Post Magazine

January 2016

Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/629103

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 7 of 53

www.postmagazine.com 4 POST JANUARY 2016 BITS & PIECES DREAMWORKS ANIMATION'S KUNG FU PANDA 3 GLENDALE, CA — On January 29 th, Jack Black returns to voice Po in Kung Fu Panda 3, the newest animated feature from DreamWorks Animation, here. The film also features the voice talents of An- gelina Jolie (Tigress), Dustin Hoffman (Shifu), Jackie Chan (Monkey), Seth Rogen (Mantis), and Lucy Liu (Viper), among others, and once again brings to- gether Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Alessandro Carloni, who co-directed the feature. Having worked on all three films, the directing duo has been able to witness first-hand the story's evolution, as well as that of the technology used to help tell it. "One of the big ideas that we have for this fran- chise is 'self betterment,'" says Yuh Nelson. "How to believe in yourself and achieve things that you never thought you could ever achieve." "Working on a franchise, you don't want to change your main character, while at the same time, in each movie, he has to take a step forward," adds Alessandro Carloni. "In each movie, it always comes down to self improvement, empowerment and discovery — who you are and who you are really meant to be? And this is the movie where he really takes that final step into becoming the panda he is meant to be." Technology has evolved considerably since the first film, and this third release marks the first use of new software developed in-house at DreamWorks. "In the first film, we had trouble even blowing up a single building," recalls Yuh Nelson. "In this one we get to build entire sets, down to every practical de- tail, so that we can interact with it and be complete- ly free with our camera and storytelling. The scale of what we can do with the effects, with the set, with the character details really frees us." For our exclusive interview with the directors of Kung Fu Panda 3, visit our Website: postmagazine. com. — BY MARC LOFTUS EDITING STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS LOS ANGELES — While Post is featuring Star Wars: The Force Awakens on its cover this month from Jennifer Walden's extensive interview with the film's post sound crew (see page 38) from Skywalker Sound, we're also featuring an online extension with director JJ Abrams' award-winning editors Maryann Brandon, ACE, and Mary Jo Markey, ACE, both of whom have worked with Abrams on Alias, Mission Impossible 3, Super 8, Star Trek, Star Trek Into Dark- ness and Markey on Felicity. "It was surreal that we were going to do [Star Wars], and it kind of stayed surreal," says Markey. "I cut the movie and I approached the film like I would any film, and it was better to work that way, but every once in a while I would stop and say to myself, 'I'm cutting Star Wars.' It is amazing. I never ever pictured myself doing something like this." Brandon agrees, "It was totally surreal. I was like, 'Oh my God, we're working on potentially the biggest film — ever — that masses of people will see. I have to say, the only way to approach it is like any film you do, and try to keep the emotions and story strong or it would just be too hard — the responsibility to all the fans. You have to keep that at bay." For the full article, visit us online at www.post magazine.com. — BY LINDA ROMANELLO

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Post Magazine - January 2016