“EPIC” Characters in 3D

"Epic characters in 3D"

Known for their grandiose storytelling and visual effects in “Ice Age” and “Rio,” Blue Sky Studios brings a world unlike any we’ve seen before in the 3D wonder “Epic.”

In “Epic,” MK (voiced by Amanda Seyfried) returns to her childhood home and reconnects with his father Prof. Bomba (Jason Sudeikis) who believes that out there are unseen people who live in the woods.  She finally believes when she is magically transformed into the size of the people his father had been looking for all his life.   Transported into the magical world of Leafmen where soldiers live to protect the forest, MK meets Nod (Josh Hutcherson), Ronin (Colin Farell) and Queen Tara (Beyonce).  Together, she must unite with them in order to save the forest against the evil Boggans led by Mandrake (Christoph Waltz).

The filmmakers envisioned the Boggans as the creators of decay in the natural world.  Wedge explains: “You might take a walk in the woods or in a park, and see something that looks like a cancerous knob growing out of a tree.  That’s the handiwork of the Boggans.”  Theircapital of decomposition is called Wrathwood, whose dark, twisty and claustrophobic tunnels provide a sharp contrast to Moonhaven’s openness and light. 

The chief force behind the darkness and destruction is the Boggans’ ruler, Mandrake.  Gifted, or cursed, with the ability to bring destruction to anything he touches, Mandrake and his Boggan minions are the arch-nemeses of the Leafmen.  Mandrake is tired of hiding in the shadows, and with his son Dagda (played by Blake Anderson) by his side, he plans the ultimate revenge – to claim the forest he believes should have always been his.

As portrayed by two-time Academy Award®-winning actor Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained, InglouriousBasterds), Mandrake is devious, dangerous, erudite, droll, and ironic.  His eloquent and sharp musings and threats are complemented by his vampire-like appearance.  He even sports a bat cape, “like the Native Americans wore buffalo skins,” says Wedge. “They would conquer the soul of the animal and wear its skin, and Mandrake does the same” with the nocturnal and feared rodents.  Bats are also the Boggans’ preferred mode of transport.

Wedge embraced the opportunity to work with Waltz, and got more collaboration than he expected when the directorread lines opposite Waltz during recording sessions.  “Christoph wanted to play the scenes at all times, so our podiums were set up across from each other. He’d perform Mandrake, and I’d read whichever character he was playing against. Every time I’d look up from my script page, there was Christoph staring me down, in true Mandrake style.  He was in the scene completely. It was intimidating and thrilling.”

If Queen Tara and the Leafmen embody the forces of light, and Mandrake and the Boggans the forces of darkness, then the character Bufo straddles both worlds.  A tough-guy toad, Bufo is a wheeler and dealer who plays all the angles: he profits no matter which side wins or loses.   

In yet another example of inventive casting, rapper/singer/songwriter Pitbull is Bufo.  “We were looking for a certain archetype, and asked ourselves, where do you go?” Wedge explains.  “Well, you don’t go to the normal field of actors; you go to musical artists.  Pitbull brings something special to the role.”

Pitbull, whose current hit (performed with Christina Aguilera) is “Feel this Moment,” likens musicianship to the experience of a team of animators, designers and actor joining forces to create a film character. “When I make records I can hear a beat and know exactly what I’m going do and how it’s going to come about,” he explains.  “So for an animator to see me and my expressions and translate those to a character…that’s amazing.”

“Epic” (3D) opens May 24 in theaters from 20^th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Check “Epic’s” latest video here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-MsMM8nNoQ&feature=youtu.be

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AMANDA SEYFRIED AND JOSH HUTCHERSON IN AN “EPIC” (3D) JOURNEY

Amanda Seyfried and Josh Hutcherson in Epic

The 3D animated adventure “Epic” will take audiences on an amazing and magical journey through a secret world of hilarious creatures, visually spectacular locations and incredible aerial battles.  The ground-breaking, photo-real animation from the creators of “Ice Age” and “Rio” will make audiences wonder if this hidden world might really exist…perhaps even in their own backyard.

