Nugget of Awesome

[tealin]

opening 2D scene - now in Quicktime!

WARNING: You may go blind from sheer awesomeness. (My eyes! It's too awesome!)

I was extremely lucky that I got to see this come together (though I didn't work on it myself). It's astonishing how much it looks like the original concept artwork, but moving. Those flags at the beginning, for example, were gestural paint strokes, but they animate like flags and still look the same! And if anyone needs a lesson in arcs they just have to look at the swooshy kung fu bits because they are perfect. All the 2D character animation and, I think, most of the effects, were done by James Baxter; the rest is AfterEffects which was animated by a very small group of likewise very talented people. I am in deepest awe.

There's also the closing credits animation (in lovely big Quicktime which you can stopframe) which I think was done after they all moved to Dreamworks.

I have to wait till next weekend to see the rest of the movie, though...

Comments

[michechan.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's so beautiful! Why couldn't they just make the whole film look like that? I miss 2-D so much. :[

I must admit, the trailers made me think that this movie looked horrible, but it's getting such positive feedback that now I wanna see it. :/

[amarafox.livejournal.com]

It's really good, I recommend it :) I thought it was going to be a stupid fartfest, but there is nary a toot.

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

So I hear. I'd have liked to have seen it already but work has been all-consuming.

[jolly-kraken.livejournal.com]

Agreed 100%! I'd be WAY more excited to see this movie if the entire thing was animated like that. In fact, I'd probably see it about five times just to absorb all the awesomeness. Then I'd buy the DVD and watch it another 700 times until the images were burned into my eyes. And then I'd suddenly want to become an animator.

I thought the same thing about the trailers, too. They made it look absolutely juvenile and pointless, despite the impressive animation (and that was before seeing the 2-D parts, which impressed me far more than the 3-D). But then again it's aimed towards a younger audience, so I guess I should stop whining. Still, it wouldn't kill them to mature it even a little bit so that us "old folks" (read: everyone above the age of 10) would want to see it, y'know, WITHOUT bringing children along to justify the fact that they're going to see a "kid's movie."

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

I figure they were just trying to bank on Dreamworks' reputation and precedent of box office success -- as juvenile as most of their movies have been, you can't deny they've made money, so making KFP look like one of them is essentially the marketing department saying 'Hey all your people who bought tickets for Shark Tale and Shrek 3! Come buy tickets for this!' Making it look new and different might more likely have a negative effect on that audience than it would a positive effect on the minority who sneer at Dreamworks' potty humour.

As for the 'animation is just for kids' mindset, changing that would require a massive societal change which animators have been wishing for since at least the 50s. I'd love it, but I keep my hopes low.

[isaluna.livejournal.com]

I thought it would be juvenile based on the previews, as well. I was dragged to the theater by a 20-year-old animation obsessee who was certain it'd be better than it looked, and he was right.
And the opening animation was spectacular.
Really, I think the previews needed to better reflect the movie. We were the only couple who didn't have children in tow. Because of the "animation is for kids" mindset, I'm sure.
I was really hoping more of the movie would be in 2-D.

[amarafox.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting the link to the full end credits. I went to see it with a bunch of kids, and we left before the credits were over.

The art is stunning.

[noodledaddy.livejournal.com]

Then you must go back to the movie again to see the last shot, which appears after the credit. It is a nice touch.

[amarafox.livejournal.com]

I saw it on the small quicktime thing posted. I plan on buying Kung Fu Panda on DVD when it's out, and I don't buy a lot of movies.

[infiniteviking]

Good lord. It's, like, legendary.

And awesome. *watches again, with special attention on the arcs*

[fani.livejournal.com]

MSN hates my laptop :( YOUTUBE LINK?

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

I dunno, Animated News only posted that link today and it doesn't look like it's on YouTube yet. I don't post links to Windows Media files when I can help it because hello, buggy, but at the moment there seems to be no other alternative.

