Well it looks like Trumpfy's scoop from yesterday, scared up a good deal of animation news. Just look. First up, comes from Vincent Price's Shrunken Head which was made of so much more than an old apple core...
SHREK
-after a ton of preproduction (the original tests looked quite good) the project has been throttled back for more 'development'. Latest word is that Dreamworks will still produce the project but the animation will be probably contracted out to PDI (Pacific Data Images). The problem is that they still don't have a story.
-Bobcat Golthwait? Um - no. (can you imagine listening to that for an hour? Enough to make the kiddies run) Shrek is being voiced by Chris Farley. One of the original tests had Shrek pulling his hand through his hair Farley style - very cool animation.
Next up is Legend of Mulan, and this comes from CGI (Calculating Gyrating Imp):
I've seen a little bit of Legend of Mulan I thought I might be able to shed some light on it since Trumpfy didn't really say much about it. Legend of Mulan will be the first full length feature film done by Disney's Florida animation studio. Now I can't remember all the details, but it is a Chinese story set hundreds of years ago, medievil times I think, about a young chinese girl who for a reason I can't remeber wishes to join the army and fight, but has to pose as a boy because girls aren't allowed to go to war. I can't remember what war is going on either. Trumpy is right in saying it is a Joan of Arc type of story about this girl who sticks with it and eventually becomes a great leader or something like that. I don't know Chinese history but I believe it is based on some kind of true story or folk lore or something. It might be a nursery rhyme I don't know hehe. The animation looked great and there are a couple of bumbling idiot boys in the army for comic relief. Typical Disney stuff. Singing and dancing and so on. Although Disney movies are fluffy and cute, I still like them and this one looks like it might be a good one.
Next up came from the Budweiser Frog, who was hopping around the workstations at Disney looking to catch a few flys. Instead the Budweiser Frog swallowed these bits of info on Disney's CG feature called DINOSAUR:
It's a CG feature from Disney called Dinosaur. It's not Jurassic Park, which is the first thought everybody gets, but it's not gonna be as cartoony as traditional Disney flicks either. The really interesting thing about this project is the way it's being animated. Most CG flicks (i.e. Toy Story) are animated with an animator (or two) taking an individual shot and animating all the characters in that shot. For Dinosaur, Disney is using a process similar to that used for traditional animation. A Lead Animator will do the main motion of the character, then pass the shot off for an Assistant Animator to do the secondary motion (fingers, toes, etc.) and check for objects passing through each other (intersections). People I've talked to have said it's being done this way simply because that's how Disney knows to make features. How well it will work remains to be seen...
And to back up Trumpfy, I've heard the concept art for Atlantis looks *awesome*.
Next I was attacked by the Man-Eating Cow, who saw me as the best meal it had seen in a long time. I ran and ran and ran (ok I'm exagerating, I can't run, I'm to fat for that) Actually I just went up a hill and rolled over the Man-Eating Cow till M.E.C. told me something useful about Ben Edlund, (Tick dude). Sure enough here's what the future homo-sapien fed big mac had to say...
I have a couple of little pieces of info on the 'Planet Ice' project at Fox. I dont know how significant this news is, but you may find it interesting.
The script is now in the competent hands of Ben Edlund, the creator of the ultra-cool comic/cartoon 'The Tick', which was also on Fox. I ran into Ben last month and he briefly mentioned he was working on it. He said that he is the EIGHTH (and hopefully final) writer to work on the script. According to him, it had some nice ideas but no *oomph*. He seems to think it will be visually stunning however. Ben is also hoping to get a shot at directing it (he's a film school grad and has done a few various projects). He also quoted the budget as being $80 million.
Hopefully I'll be able to get some specifics/particulars on the project in the near future. You'll be the first to know.
Next came this about Walt Disney Animated Films from Frankenstien's Cat, a vicious Paul Terry creation!!!
I only know about Walt Disney Feature Animation so here goes.
1) ATLANTIS - Hells yeah it's going to kick ass! My bet PG-13 or higher, but here's the facts: Mike Mignola, although a definate influence on the production (not only character design but in mise en scene and layout) is not working for them - yet. They really want his official hand in the project, though.
2) TARZAN - Does not suck whatsoever. In fact, with the new Deep Canvas process giving the backgrounds depth but the traditional hand painted look, it's going to be the most gorgeous film yet. And did I mention Glen Keane's Tarzan? he will be, without a doubt, the best animated character EVER!
3) KINGDOM OF THE SUN - Man, this dude even got the name wrong! And it's Incan, not Mayan. Not much about this project, but it'll be really light and comic. David Spade as Prince Manco, Eartha Kitt as the evil Yzma. (HARRY NOTE: Eartha Kitt!!!!! COOOOOOOOOOOOOOL) Songs by Sting. Released either fall of 1999, summer of 2000 Directed by Roger (Lion King) Allers and Mark (Cats Don't Dance) Dindal.
