Caffeinated Clint
Parents, prepare to have the empowering animated film “UglyDolls” played on loop on the family HD-set over the next few months (and likely, beyond!).
Kelly Asbury, whose past directorial efforts include the Oscar-nominated films “Shrek 2” and “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron”, now lends his esteemed, capable skill-set to the beautiful palette of “Ugly Dolls” – hitting Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand this week.
Centered around the adorably unique town of Uglyville, the film follows Moxy and her friends as they confront what it means to be different and discover that you don’t have to be perfect to be amazing. Inspired by the global plush phenomenon and based on the UglyDoll characters created by David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim, “Uglydolls” is filled with colorful and adorable characters and packed with powerful messages of inclusion and empowerment. Join the fun and keep the party going with the music-filled comedy on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital showcasing an exclusive, all-new sing-along edition and stuffed with exciting bonus features allowing fans everywhere to dive deeper into the world of Uglyville.
The film is currently available on digital and is available on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and On Demand July 30th from STXfilms and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
Moviehole had the chance to catch up with Asbury, also an animation artist who has worked many-a-hit including ”Disney’s Frozen”, ”Wreck-It Ralph”, and “Toy Story”, to talk about his involvement in the endearing feature, as well as see what’s coming up for the filmmaker.
How did you get involved in the film, Kelly?
Producer Jane Hartwell contacted me to ask if I’d be interested in having a look at a “troubled” animated feature she was involved in with STX Entertainment. I took the meeting and, once I got a full download of the desired tone of the project – not to mention the funny doll designs – I was hooked.
And how far along was the project when you become attached? Or was it something you helped craft from the get-go?
The project had a very much more complicated story with a lot of extra characters. There were lots of intricate plot mechanics that simply could not be accomplished in the prescribed 83 minute running time. My initial task was to simplify the story, combine a few of the characters and devise ways to tell the story briskly, entertainingly and economically.
Before even a roll of film had been shot, do you have the big name actors onboard?
It is different with every movie. Some have very firm deals in place with name actors, thus the movie is tailored to specific personas. In the case of UGLYDOLLS, only Pitbull was cast as Ugly Dog.
Oh, interesting. Anyone you wanted to get for this film but couldn’t?
Fortunately, I can say “no”.
The film plays great for kids big and little. Is it intentional to make the film appealing for both adults and kids?
The hope with almost all American-made animated features is to attract a broad family audience, which includes kids, parents and teens through college age.
Where did you shoot? Did it require you to relocate for a while?
Our home base was in Burbank, CA, but we traveled to several places for various aspects of the production: Voice recording was done in LA, New York City, Atlanta, Georgia and Nashville, Tennessee, depending on where a given actor was available. Full animation production was done through ReelFX, which has offices in Dallas, Texas and Montreal, Canada. I traveled to them all for varied amounts of time.
What’s coming up for you?
Currently, I’m developing and pitching several personal, original animated projects to streaming platforms. I want to try my hand at long-form series TV – for both kids (G/PG) and adults (PG13/R) – which is where I think a big part of animation’s future lies.
Is there a dream project?
Every director has at least ten dream projects, so, yes, there are a few – all of which I am taking out of storage and hoping to share with the world over the coming years – be it on the big screen or through a streaming platform. It’s an exciting time.
