structure of The Emerald City? What was your concept behind making the train movable in the book?
Working with the Wicked team at NBCUniversal, they tasked me with capturing the essence of The Emerald City. I viewed digital models to get a better perspective of the building facades and how many were on each side. For the pop-up train, I gravitated toward it moving versus sitting stationery to bring more interest to the story. I tested several mechanism models to figure out what could be put underneath to help make it slide to mimic vehicular movement.
To achieve many of these engineering aspects takes creativity along with analytical skills to have the mechanisms pop off the page, and it’s a highly unique craft and skill that Reinhart has honed.
This interview was condensed for comprehensive clarity.
Wicked: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book
From career experience that spans over 25 years, Matthew Reinhart and his team created a true collector’s item with the Wicked: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book, making it the perfect gift for fellow Ozians and fans of both films.
