Museum of the Moving Image Announces THE ART OF RISE OF THE GUARDIANS Exhibition

Museum of the Moving Image, in collaboration with Dreamworks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA), will present The Art of Rise of the Guardians, an entertaining and revelatory exhibition of behind-the-scenes production design materials, including original artwork, and video sequences that trace the creative process and craftsmanship behind the studio's remarkable new film, which arrives in theaters on November 21. On view from November 10, 2012, through March 3, 2013, the exhibition explores the unique collaborative process involving artists, designers, writers, and an enormous filmmaking team. An extensive retrospective of Dreamworks Animation films, including the franchise properties of Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and Madagascar along with the studio's first CGI film, Antz, will accompany the exhibition throughout its run.

On the exhibition's opening weekend, the Museum will present two preview screenings of Rise of the Guardians, one on Saturday, November 10, the other on Sunday, November 11, to kick off the film retrospective. The Saturday screening will be introduced by director Peter Ramsey and other special guests to be announced. The Saturday screening will also be preceded by a book signing forThe Art of Rise of the Guardians, written by Ramin Zahed and featuring a preface by William Joyce, in the Moving Image Store. The full schedule of the Dreamworks Animation retrospective, which will be presented on the big screen in the Museum's main theater, is included below.

"This highly imaginative film gives us the perfect opportunity to explore the creativity and skill of the craftspeople and artists whose behind-the-scenes work is crucial to every major motion picture," said Carl Goodman, the Museum's Executive Director. "The Rise of the Guardians exhibition will reveal to visitors of all ages the creative and technical process behind the making of digitally animated features. It will include such subjects as concept art, 3-D modeling, and the software development that underlies the art, all the way through the memorable finished films, which will be presented regularly in our theaters."

"On behalf of the entire Rise of the Guardians creative team, I am proud to share our story and the many years of creativity behind it with the Museum of the Moving Image, an institution with an incredible legacy of celebrating and elevating the art of cinema," said Rise of the Guardians director, Peter Ramsey.

Highlighting the extraordinary work and creative vision of the Rise of the Guardians production team led by director Peter Ramsey and production designer Patrick Hanenberger, the exhibition will include more than 25 original drawings and sketches; production artifacts, such as silicone masks and fabric samples used to fine tune the translation of these materials into animation; and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, edited by Hanenberger himself for the Museum's exhibition. The exhibition will be organized around the film's major characters, each a guardian of childhood, who inhabit distinct worlds and accompanying mythologies. 

"Each world in Rise of the Guardians has its own color and design motifs. We created a palette or toolkit for each of these and used them to define character," said Patrick Hanenberger. "I am very happy that the public will have an opportunity to see firsthand the way that our team brought this movie to life."  

The Art of Rise of the Guardians was organized by Chief Curator David Schwartz and guest curator Jenny He, and will be on view in the Museum's Amphitheater Gallery and Celeste and Armand Bartos Screening Room and gallery area. 

Rise of the Guardians is an epic adventure that tells the story of a group of heroes-each with extraordinary abilities. When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world. The film features the voices of Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin, Isla Fisher, Jude Law, and Chris Pine and opens in theaters on November 21, 2012.

Museum of the Moving Image (http://movingimage.us) advances the understanding, enjoyment, and appreciation of the art, history, technique, and technology of film, television, and digital media. In January 2011, the Museum reopened after a major expansion and renovation that nearly doubled its size. Accessible, innovative, and forward-looking, the Museum presents exhibitions, education programs, significant moving-image works, and interpretive programs, and maintains a collection of moving-image related artifacts.