DreamWorks Animation: The Exhibition–Journey from Sketch to Screen

If you've seen Kung Fu Panda 3, you'll recall the “dumpling scene" between Po and Master Shifu. What you may not realize about that scene is the grueling hours that DreamWorks' story artists and creative directors spent on figuring out how to create a training scene that set  itself apart from the rest. This process, of course, is not limited to just the dumpling scene. The beloved characters Alex (from Madagascar) and Shrek are all the results of teamwork and the imaginative minds of numerous artists. At the exhibition, not only can you see the main characters from these animations by DreamWorks, you can also gain insight into the creators' hard work and the labor that goes on behind the scenes. The three  segments of the exhibition are character, story and world. Each segment comprehensively shows you how movie characters are created, how the stories are organized and what kind of technologies are used in order to make the audience believe that these non-existent, imaginative worlds are true. Artists' interviews are displayed in each zone, making it possible to watch how they came up with different characters.  Watching these interviews, you can see how enthusiastic they are  about being part of a two-hour world of imagination. Their obsession with detail and dedication are inspiring, even for those who are working in industries that have nothing to do with animation at all. In order to feel closer to their animated characters, the creators often act out the gestures in real life in order to figure out how the characters should move. Visitors can also experience Facepower software, which helps the artists adjust each animated character's facial expressions to their own, and try designing your own wave patterns in the digital experience zone. If you’re over 13 and not bringing a kid, you might feel somewhat out of place standing in line between children that are half your size, but it’s definitely worth going. It's so fun, that you might just decide to ignore that little kid standing in line behind you. If you are bringing a child, it’s a good opportunity for them to learn how much work it takes to create these kinds of movies. As they say in Kung Fu Panda, the secret ingredient is... nothing—you just need to go!