[fani.livejournal.com]

oh thanks anyway

re:MSN hating me

[fani.livejournal.com]

After updating browser, flash player etc etc it said: YOU'RE IN CANADA YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO VIEW THIS


...yeah. I saw the ending credits though. I LUB the part where Tai Lung gets pummeled to death by the Panda plushie

Re: MSN hating me

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

Ohhh, I remember those days. I wasn't allowed to see the Enchanted MySpace page, for some reason – I guess Canadians are too cool to watch clips? That's the price you pay for the privilege of avoiding the OMG MARKETING ONSLAUGHT that is the U.S. :P

Anyway, I updated the link and it's a Quicktime now so you can see it. (Probably)

[phonixa.livejournal.com]

I think I'm going to see it again with my family; i moved back home yesterday to make some money over the summer while i wait to see when there are animation jobs in Van.

We're supposed to hear tomorrow (from Disney); im not holding my breath either way, they've taken sooo long to decide but its like. A chance in a MILLION that they decide to go with me. I'll try again in October, of course.

But I still hope that they decide to take a chance on me lol.

[theatreotter.livejournal.com]

Not gonna lie - I had absolutely no interest in the film until I Stumbled upon that closing credits vid. I ended up going to see it, and while I loved most everything about it, I definitely noted the amazing opening sequence. Gorgeous.

[septentrio.livejournal.com]

We went and saw it the other day, I actually really enjoyed it, despite the spawn of Satan (little boy) sitting in front of us. I swear to god he was gonna phase shift through the theatre if he didn't get his ritalin soon, omg.

Steve and I agreed, the entire movie should have looked like the beginning 2D sequence. I couldn't help but think of Samurai Jack seeing that, and I mean that as a compliment, cause I think that show is gorgeous.

Hey, I have a question that I guess isn't entirely unrelated... My boyfriend Steve (vinnybones) wanted me to ask you how you got your job at Disney? He worked on Titan AE at Fox Animation in Phoenix before they folded and I suggested he's got a better chance of getting into that line of work again with experience than someone without experience (i.e., me), so I told him I'd ask you how you went about it. Got any tips?

He was hired straight out of the Art Institute and did coloring, I think. He's humble but I get the impression from his ex-coworker that he was one of the fastest/best workers in his department. Sorry to ask, I feel like a fangirl or something. Feel free not to answer. :)

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

I got my job by knowing people and applying to the Talent Development program. Judging by his experience I'd guess Steve is more than a few years out of school so he'd probably have to apply the regular way, i.e. sending a portfolio to H.R. ... they should have that info somewhere on their website. I think they're outsourcing the ink & paint for Frog to keep costs and crowding down, so he might be better off applying to one of the studios that's doing it ... I don't know which ones they are though. There might be one in Florida. My information is vague at best. Good luck, though!

[septentrio.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for the reply. Yeah he was hired directly out of the Art Institute by Fox (did I say that already?) so it's been a few years now. It's such a shame Fox folded here, and it still boggles my mind why there aren't a million animation (and film) companies situated in Phoenix yet. I mean, it's practically California version two. (Or three, I guess, if you count most of Canada as two...) There are always rumors of film companies and such moving in, but it seems like they never get around to it. Alas.

I'm glad to hear Disney's outsourcing but staying in the country. Maybe that sounds horrible, but I feel kind of... burning hatred (directed at... whoever makes "those decisions") whenever I hear "oh, that movie was outsourced to Korea/India/wherever." I just get... Grr, so jealous and cranky. By all means, have animation companies there, but have them in the States, too! I mean, geez, I think everyone can agree, the only thing America really consistently does right is entertain people, haha. (Either with the president or actual entertainment... Teehee.)

