Animated Movies from the "D" Company Quiz

Answer:

In 1994, DreamWorks was the first new major Hollywood studio to be founded in over 60 years (since the founding of United Artists). As a famous director, Spielberg now wanted a place where he could produce high-quality films without the bureaucracy of a traditional studio. Katzenberg left Disney with a $250 million settlement and a desire to prove he could build a "Disney-killer." He took charge of the animation division. Finally, Geffen,who had founded Asylum and Geffen Records, was the financial architect of the powerful trio called the "Three Amigos". Steven Spielberg originally wanted the logo of the firm to be a man fishing from the moon to evoke the "Golden Age of Hollywood". The artist changed the image to that of his young son, and the icon was born.

"Shrek" was released in 2001 and was cynical and irreverent, purposely poking fun at fairy tales. This was the "Anti-Disney" touch since those movies of that era were often touching and featured Broadway-style musical numbers. "Shrek" solidified the "A-List" voice cast trend. Using Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz wasn't just about the voices; it was about marketing the movie as a summer blockbuster. The film won the very first Oscar ever given for Best Animated Feature, beating out Pixar's "Monsters, Inc.". Afterwards, when DreamWorks Animation became a publicly traded company, it changed how they made movies. Jeffrey Katzenberg committed the studio to a high output of releasing at least two major films a year.

The animation company created "Madagascar" in 2005. The film about four animals from a New York zoo who find themselves in Africa was created with a style the artists called "squash and stretch", which made the characters' bodies very elastic and expressive. DreamWorks realized that side characters were often more popular than the leads. This led to the creation of the penguins in the movie, who were so popular they eventually got their own TV show and a feature film. The song "I Like to Move It" (originally by Reel 2 Real) became so synonymous with the movie that it effectively became the DreamWorks theme for many years.

In 2008, the studio created "Kung Fu Panda" and really focused on the authenticity of the movie. Beyond just taking classes, the animators studied the specific movements of animal-based kung fu styles to ensure each character moved in a way that felt real to martial arts experts. Although a comedy, the film treats the philosophy of kung fu with respect. The "sincere emotional core" comes from Po's journey of self-acceptance and the idea that there is no secret ingredient to greatness other than believing in yourself.

In 2010, DreamWorks took a large technical leap and hired live-action cinematographer Roger Deakins (a 16-time Oscar nominee) for the movie "How To Train Your Dragon". He taught the animators to use longer lenses and out-of-focus backgrounds. They used techniques as if a real camera operator were struggling to keep the characters in the frame. This created a sense that made the audience feel like they were actually in the air with Hiccup and his dragon friend.

In 2011, "Puss In Boots" wasn't just a spin off from "Shrek", but was a stylistic and cultural experiment. To ensure the film's Latin heart felt real, DreamWorks hired legendary director Guillermo del Toro as an executive producer. The artists also studied Antonio Banderas' performance in "The Mask of Zorro" to give Puss his swashbuckling physical language.

Before the sale to Universal in 2016, DreamWorks was struggling with the high cost of being an independent studio. Joining the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group gave them a permanent home where they didn't have to pay other studios to distribute their movies. The $3.8 billion sale, though, forced the removal of the "SKG" on the name and the end of the Three Amigos era.