about that astro boy movie: director colin brady interviewed
all-CG ASTRO BOY movie [blogged] on their website (click on "WHAT'S NEW")
this is a short excerpt of the interview (transcribed by me :p)
Q: In what stage of the development process is Astro Boy?
COLIN BRADY: We're still in the script and design phase. We have a story treatment which is very solid and our writer is fleshing out the script. We also have an amazing design team that's well underway in defining the look of the world. Our animators are using a rough Astro Boy model to help define his movement and personality. /// CLICK HERE FOR MORE
Q: How do you describe the spirit of your film? How do you envision the tone?CB: I want to portray a really cool, absurd view of the future. It will be a fantasy sci-fi that's not too dark or heavy, but on the other hand not too juvenile. The film needs to have plenty of heart, humor, and of course, a giant robot attacking a city. I'm influenced by Miyazaki, Terry Gilliam, Dr. Seuss and the robot toys that cover the artists' desks at Imagi Studios in Hong Kong.
Q: How do you plan to take anime, a 2D genre, and make it in 3D?
CB: This is a task I take very seriously. Not only does Astro Boy have a devoted fan base, but it is considered by most to be the first anime ever. I think 'anime' as a style doesn't have to limit itself to 2D alone. 3D is used more and more in Asia these days, and I feel 3D will help us with both the spectacle of large action-filled environments as well as super -subtle acting scenes. We often reference the Astro Boy cartoons and manga to not veer away from what makes Astro Boy unique. For example, Astro's hair has a very distinct design that never changes relative to the camera, very much in the same way Mickey Mouse's ears always appear as two circles. We're also working closely with Tezuka Productions to ensure we have their blessing as well.
Q: Astro Boy was created in the 1950s. How do you depict him as a superhero for the 21st century?COLIN BRADY: Astro's conflict between humanity and technology is more relevant now than ever. On some level we'd like to believe that underneath the layers of computer email cell phone gadgets, we still need to listen to our heart.
WHO IS ASTRO BOY:
"Astro Boy is the English-language title for the Japanese anime Tetsuwan Atom (鉄腕 アトム Tetsuwan Atomu?, which roughly translates to "Mighty Atom" and literally to "Iron-Arm Atom") first broadcast on Japanese television from 1963 to 1966. The science fiction story follows the adventures of a robot boy.Astro Boy is the first Japanese television series that embodied the aesthetic that later became known as anime. It originated as a manga comic series started in 1951 by Osamu Tezuka, who is known as the "god of manga". After enjoying success abroad, Astro Boy was remade in the 1980s as Shin Tetsuwan Atomu (Astroboy in the US and other Western countries) and again in 2003. For a time Astro Boy enjoyed a level of popularity in Japan equivalent to Disney's Mickey Mouse. [wiki]