ANYWAY, yes, thanks for the response. Sorry I rambled. :) By the way, have I ever mentioned how much I love your default icon? I had to show it to Steve the first time I saw it, he's a huge Mignola fan (me too, but he was first). :D

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

It doesn't boggle my mind ... no offense on your hometown but Phoenix is BLOODY HOT. It makes a fair bit of sense that studios want to keep things localized; occasionally someone opens a place away from L.A. but most of the best talent lives in one city and may not be willing to move, especially for a new, unproven studio.

The outsourcing, as far as I know, is just ink&paint, which has questionable 'entertainment value' ... it's not the first time, either - did you know the billions of bubbles in Little Mermaid were done in China? They are pretty keen on keeping as much as possible in-house, but there just isn't the space for a whole ink&paint department.

[mariahgem.livejournal.com]

AWESOME!! I saw the movie last week and it is arguably the best thing Dreamworks has made! LOVE IT!

[zfiledh.livejournal.com]

Watched the awesomeness two weeks ago. TOTALLY worth it!!! :D

[wizardelfgirl.livejournal.com]

Being the ignorant that I am, I don't know what you mean with arcs. Still, I think thi sequence is made of WIN!

The colours! The contrast they used is so awesome and it gives such a dramatic atmosphere to the sequence! Like, mysterious and, uh, Oriental?

[salamandersoup.livejournal.com]

HUMUHGUBUHHH o_____________o I am so excited to see this movie. you do not even know.

:D!

[bevinbaka.livejournal.com]

I'm really glad you posted these-- though Quicktime hates my computer and I can only hear the ending credits, I still love that opening part. Like someone else mentioned, it reminded me immediately of Samurai Jack, and I'm really surprised to find out it's 2D animation, I figured it was Flash or a similar program.

Saw it last night, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Definitely my favorite of the Dreamworks movies that have come out. I loved the backgrounds and the colors-- I wanted to go to China after watching it.

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

It's mostly AfterEffects, which is ... a little bit like Flash, but with a lot more muscles, but the actually animated parts (Po's kung fu and lip synch, mostly) were done on paper.

[bevinbaka.livejournal.com]

I think I need to stop flashing my relative ignorance of animation on the internet, I usually wind up surprised by how little I actually know. But I'm glad to know I was sort of close with the program they used for it, and I'm surprised that any of it was animated on paper. It all fits so seamlessly together, I figured it was all created the same way.

Now, I'm a bit confused on one point (again displying my ignorance), but I often see traditional animation described as "2-D" animation and computer animation as "3-D". These are actally misnomers, yeah? 2-D can refer to things animated on the computer such as Flash or After Effects, as well as traditional animation on paper, or am I wrong on that point?

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

Umm... honestly, I don't think it's been around long enough to have a designated name. Sometimes it's called 2D, or 'digital 2D,' but usually 2D refers to something where every frame is drawn - so something like the Brackenwood (http://www.biteycastle.com/) shorts is basically 2D even though they're done in Flash. If it's more typical Flash or AfterEffects it's usually called by the program name; e.g. Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is a 'Flash cartoon.' They are technically 2D, I suppose, but stop-motion animation is technically 3D (even more 3D than CG is because it actually exists in space) but no one calls it that.

[azvolrien.livejournal.com]

That was just awesome. Made of awesome. I'm going to go and see that as soon as I can.

[omgsellie.livejournal.com]

I loved that movie :D The entire thing was just great.

[ubiquitouspitt.livejournal.com]

WOW. That is crazy awesome good. I am both impressed and inspired.

[ledygrey.livejournal.com]

*____* THAT's what I wanna do! I havent seen it yet, but it would be unadulterated awesomeness to have an entier movie made like that...

[moondog.livejournal.com]

WHOA.

As people have said: the trailers looked "eh" at best, but... wow. Thank you so much for sharing! Guh. Those flags are amazing.

Also, credits can sell me better than anything else. I'm such a sucker. :D

[meganphntmgrl.livejournal.com]

You know, I had no interest in seeing this movie. The trailers make it look so juvenile...

Now I want to.