Kung Fu! Panda Style

So last week we got the treat of having a Q and A with Mike Stern and Deter Brown, a pair of students from my skule who went to work for Dreamworks and both scored shots on my favorite movie of the year, and arguabley my favorite animated film of all time.

KUNG FU PANDA!!!!

If I have to tell you what it is and what it's about, close my blog, you don't deserve to be reading it. No seriously, not kidding, go ahead...close the page, I'll wait.

Now for those of you who were there, well this will be review, but for those of you who were not, this is kinda how it broke down...we got an intro to Mike and Deter, then they went through, described their shots (some in detail, some not). They showed parts of the film, high profile shots, shots they did, and the rough breakdown of the film process. Things like who developed the feel for Panda, and who did this and what was so significant about that, lots of killer info, but sadly I did not take notes, as well generally during a game or movie Q/A, I'm there to get all excited and extra geeky. This was hardly a time to take notes!

So I did manage to ask a questions, something along the lines of "What have you found to be your biggest disappointments overall upon entering the industry? What things have not met your expectations, and on the flip side, what were your greatest surprises and what has surpassed any of your expectations going in?'

Mike took the reply -



He expounded on how he was asked to do the title shot for Bee Movie (that's Seinfeld you monkey not second rate)!, a 30 second montage that intro'd all the toons (that's geekspeak for characters for those of you who are not animationly inclined) and was a good fly through with tons of this that and the other thing. TOP O DA WORLD MA!!!! He went out proclaimed himself a god...well maybe a lesser diety to his family and friends...ok fine, he just told them he was uber psyched cause he was doing the opening shot for the movie. (so this is his big surprise moment). But when it came down to it, his hopes and dreams were dashed upon the rocks of too effin bad shore and his shot was left on the cutting room floor (man is that dramatic or what???! I rock!). Seriously though they just decided to roll with something else, but man...talk about the WORST experience EVA!!! So I got his greatest and worst moment in the same damn story...what a cop out. Sheesh.

I will say though that Mike's one helluva guy and pretty damn funny. Gives good QandA! Yup I said it like it's dirty...that's what makes it so damn funny.

Deter peeled through a couple of his shots (I didn't screen Deter...well cause he wasn't on screen same time I was and being a Narcicist such as I am, if I can't be on screen, dammit neither can he)...so I'll just post this shot.



Yea that's right, me and the Panda...sharing screen space...who's the effin man now???!

But back to Deter, duud's sheer hilarity, messin around in the background, making faces at Mike, flyin toy aeroplanes across screen, just random nutty crap, bonus points for that, plus to top it off, his name is DETER...how damn kule is that name? Huh? Answer me dammit! Yea it's pretty effin sweet.

Deter did work on my favorite shot in the film, which also happens to be the most expensive shot that Dreamworks has ever done in a CG film...or so Deter says, and since I don't work in accounting or accounts payable or well in any damn department at Dreamworks, I'm just gonna have to take his word for it. The bridge scene. TALK ABOUT AN EPIC FIGHT SCENE!!! Holy good gawd golly gee damn!!! That's what I have to say about that shot. EPIC...that's EEEE PEEE EYE SEE...EPIC!!!

All in all it was a fantastic Q/A, one that ran an hour over time, longest one I've been in, and they coulda gone another hour and still had one solid ass audience, the room was packed.

I must say, my hats off to the boys, great QandA and they both landed sweet digs at on a sweet project. Jealous? Me? A bit, but it does show the success of our skule and the program, and that is justification enough for me to know that I made the right choice when I enrolled...

til next time...lead an animated life!


Oz