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01A_fea_howtotraindragon.indd 28 1/6/11 4:11 PM 1. The bond between Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) and the feared Night Fury dragon he names Toothless was inspired ANATOMY OF a CONTENDER by Disney’s 1979 filmThe Black Stallion. 2. Toothless and Hiccup, from artist’s rendering to finished product. 3. The father-son relationship between Stoick (Gerard Butler) and Hiccup evolves during the course of the film. 4. Baruchel’s workload included nearly two dozen two-hour recording sessions. making of Two new directors, an award-winning cinematographer and wise words from a pair of filmmaking titans transformed a small story into a heartfelt epic By Tom Roston

n October 2008, Dream- when Jeffrey was trying to create Viking take on the “biggest, Works Animation CEO an identity for the studio.” baddest” dragon; and set a broad handed But the early version of Dragon tone for the film that could rival Dean DeBlois and Chris wasn’t shaping up to be anything the grandest family films, e.g., Sanders the task of breath- that DreamWorks might want Harry Potter. ing new life into a moribund to hang its hat on. “We real- Sanders and DeBlois took feature-length animated film ized we needed something that two weeks reviewing the work project that had been in the would take us beyond the books,” that already had been done and Iworks for nearly four years. If Arnold says. Indeed, the source came up with a new take. First, 4 that weren’t challenge enough, material — Cressida Cowell’s they wanted to “age up” the lead the co-directors had to reinvent 2003 children’s book series — kids in the story to early teens. How to Train Your Dragon in less might have conjured a wildly They also wanted to replace than 15 months — a task that imaginative mythical world of the book’s cowboys-and-horses usually takes three years. Vikings who cohabit with drag- dynamic between the Vikings There was more at stake than ons, but it also is a small story and dragons with one that was simply taking the reins from about 10-year-old Hiccup and his warlike and perilous. And last, previous director Peter Hastings pet dragon. they wanted to make Hiccup’s (The Country Bears), who left the Sanders, the director sug- pet dragon, Toothless — a cute, project when his wife died. In gested by Arnold as Hastings’ iguana-sized runt in the book — addition to the reported $165 mil- replacement, was immediately into a giant, fierce creature he’d lion budget, Dragon represented interested. (Sanders and Arnold have to befriend then fly. a major shift for DreamWorks had worked together at Disney Katzenberg liked what he Animation, which had a stellar on such films asTarzan and Toy heard and encouraged the direc- record with a green ogre (Shrek), Story.) He brought aboard his tors to “put the pedal to the displaced zoo animals (Madagas- Lilo & Stitch co-director, De- metal,” according to Arnold. car) and a bamboo-eating bear Blois, and together they met with “We knew we didn’t have time (Kung Fu Panda) but hadn’t fully Katzenberg, who declared the to explore,” Sanders says. “We had delivered on the human front. rock-solid release date of March to get this right the first time.” “Disney had done that,” pro- 26, 2010, and assigned his new They could build on the ducer Bonnie Arnold says. “This directors three tasks: They had work already done on the film’s was a little different for us. Here to hang the story on a father-son diverse population of dragons as

was a kid protagonist at the time relationship; have the smallest well as keep the animated sets of animation. 2010 dreamworks images: capellaro; all other baruchel: lucian

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01A_fea_howtotraindragon.indd 29 1/6/11 4:12 PM ANATOMY OF a CONTENDER

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2 Toothless. They thought of him the change of directors had been to be very good but you work on as a giant pet — part horse, dog “nerve-racking” at first, but he the Viking village of Berk. The weekends anyway. In this case, and cat. And they worked in a was quickly won over by DeBlois voice cast was nearly set, with everybody felt confident.” damaged tail, which would bring and Sanders’ “massive vision.” Jay Baruchel as the voice of Hic- One of the key scenes they Hiccup closer to him when the With the new directors, cup, America Ferrera as tough focused on early was dubbed boy creates a prosthetic that Baruchel had to “mature” Viking chick Astrid and Gerard “forbidden friendship,” in which has a “Miyazaki vibe to it,” says his character’s voice, which Butler as Hiccup’s father, Hiccup and Toothless cross a DeBlois, referring to the Japa- remained very un-Vikinglike in Stoick. But the directors had threshold of trust. The outline nese animation master. contrast to the two elder leads, to dump most of their recorded was that the dragon is injured As the writing progressed, played by Scotsmen Butler and dialogue because the screenplay and the young Viking brings him scenes were pushed down the Craig Ferguson, who voices Gob- had to be rewritten. food. They knew that the scene pipeline: Storyboards were gener- ber, an adviser to father and son. Surrounded by bulletin boards would be musically driven “and ated, layouts were constructed, “It was this great audible way of filled with storyboard scenes, pretty,” DeBlois says, “but how and previsualizations created hammering home the genera- DeBlois and Sanders hunkered do they make that connection?” rough mock-ups of the scenes in tion gap,” Baruchel says. “Those down to write, sitting across from Sanders came up with the idea motion. (Scenes that were flagged guys have this brogue, and the each other in their office on the that Toothless would begin to as particularly conducive to 3D rest of the kids are, like, from main floor of DreamWorks Ani- mimic Hiccup’s gestures, like treatment were then developed by the mall in Sherman Oaks.” mation’s Glendale campus. his smile, which would create a dedicated 3D department.) Ferrera says the process of Although they were under the the bridge toward their budding DeBlois and Sanders also went voice acting could be mind- gun, DeBlois reports that the friendship. Inspired by the image back and forth to record dialogue numbing. “When you say the production mood was optimistic. of the encounter, Sanders illus- sessions with their cast, most same lines 25 different ways, the “I’ve worked on a lot of stink- trated the scene before writing it. of whom did about 10 two-hour words don’t sound like English ers,” he says. “There’s the term Disney’s 1979 filmThe Black recording sessions during the anymore,” says the actress, whose ‘polishing a turd,’ where you Stallion served as inspiration to course of three years; Baruchel did originally marginal character

