Dream Factory: Pixar Fetes 20 Years of Animation in Seoul
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
Pixar Animation Studios, the maker of Disney movies ``Toy Story'' and ``Finding Nemo,'' has brought its globe-trotting exhibition to Seoul in time for its 20th anniversary. Fans can see what goes into the making of their favorite 3D animations ― including soon to be released ``Wall-E'' ― in this multimedia wonderland through Sept. 7.
This exhibition pays homage to the some 80 artists collaborating behind the scenes of some of the most successful franchises, by introducing the mechanics of animation to revealing rough sketches. ``Computers don't create computer animation any more than a pencil creates pencil animation. What creates computer animation is the artist,'' said John Lasseter, chief creative officer of Pixar.
This exhibition was launched in 2005 at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and has since traveled to London, Tokyo, Edinburgh, Melbourne and Helsinki. The Seoul show is the largest, with added features such as a special animation Artscope rendered in the style of sketches, and drafts for ``Ratatouille'' and Pixar's upcoming zany robot story ``Wall-E.''
But this show isn't a display of framed rough drafts with coffee stains (though DeAnn Cobb, educator and exhibition designer, told The Korea Times that many works were recovered from dusty drawers). You see truly art gallery-worthy works like a large painting on canvas depicting a ``feel'' for a scene of a movie, plus interactive multimedia features that will entertain both children and adults.
It displays the amount of energy and passion that goes into creating one character or scene ― the three main ingredients of Pixar animations are: great story, unforgettable characters and believability rather than realism, said Cobb.
While each animation has a uniform look, each artist is encouraged to pitch in ideas using their own style. For making the petite, eccentric designer Edna in ``The Incredibles,'' for example, you see some illustrators use collages or others make wispy sketches with a marker.
There are wonderful 3D clay models of characters, which are crucial for defining their shape. Also hard to miss is a huge wall with all the ``extra'' fish that appeared in ``Finding Nemo,'' each special and named. Nothing in a 3D animation goes untouched by human hands.
Moreover, one gets the feeling of being at the Pixar studio. For each animation work, there is the ``colorscript,'' which Cobb said is integral to the production. They resemble colorful comic strips, and set a reference for all Pixar artists, like the dusty, pastel hues of ``Cars'' as opposed to the glossy, neon palette of ``Finding Nemo'' or the clean-cut minimalism of ``The Incredibles.''
Other must-see features are the Zoetrope, which shows the mechanics behind animation, and rarely seen short films, which lie at the heart of Pixar's artistry. Both children and adults are encouraged to participate in Seoul Animation Center's workshop (those under age six must be accompanied by a guardian), where you pay 1,000 won for activities like making cell phone accessories inspired by your favorite Pixar character.
Tickets cost 8,000 won (age 3-11), 11,000 won (age 12-17) and 14,000 won (age 18-64). Hangaram Museum is located within Seoul Arts Center, near exit 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal station on subway line 3. ``Wall-E'' featuring robots and other zany creatures is slated for release here Aug. 7. For more visit www.pixar2008.com or call (02) 561-4963.