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]

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.

[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?

[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. :)

[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.

[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.