A Chat With Don Bluth And Gary Goldman (Part I)
I first met Don
Bluth on May 1, 1981, at the Kennedy Center for the Performing
Arts in Washington, DC. He was giving a presentation at the American
Film Institute about his latest picture Secret of NIMH.Don
had just returned from the United Kingdom where the London Philharmonic
had recorded music for the film. What Don showed that day was little
more than a progression reel with some scenes in color, some in pencil
test and still others in storyboard form. During his talk he referred
to some of the up and coming young animators as "hot shots from Art
Center." Having graduated from Art Center only a couple of years before,
I took the opportunity to introduce myself as "one of those hotshots..."
We exchanged pleasantries and he was gone.
Fast forward to circa 1989. I was president of Washington, DC's ASIFA chapter, and we happened to be hosting Don Bluth at a local animation gallery. It was a great night. About 300 people showed up to view and buy artwork from his films and have their pictures snapped with Don. I was one of them!
Fast forward again to 1991 -- Dublin, Ireland. At that time, the Sullivan/Bluth Studios were supporting the classical animation program at Senior College, Ballyfermot. I had just come on board as Coordinator/Animation Instructor for the course. My first official meeting was with Don Bluth and Gary Goldman; and Gary, as things turned out, was our program/studio liaison throughout my entire 4 years with the college...and a good time was had by all!
As I glance back over the years, I like to think that Don and Gary began what I term their "great experiment" when they chose to leave Disney Feature. They have continued to create "outside the system." To date, they have directed 12 animated feature films -- far more than any other animation team.
Recently, we had a chat about their upcoming feature film from Fox Feature Animation, Titan, A.E.,which will be released June 16th...
Larry Lauria: Gary, can you tell me about the "look" of Titan, A.E.?
Gary Goldman: The look is similar to a graphic novel or dark comic book. The opening is softer pastel colors, almost pastoral. The computer graphic imagery [CGI] and animation are some of our best, ever. The CGI work is in about 80% of the film....in 3-D backgrounds, spaceships and the villains. The villains have a gelatin or glass-filled look.
LL: As compared with other Don Bluth/Gary Goldman films -- what would you say is different, visually, about Titan...other than the computer work and the pallets?
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