This is another peek behind the scenes at the creation of what we see on the screen at animation features. Pixar, of course, has been at the forefront of computer graphics animation for decades, and this is an interesting look at what their software enables them to do.
Pixar engineering lead Dirk Van Gelder appeared at the annual GPU Technology Conference in San Jose, California to show Pixar's cutting edge program called Presto.
Presto is new. It was first used for Pixar's Academy Award-winning animation feature "Brave." One of the most notable aspects of "Brave" was the way that the lead character, Merida, had such flowing red hair. It was possible because of Presto.
Presto provides an interactive experience for the animator. This enables the animator to control the character and its movements with fine precision.
In the demo, we see Van Gelder manipulating aspects of the lead character of James P. "Sulley" Sullivan from "Monsters University." Previous software was limited, but Presto enables the animator to make changes while all of the character's artistic features are viewable at high resolutions. Sulley, for instance, has 900,000 computer-generated hairs, and Presto enables the software engineer to work on them directly.
This is an animator's version of WYSIWYG, or What You See Is What You Get. Previously, animators were only able to manipulate stripped down figures that were built up later with things like hair.
There are obvious advantages to being able to work on characters in their full form, rather adding their "look" later. The character's movements can be made more naturalistic and accurate, plus it cuts down on the number of revisions that will have to be made to get just the right character movements.
Monsters University (2013) is the upcoming animated Disney/Pixar prequel to "Monsters, Inc." (2001). John Goodman,, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi, Frank Oz, Dan Gerson, Dave Foley, Jennifer Tilly, Julia Sweeney, Peter Sohn, Joel Murray, Ken Jeong, Rob Riggle, J. B. Smoove, and John Ratzenberger (of course) are all slated to voice Monsters University characters. Kelsey Grammer replaces James Coburn as Henry J. Watermoose, Chairman of Monsters, Inc.
Just as a heads up, advance reviews are good, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 75%, while HuffPost's Greg Wetherall says:
"Director Dan Scanlon has managed the unlikely in this outing; he has, at the very least, matched the bar of the film's forebear. In these particular eyes, he's toppled it. This is a film that will live long after its cinema release and should be welcomed with open arms into homes across the world. Only a curmudgeon would not be melted by the exuberance and execution of Monsters University -- a film that is truly laugh-out loud funny, and is armed with an equally touching coda of a moral lesson that avoids the precipice of melodrama."
Two new clips are all about Mike and Sulley meeting and getting to know each other and were released on June 12, 2013. The first is called "Star Player":
The second new clip is called "Terri & Terry and Art" and introduces twins Terri and Terry, along with the eccentric Art.
The clips and trailers have been flying out of Disney/Pixar fast and furious throughout May. Here, on good advice, is the final - and extended - trailer that was released on Thursday, May 29, 2013:
That this is the final "trailer" doesn't mean there won't be more "clips." Below is another clip, "OK Initiation," which was recently released:
Here's another clip, which introduces the character of Johnny Worthington, voiced by Nathan Fillion of Firefly:
The next clip happens to be in German. Apparently, there is no English version available. Anyway, der Deutsch gives the characters an interesting edge. Watch Mike and Sulley get in trouble:
There are plenty of other clips to look at as well, though you might already have seen them if you've been to this page before. The following clip "Acceptance Letter" and was released on May 27 2013:
A couple of other new preview clips have come out in anticipation of the US June 21 release (UK July 12). First, the "party" trailer:
And here is the "First Morning" clip:
"Monsters University" is being produced by Pixar and will be distributed by Pixar's parent company, Walt Disney Pictures. Once again, Goodman voices James P. Sullivan, Crystal is Mike Wazowski, Steve Buscemi is Randall Boggs, Jennifer Tilly is Celia Mae, Frank Oz voices Jeff Fungus, and John Ratzenberger is the Abominable Snowman.
Reading on the green
Details about the plot remain secret. The film will be set about ten years prior to "Monsters, Inc. Sulley and Mike meet, become rivals, then join the same college fraternity and at some point settle their differences. According to Pixar:
"Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan are an inseparable pair, but that wasn’t always the case. From the moment these two mismatched monsters met they couldn’t stand each other. Monsters University unlocks the door to how Mike and Sulley overcame their differences and became the best of friends. Screaming with laughter and fun, Monsters University stars the vocal talents of Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Dave Foley, Julia Sweeney, Joel Murray and Peter Sohn and is directed by Dan Scanlon and produced by Kori Rae."
Studious students at Monster University
The narrator of a television commercial says, promoting the "Monsters University" college:
"Your future is knocking. Open the door."
The spot was actually shown during California’s New Year Rose Bowl Parade, which takes place in Pasadena, north of Los Angeles.
Rowdy Frat monster
Georgian Progressive Metal band Mastodon have stated that they are contributing a song. Randy Newman is preparing the score.
Mike and Sulley get down
"Monsters University" will be accompanied by the short "Umbrella." Television commercials already are airing, and you may visit the Monsters University website. "Monsters University" will be in 3D computer animation. Dan Scanlon directs,
Kori Rae is producing.
Pixar/Disney has released several international posters as well as a short Mother's Day spot:
Below is a fairly amusing interview by actress Emma Caulfield of Director Dan Scanlon and Producer Kori Rae about "Monsters University":
Here is the Mother's Day spot:
Below are the two official trailers that have been released, and below that a television spot that began airing early in 2013:
