This text describes various behind-the-scenes stories and interesting facts about the making of the animated film “Shrek.” Here are some key points:
For years, Shrek was considered the ugly stepchild of the DreamWorks empire.
According to director Andrew Adamson, Jeffrey Katzenberg, the company co-founder, was pursuing a more mature and sophisticated animation style at the time. However, the grumpy, flatulent, and antisocial ogre character didn’t align with that vision.
“During my time working on that project, it felt like the underdog or the black sheep. Many team members who didn’t fit in other productions were reassigned to our team, making it a melting pot of sorts.”
Editor Sim Evan- Jones concurred, expressing, “The Shrek crew possessed a defiant spirit from the start. A common desire for unconventional approaches united them.”
They persisted in creating their rough humor and enhancing the animation produced by their computers. Once Katzenberg reviewed the completed project, featuring an unsavory ogre teaming up with a wisecracking donkey to save a princess in a satirical take on prior animated films, his conviction was solidified.
I can’t help but reminisce about the time when our team and I achieved an exceptional score during a single screening. Following that remarkable moment, Jeffrey turned to me with a gleam in his eye and said, “Brace yourself, Adamson. This may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for you.”
I’m thrilled to share that this particular production, featuring the brilliant talents of Mike Myers as Shrek, Cameron Diaz as Princess Fiona, and Eddie Murphy as Donkey, has become a massive success story. With its witty script delivering 95 minutes of side-splitting humor at Disney’s expense, it raked in an impressive $484.4 million at the box office, earning an Oscar along the way. The franchise expanded to include holiday specials, a spin-off, and even made its way to Broadway! Shrek 5 is set for release in July 2026, and let me tell you, the market has been flooded with merchandise ever since the original film premiered on May 18, 2001. What a remarkable journey it’s been!
Plus there’s that earworm of a cover song from Smash Mouth.
The ending was undeniably joyful, but the backstory of Shrek, which can be traced back to Steven Spielberg acquiring the book rights in 1991, wasn’t your typical bedtime tale.
To accurately identify a film that the Library of Congress has chosen to preserve in the National FilmRegistry, it’s essential to begin with the fundamentals.
Long ago, a renowned film director, a respected ex-CEO from Disney, and their freshly established animation company unveiled an enchanting picture book.
The story began with a book, not the bedtime tale of Shrek rummaging through toilets for fairytales in the opening scene of “Shrek.” Instead, it was the 1990 children’s book “Shrek!” by William Steig that challenged the classic girl-meets-prince-and-lives-happily-ever-after tale. This narrative twist delighted producer John Williams’ children.
Mike Myers recounted to Cinema.com how the film’s inception unfolded. “They were deeply fond of it and shared it with him. Later, he presented it to Jeffrey Katzenberg at DreamWorks, sparking their involvement. This 28-page book then evolved into the beloved movie featuring an ogre known for his pungent odor and indifference to others’ opinions.”
Chris Farley, originally chosen to voice Shrek in the animated film, had almost finished recording all his lines before his sudden death due to a drug overdose in 1997. Director Andrew Adamson shared with Inverse how they faced a significant setback after this tragic event, “We were at a loss for quite some time,” he admitted. “It was deeply personal and I even asked Jeffrey Katzenberg if I could be let go. But he wouldn’t let me. Eventually, Mike Myers joined the team, and we regained our focus and perspective.”
3. According to Myers, his response was swiftly affirmative upon learning about the film’s star-studded cast and inspiring theme: “They shared the movie concept with me, mentioning the involvement of Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. I promptly replied, ‘I’m in.’ The story’s message resonated deeply with me – it emphasizes self-worth and encourages individuals not to let others define their beauty based on societal ideals or magazine images,” Myers explained.
4. One thing the producers didn’t share with him: He wasn’t their initial pick. In an interview on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast in 2014, he disclosed this information. While working on the production of the movie, he observed a maquette of Shrek and remarked, “I wondered if this role was previously offered to Chris Farley, given how similar it looked to him.”
Five: After securing the role, Myers shared with Cinema.com that the creators had altered their conceptions regarding the character, including my assigning him a Scottish accent. Initially, he experimented with the voice from his “Lothar of the Hill People” SNL sketch and an intensified Canadian accent before settling on the thick brogue.
He remarked on the WTF podcast, “Scottish people have this unique ability to switch between extreme happiness and intense anger.” This notion struck him as a fascinating trait. He then exclaimed, “That’s an ogre!” His $4 million investment proved worthwhile. Later, he received a heartfelt letter from producer Steven Spielberg, expressing gratitude for his dedication in reworking the project.
A significant change was made by embracing computer animation completely, as opposed to their initial plan for motion capture in the production of the film.
“Instead of using puppets as they eventually did, they initially planned to have actors in bulky suits. The result was chaotic and unrefined, resembling Shrek’s character portrayed by a man in a fat suit, wandering through a town and getting mugged by a character named the Mugger. Donkey was represented by an individual using their feet for the hind legs and brooms for the front legs.”
Seven: The initial tale was just as gloomy, as stated by production designer Guillaume Aretos in 2016 to Vice. In the Middle Ages setting, “The story was overly dark…and similarly made the film overly dark,” he explained. If it had been produced that way, it could have become an obscure cult film. However, Jeffrey preferred a unique and vibrant narrative rather than that grim outcome.
When initiating the redesign, they reached the part where Shrek and Donkey make their way to Lord Farquaad’s residence to request the removal of the unwanted characters from Shrek’s marsh.
According to Aretos, Farquaad insists on maintaining a content population by any means, keeping everything in pristine order. Upon seeing our initial designs, Jeffrey Katzenberg recognized the resemblance to Disneyland and encouraged us to further enhance the similarity, making it even more delightful.
8. Nicolas Cage turned down the opportunity to portray the endearing ogre in the blockbuster franchise despite its immense financial success. In an interview on Today in 2013, he shared his reasoning: “The media speculated it was due to vanity, but I believe that’s an exaggeration. The real reason is, I have no qualms about appearing unattractive on screen,” he expressed. “When you’re playing a character that deeply influences children’s perception of you, I place great importance on that.”
He declined the role for the same reason he chose to give voice to Grug in that year’s “Croods” production. As he explained, “I wanted children to perceive Grug as being a bit intimidating yet endearing. However, I had my doubts about conveying this complex emotion with Shrek.”
9. Initially, Janeane Garofalo was selected to wear Fiona’s crown instead of Diaz. However, Garofalo shared with Vulture that she wasn’t informed why she was replaced. “I have no idea why,” she stated, “perhaps because I have a deep voice at times? It’s a mystery to me.”
John Lithgow shared an unexpected revelation when he took on the role of Lord Farquaad in “Shrek,” despite his earlier commitment to avoiding short characters. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times back in 2009, Lithgow, who stands at 6 feet 4 inches tall, confessed, “I swore I would never play a character shorter than myself, and then came Lord Farquaad.” He continued, “Life always presents us with new opportunities that we hadn’t considered before. I often find myself being the inspiration for creative minds, and the excitement of embarking on the next project keeps me going.”
One amusing scene in the story came to mind for Conrad Vernon, the storyboard artist, as he pondered how to depict the Gingerbread Man. He shared this anecdote with Inverse: “I returned to my desk and took a seat,” he recalled. “I wondered, ‘What’s familiar about the Gingerbread Man?’ I had this small TV set with a record player on it. One side of the record held the story of ‘The Gingerbread Man,’ while the other side played ‘Do You Know the Baker Man?'”
That sparked his brilliant idea: “What if they were torturing the Gingerbread Man for the information? How do you torture a gingerbread man? Well, you break his legs off, you dunk him in milk,” Vernon continued. “I was like, ‘Maybe he doesn’t sing the ‘Muffin Man’ song; maybe it’s like an interrogation.’ I wrote it out on a piece of paper and then boarded it out. And when I pitched it, I used that voice.”
Expert: Katzenberg was taken with Vernon’s wit and vocal abilities. For approximately two months, they searched for other actors to take over the role, but eventually, they admitted defeat, saying, “We gave up. No one else could match your skills. Will you do it?”
In the early stages of creating “Shrek,” I remember distinctly the scene where Shrek is shown reading a fairytale book, only for the camera to unexpectedly reveal that he’s actually in a toilet. This humorous twist elicited laughter during a screening, giving us the green light to develop the film into a full-blown comedy with gross-out humor as a prominent element.
Director Adamson shared with Inverse that they genuinely created the film for themselves first, ensuring it was also engaging for children instead of crafting a children’s movie suitable for adults.
As a dedicated follower of the filmmaking process, I had the opportunity to immerse myself deeply in bringing the visual elements of our production to life. For instance, some members of our team conducted extensive research for Shrek’s unique bathing method by taking mud showers themselves. Additionally, the art director, Douglas Rogers, went the extra mile to gain inspiration for Shrek’s swampy environment. During a visit to a magnolia plantation, he encountered an alligator – a rather unexpected encounter that added authenticity to his creative vision.
Shrek significantly contributed to the production of nearly every DreamWorks animation that came after it, including movies like Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, Monsters Vs. Aliens, and How to Train Your Dragon.
In a 2007 interview with The Age, Katzenberg described how DreamWorks Animation identified and defined our company based on the essence and potential of a DreamWorks Animated film. That first Shrek production was financially salvaging for us and the reason we exist today. It’s an ongoing blessing. I refer to it as the priceless gift that continues to give.
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2024-07-14 19:18