“Epic’ is introduced through the eyes of Mary Katherine (she prefers M.K.) voiced by Amanda Seyfried, a smart, spirited and headstrong 17-year-old who finds herself on the journey of a lifetime.  After returning to her childhood home to connect with her estranged father, Professor Bomba, M.K. loses patience with his endless stories of unseen people who live in the woods.   But when she is magically transported into the Leafmen’s world, she gains a new perspective.  To find her way home, M.K. must do more than believe in this world; she’ll have to help save it.
   

Amanda Seyfried, the versatile and popular star of movies such as “Les Miserables” and “Mamma Mia,” portrays M.K., whom the actress describes as “strong-willed and disconnected from her father to the point where she thinks there’s no way she’s going to be able to even live with him.”

But M.K.’s incredible journey to a secret universe in her own backyard changes many things about her, not the least of which is her feelings about her dad. “She ultimately comes to believe in him,” says Seyfried.  “He was right about so many things.”

The other man in M.K.’s life is a resident of this unseen realm, named Nod.  Josh Hutcherson, who stars as the warrior Peeta Mallark in the blockbuster “The Hunger Games” trilogy, portrays Nod. Rakish and handsome, Nod is all about bucking the rules and flying solo.  But his brazen individualism doesn't square with the Leafmen’s ideals of teamwork and unity, so he quits the squad.   After M.K. enters his world – and when the stakes are high – Nod discovers what it takes to be a true hero.

M.K. and Nod concurrently undergo transformative journeys, which bring them together, and which in turn trigger romantic fireworksthat are initially mixed with suspicion and resistance.  Part of their attraction to one another stems from their feelings of being disconnected to anything else – M.K. by the circumstances of her unsuccessful reunion with her father, and Nod by his rebellious nature, which he directs mostly toward his father figure, the Leafmen’s leader, Ronin (Colin Farrel).

“Epic’ (3D) opens very soon this May 24 in theaters nationwide from 20th Century Fox.

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Aerosmith's Steven Tyler role in "EPIC" (3D) reminds him of his younger years

Well-loved music icon Steven Tyler, who's coming to Manila to have a concert with his group Aerosmith, gives voice to a very affable caterpillar character named Nim Galuu in the upcoming family adventure 3D movie "Epic."    

"EPIC" is a 3D CG adventure comedy that reveals a fantastical world unlike any other. From the creators of" Ice Age" and "Rio," "EPIC" tells the story of an ongoing battle between the forces of good, who keep the natural world alive, and the forces of evil, who wish to destroy it. When a teenage girl MK (Amanda Seyfried)  finds herself magically transported into this secret universe, she teams up with an elite band of warriors and a crew of comical, larger-than-life figures, to save their world…and ours.

Having brought to life one of the most beloved and successful animated motion picture franchises, Ice Age, director Chris Wedge and his teams at Blue Sky Studios (of which Wedge is a co-founder) achieve new heights of realism, action, adventure and detail, with EPIC.              

Very much on the side of the Leafmen – is NimGaluu (vocied by Tyler).  Nim is the consummate party animal, but don’t let this larger than life caterpillar fool you – his wisdom and practical know-how make him a key behind-the-scenes player in the epic battle to save the forest.

Nim possesses a broad frame, six arms, four legs – and signature smoking jacket, whose pattern was inspired by butterfly wings.  Portraying Nim is Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler.  At first glance, the choice of a rock and roll icon to essay the avuncular (though fun-loving) forest sage is unexpected, but Wedge notes that the idea to cast Tyler “just came to us and we ran with it.  Listen to Steven’s voice; it has all the necessary texture for Nim, who like Steven is a fun character with lots of energy.”

For Tyler, the role reminded him of some his experiences as a youngster.  “I grew up in the wilds of New Hampshire and I always thought there was something to be said for the quiet of the woods,” he explains.  “At the same time, I was afraid of the woods, but I grew to love it.  So I think EPIC is the perfect story to tell.”

"No matter what age, you're bound to fall in love with Epic. With the wisdom of my character, Nim Galuu and the beauty of Beyonce as Queen Tara as well as the humour of Mub and Grub, EPIC is a film that has something for everyone,"  says Tyler.

