Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland and Korean actress Han Ye-seul pose at a preview of "Monsters vs. Aliens" in Seoul on Thursday. /Newsis
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, right, poses with South Korean
actress Han Ye-seul, who dubbed the voice for the local version of "Monsters vs. Aliens."
The 3D animation will be released April 23. / Yonhap
Animation maestro Jeffrey Katzenberg sees 3D animation as the key to the future. DreamWorks Animation presents "Monster vs. Aliens," which, shot entirely in 3D with a completely new technology, is its most ambitious project yet. This can be seen as something of a revolution in not just animation but in all of cinema history.
"The first two great revolutions in film were the introduction of sound and the introduction of color, and the introduction of 3D could be as impactful as those were," the CEO of DreamWorks Animation said in an interview in Seoul, Thursday. Five years in the making at a cost of $165 million, the "very long, very expensive" franchise, said the 58-year-old, employed an entirely new technology called InTru3D. Specifically developed for "Monsters vs. Aliens," it combines DreamWorks' authoring tools with the latest technology by partner company Intel.
The new tool solves problems posed by past 3D films. "All of the elements that go into 3D today are so dramatically better than what existed even just a few years ago," he said. Moviegoers must wear glasses, which are polarized and more comfortable than the old colored paper frames. A very powerful digital projector delivers precise images, that "aren't blurry, don't give eyestrain, don't give you a headache. We are in absolute perfect control of 3D," he said.
This certainly makes a mark in modern day cinema culture, as it provides a one of a kind, theater-only experience. "Monsters vs. Aliens" in 3D cannot be replicated at home _ kissing goodbye to pirated DVDs. Meanwhile, InTru3D required artists to "learn a new language," said Katzenberg. He compared the experience to Anglophones having to learn and work in Korean overnight. "They have to think in 3D now. They have to think about the dimensionality and how the filmmakers will ultimately translate that onscreen," he said, further explaining that artists have to conceive characters differently, such as moving through a 3D room. Though initially a little scared, he said, "our artists have loved it and have been excited from day one."
"Yes," all future projects will be created in 3D, he said definitively. This comes in spite of technical barriers, that most theaters are not equipped with digital projectors. Providing glasses to moviegoers will also be costly. "This is just the beginning. I think that there are twice as many theaters (for 3D films) today than there were a year ago. Next year there will be three times as many as today. I think there is a great future. Rome was not built in a day," he said.
"Monster vs. Aliens" features retro themes ― quite ironically rendered with the latest modern technology ― "a happy accident" according to Katzenberg. It pays tribute to B-movies of the 1950s and '60s and even makes a parody of "ET" as it tells the story of a young woman who, on her wedding day, is hit by extraterrestrial gunk and explodes into a 49 feet 11 inch-tall giant (1958's "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman," anyone?). She's immediately captured by the military and is detained along with other strange creatures. When aliens attack Earth, however, this ragtag group of "monsters" becomes mankind's only hope.
Korean screen beauty Han Ye-seul provides the voice for the main character, which was originally dubbed by Reese Witherspoon. "She (Han) is a very talented actress and has a very beautiful melody to her voice, which is a very good match for her character. And I think she did a really great job," said Katzenberg.
Dreamworks' previous franchises such as the "Shrek" trilogy and "Kung Fu Panda" have scored well at the local box office. "In the field of feature animation, DreamWorks has become the most successful and biggest studio in the world," he said. In the past five years, DreamWorks and Disney/Pixar have both created and released 10 films, grossing $4.8 billion and $3.2 billion worldwide, respectively.
"So we're 50 percent bigger on a worldwide basis. You know, I'm proud of that. I think that's a great accomplishment. Of course they and others like Bluesky make great movies," said the former Disney studio chairman. When asked about the company's secret to success, he said, simply, "good storytelling. I think that's the most important thing."
"Monster vs. Aliens" is due in theaters April 23. Polarized glasses will be available in theaters. 94 minutes. All ages admitted. Distributed by CJ Entertainment.
Credits: hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr
