"Hello everyone, I'm your president, Chris Wetch. Pen Fun www.biquge.info Pavilion," Chris (Wedge) said to the members of the second B group that was taking shape in the open studio of the new branch studio at the Blue Sky Studio headquarters in Oxnard.

Although it is said to be a group, the number of people in this new group of Blue Sky Studios has also reached nearly 200 people, just like the plan of Shirley (Sandberg) and Chris (Witch) last year, Blue Sky Studio, which originally had only more than 200 people, in order to implement the two-film parallel system, the B group with a similar number of people will also be in charge of the new 3D animated film.

"Here is the script for our new film, Madagascar. Chris (Wage) raised the script in his hand, born from Sid's original fairy tale novel script, as early as after the establishment of Fire Lion Pictures, Sid has organized screenwriters to adapt several of his fairy tales into scripts one after another, although the process and time are longer, but it is just the time for a blue sky animation studio in the early stage of development.

The first script to be adapted is "Madagascar", which tells the story of the animals in New York's Central Park Zoo collectively "escaping" from prison and embarking on their adventure to find their roots and return home, which will also be implemented as the first parallel project of Blue Sky Animation.

"You've all read Madagascar novels before. Sid's novel is actually based on the original film, with some novel-style descriptions and psychological descriptions, which also makes it difficult for him to adapt his novel.

"Yes. "I've seen it. "Very interesting fairy tale. Everyone in the screening room nodded, this can be regarded as their first job after joining Blue Sky Animation, if other animation studios have to find new stories and new IPs on their own, Sid's own sufficient novel library is enough to envy others.

"So let's take a look at your own views and opinions on the animation of "Madagascar". "Chris [Waiche] obviously wants to try his new recruits.

"Then let me talk about it first. "I've read the original novel, with four animal protagonists, a lion, a zebra, a giraffe, and a hippopotamus. Their fur and fur can be quite a challenge. ”

His words were immediately echoed by many members of the technical department, "Yes, especially the first protagonist, Alex the Lion." ”

"I think our art style is more important than the technical aspects of hair and fur. Another animation employee spoke.

"I've been to Group A to see the effect of "Ice Age" before, although I only saw some preliminary content, but "Ice Age" is obviously skewed, yes, relatively realistic art style, should we do the same? In that case, "Madagascar" will be similar to "Ice Age"? Especially the first impression of the visual effects on the young audience. ”

Hearing the words of this member of the animation department, Chris (Witch) couldn't help but nod secretly, this animator's words are to the point, without a unique art style, it is difficult for the series "Madagascar" to have its own unique charm.

Chris (Welch) couldn't help but look at the animator, "What's your name?"

"Tom McGregory. The middle-aged animator, who had a somewhat receding hairline, said with a smile.

Although the animation studio is one of the weakest companies in office politics, the people around are very envious to see this new animator being written down by the president of the studio.

"Tom (McGraeth), you're right, the art style has always been our top priority. With that, Chris (Welch) pulled out a stack of bound blueprints from under the table.

The above is the concept art of the characters and some scenes of "Madagascar", and when they saw the setting art above, everyone couldn't help but be surprised, "French cartoon style?"

Yes, the animals in "Madagascar" are not in the style of "Ice Age" that neutralizes realism and animation, but in the style of French cartoons that tend to be post-impressionist.

I saw that the main character Alex the lion is the standard ratio of big head, small body, and big feet, and all the animal faces are in a superimposed cartoon style, which is more like a 2D flat style than 3D modeling.

"Yes, we used the French post-impressionist painter Henri Rousseau in the conceptual design phase. With that, Chris (Wedge) directed his assistants to hang some classic paintings of Henri Rousseau on the whiteboard behind him.

As a representative of French post-impressionist painters, this painter with the same surname as the great philosopher Rousseau, although he is not as famous as Picasso and Monet, his paintings show a primitive ecology of the New World with extremely imaginative creativity.

"It's a fun style, it's pure innocence. "After comparing the concept art of "Madagascar" with the paintings of Henri Rousseau, Tom (MacGras) unexpectedly found that the original ecological style cartoon was unexpectedly in line with the story style of the "Madagascar" novel.

As an old man who has worked hard in the North American animation industry for 15 years, Tom (McGree) has long been not satisfied with just being an ordinary senior animator. That's why he was interested in the rising star of the Fire Lion. And whether it is the courage and confidence of the first feature film to start preparing the second animation before it is released, Tom (McGree) is secretly impressed.

Today's project planning meeting lasted for most of the day, although everyone is a new member of Blue Sky Studio, but still actively expressed their opinions, from the art style to the character characteristics, from fur technology to scene textures, everyone was very lively discussion, so that the original embryonic "Madagascar" further clear.

At the same time, because "Ice Age" has been going very smoothly for more than a year, Chris (Wage) handed over the rest of the execution to his deputy, and he took his hands out to lead the newly formed Group B and the new project "Madagascar".

The A group composed of the original Blue Sky Studio members has also grown to a large team of nearly 300 people, California is worthy of being the birthplace and important town of the North American animation industry, compared to the resource-poor East Coast and the stingy Fox, there are plenty of talents here, as long as you are willing to spend money, you can recruit real talents, which is Chris (Wage) The biggest feeling.

Although there are only about 100 people in Team B in charge of "Madagascar", Chris (Wage) believes that with the efforts of him and his colleagues, Blue Sky Studio will eventually become an excellent studio comparable to Pixar.