"Epic" (3D) opens May 24 in cinemas nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Check Epic’s trailer here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXbAzFqL7Gw&list=UU-JrjBL_iZAn5wjEsw9nRYA&index=5

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Blue Sky Studios breaks new grounds with animated spectacle "Epic" (3D)

Epic in 3D

Prepare to be hurtled along in a journey to the fantastical, spectacular world of “Epic” from Blue Sky Studios, the studio that brought to life the most beloved and successful motion pictures “Ice Age” and “Rio.” 

Filmmaker Chris Wedge helms the upcoming larger-than-life “Epic” based on the beloved children’s book “The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs” by William Joyce which introduced Samurai-like warriors, the Leafmen– and a war being waged in our own backyards between the forces of life and the forces of decay.

In the thick of adventure in “Epic” is a smart, spirited and headstrong 17-year-old named Mary Katherine but prefers to be called MK (voiced by Amanda Seyfried).  She returns to her childhood home to reconnect with her estranged father, Professor Bomba (Jason Sudeikis), M.K. loses patience with his endless stories of unseen people who live in the woods.   But when she is magically transported into the Leafmen’s world, she gains a new perspective.  To find her way home, M.K. must do more than believe in this world; she’ll have to help save it.

The film’s visual wonders breaks new ground in animated spectacle, realism, action and adventure, but it is Epic’s characters and the actors who portray them that take center stage.  Along with Seyfried’s and Sudeikis’ voices in “Epic” are Beyonce Knowles, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, Colin Farrell, Josh Hutcherson, Pitbull, Blake Anderson, Aziz Ansari, Chris O’Dowd and Christoph Waltz.

The ongoing battle between good and evil in “Epic” transports MK in a secret universe where she teams up with an elite band of warriors headed by Ronin (Farrell), Nod (Hutcherson), a crew of comical creatures including a snail named Grub (O’Dowd), a slug named Mub (Ansari)  and the Leafmen’s queen, Queen Tara (Knowles).  Together they fight to save the forest from the Boggans headed by Mandrake (Waltz) and his son Dagda (Anderson).  In the midst of it all is a caterpillar named Nim Galuu (Tyler), a consummate party animal whose practical know-how make him a key player to save the forest.  Between the forces of light and darkness is Bufo (Pitbull), a tough-guy toad who is a wheeler and a dealer who likes to play all the angles no matter which side wins or loses.

“Epic’s” world is lush and alive through Michael Knapp’s supervision, the movie’s art director in charge of designing characters, colors, environments, textures, story and lighting.  Working with Chris Wedge and artists to transform the familiar environs of a woods into a kind of alien universe, where the colors are more vivid, the light more expressive, and vegetation sways as if it were consciously alive.

With these departments achieving unprecedented levels of realism and spectacle, Wedge singles out “pushing the animation further than ever before” as another formidable creative challenge.  “Our characters in EPIC are the most sophisticated-looking and human-looking of all our Blue Sky Studios projects,” he says. 

Colin Farrell who voices Ronin enthuses on making the film, “The film is epic by name, epic by nature and epic by experience.”   The Blue Sky Studios team has no bigger fan than Beyoncé Knowles, who says, “The animators based much of their work on footage of the actors recording our lines, so my facial expressions and body language have become part of Queen Tara. 

   

“I was blown away by the detail in the animation,” she continues. “It’s very hard to even tell it’sanimation; it looks so lifelike. I’ve always imagined being in an animated film, so to see that happen was really exciting for me.”
Action is also king – or, in this case, Queen – in EPIC, which features two spectacular battles, including the climactic confrontation in which the Leafmen, M.K. and Bomba face off against Mandrake and the Boggans that will decide the fate of Queen Tara’s Moonhaven.  It’s grand storytelling, giant action, and bigger than life heroes and villains in the ultimate war between good and evil. 

It’s EPIC.  And it’s all happening in a world you’ve never seen before – but is as close as your own backyard.

Opening across the nation on May 24, “Epic” in 3D and 2D is from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

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