know that the movie’s not going the directors as they reinvented closer to two dozen. The actor says became Hiccup’s love interest. images: all other young; mathieu ferrara: eric liebowitz; shot: group everett eragon: collection. animation. 2010 dreamworks

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01A_fea_howtotraindragon.indd 30 1/6/11 4:12 PM ferrara: eric liebowitz; group shot: mathieu young; all other images: 2010 . eragon: everett collection. 01A_fea_howtotraindragon.indd 31 authentic Nordic influences and Ultimately, he steered away from Jean Sibelius for inspiration. to the late Finnish composer the department art and listened and drawings being created by immersed himself in the images Powell. Working on the score, he of Toothless’ unique utterations. even his own low voice to create of horses, whales, elephants and their bodies and cheeks vibrate.” Thom says. “We wanted to make their mouths, fire coming out,” not to have dragons simply opening earliest conversations we had was sounds for the dragons. “One of the of his primary tasks was to create Ranch in Northern California; one ting in long days at the Skywalker designer Randy Thom was put- of filmmakers were at work. Sound Equally tuned in to the sounds Thom manipulated the sounds At the same time, other teams Dragon was composer John defeats the giant, evil dragon. “It him saying of the way Hiccup thing different,’ ”Sanders recalls act toneeded be changed. that the conclusion of the third film’s release, telling his directors ball about six months before the the production its biggest curve- make the release date, he threw Despite Katzenberg’s mandate to included changes from the top. lights. And that was Roger.” a live-action set. We moved the this movie, we lit it like you’d light “So you get an illustrative vibe. In to the painting,” Sanders says. and then they just match the light created an original piece of art, an animated film, an artist has “Most of the time, when you see frame falling into total darkness. Berk at night, with parts of the scene when the dragons invade ing with the shadowy opening unique look for the film, start- consultant, which helped create a decided to hire him as a full-time tors clicked, DeBlois and Sanders dramatic realism into their work. Dragon of workshops in the hope that the his “theories of light” in a couple Deakins to come in to talk about DeBlois and Sanders had asked cry from the world of animation. for Old Men Coen on such filmsas for working with Joel and Ethan time Oscar nominee best known pher Roger Deakins, an eight- Dragon cast elders. ment the Scottish brogue of the Powell, who wanted to comple- fudged the lines a little bit,” says toward Celtic melodies. “We “ ‘You really have to do some- The team effortbehind When Deakins and the anima- An unlikely addition to the animators could integrate team was cinematogra- and Fargo — a far No Country Dragon done at this company.’this at done ” workof we’ve piece the best is “ ‘This recalls. ” DeBlois mises,’ you didn’t make any compro- love‘I theater. said, that “He the of walked he out as delivered Spielberg by the benediction evenbut that was overshadowed Toothless there by his side. up with a prosthetic leg but with tion was that Hiccup should wake it that way.” Spielberg’s sugges- way. We had never thought about it should conclude in the same Toothless begins in a private place, tionship between Hiccup and tioned that because this rela- notes,” DeBlois says. “He men- cial Glendale campus screening. Steven Spielberg sat in on a spe- third act when principal partner were well into production on that gerprint on DreamWorks titan to put his fin- screenings allayed those fears. ers might be disturbed, but test were concerns that young view- Arnold acknowledges that there final battle, alone, missing a leg. to have him wake up after the less’ broken tail. They decided hurt in a way that mirrors Tooth- around about Hiccup getting an idea that had been batted with a proposal. They recalled went to their office to come up fine in the end.” the goliath and everything being felt pat with Hiccup defeating during dragon-fighting lessons that there’s Bonnie Arnold and director Dean DeBlois. It was a significant addition, addition, was a It significant “He gave us one of the key Katzenberg wasn’t the only So again, DeBlois and Sanders wounded Toothless up close for the first a gentler way. 2. America Ferrera voices the spunky Astrid. 3. Hiccup meets the 1. Sanders, Craig Ferguson, producer Hiccup shows his fellow students time. 4. (From left) Director Chris Dragon . The directors

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