USC’s “DreamWorlds” exhibit explores DreamWorks Animation’s visual development process

Jim Hill

12 years ago

Last Tuesday morning, I spent a hour or so wandering around the
campus of USC‘s School of Cinematic Arts. Where — I’m being serious here — I
actually received this celebrity-filled set of directions from an undergrad there:

Photo by Jim Hill

“The complex you’re looking is right across from John
Williams and Johnny Carson. If you see Harold Lloyd, you’ve gone too far.”

Thanks to those directions, I eventually found myself at the
Steven Spielberg Building. Which — appropriately enough (given the number of
times that these two have collaborated on films) is located just across the
courtyard from the George Lucas Building.

Photo by Jim Hill

Anyway … I thought that it was an especially nice touch
that the space between these two structures (which is officially known as the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Courtyard) featured a statue of
Hollywood’s first real action hero, Douglas Fairbanks Sr. (Who — FYI — not
only helped to found USC’s film school back in 1929 but even taught a screenwriting
class here).

Of course, what was then kind of ironic was — as you
continued on into the Spielberg Building — you then encountered another statue
which honored an entirely different sort of action hero: The CG star of
DreamWorks Animation‘s 2008 “Kung Fu Panda
,” Po.

Photo by Jim Hill

Po is on display on the first floor of the Steve Spielberg Building
to help make people aware of the “DreamWorlds Behind the Scenes:
Production Art from DreamWorks” exhibit …

… which is being presented right around the corner in the
Mary Pickford Lobby portion of this USC structure now through September 7th.

Now what’s particularly neat about this exhibit (over one
hundred digital prints of visual development artwork) is that it manages to
touch on each of the animated features that DWA has produced. Everything from
“The Prince of Egypt” …

A bust of Pharaoh Seti from DreamWorks Animation’s
“The Prince of Egypt.” Photo by Jim Hill

… (that ambitious hand-drawn production which was supposed
to have been DreamWorks Animation’s prestigious first release. Only to have
studio head Jeffery Katzenberg — who was incredibly competitive with Disney
& Pixar back then — shift “Prince” to the No. 2 spot. Just so
that “Antz” could beat “A Bug’s Life” into theaters back in
the Fall of 1998) all the way through to “Rise of the Guardians” (which
will be opening at a multiplex near you on November 21st).

The Sandman’s dreamboat from DreamWorks Animation’s forthcoming animated feature,
“Rise of the Guardians.” Photo by Jim Hill

In fact, “DreamWorlds” gives you a teensy peek
over the horizons. Given that — among the pieces of production art which are
currently on display at USC — is this quartet of concept paintings for DWA’s
March 2013 release, “The Croods.”

Having lost the safety of their cave, the world’s first family ventures out in the lush,
overgrown jungles that were found on Earth during the Croodacious Period.
Photo by Jim Hill

Mind you, there’s more than just concept art and production
paintings on display in the Mary Pickford Library. To illustrate the many
different ways that DreamWorks Animation develops the visual look of its
feature-length productions, studio staffers brought along two miniature sets.
One which showed how the Island of Berk in 2010’s “How to Train Your
Dragon” was laid out …

A miniature of the Island of Berk from DWA’s “How to Train Your
Dragon.” Photo by Jim Hill

… while the other offered a look at the inner workings of Area
52 (i.e. the super-secret military facility where all of the monsters who
starred in DWA’s 2009 release, “Monsters Vs. Aliens” were kept).

There were also some spectacular maquettes on display in
this USC exhibit space …

… not to mention three media stations which run animation tests
and video clips that then help illustrate of the artistry & imagination
which goes into the visual development of DWA’s animated features.

So if you’re someone who’s maybe considering a career in
animation and/or just a fan of DreamWorks Animation, you really owe it to
yourself to drop by USC’s Mary Pickford Lobby before September 7th. Which is
when this 3000 square-foot display will be packed up and sent back to DWA’s
Glendale-based archives.

“DreamWorlds Behind
the Scenes: Production Art from DreamWorks Animation” is being presented in the
Steven Spielberg Building (which is located at 900 W. 34th Street on the USC Campus).
This exhibit is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.