Blue Sky Studios
Encyclopedia
Blue Sky Studios is an American
CGI-animation studio
which specializes in high-resolution, computer-generated character animation and rendering. It is owned by 20th Century Fox
and located in Greenwich, Connecticut
. In addition to their feature-length animated films, including the Ice Age
series, Robots
(2005), Horton Hears a Who!
(2008), and Rio
(2011), Blue Sky has worked on many high-profile film
s, primarily in the integration of live-action with computer-generated animation.
, Carl Ludwig and four other artists and technicians who had previously worked on the Disney
film Tron
while employed at MAGI/Synthavision
. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, the studio concentrated on the production of television commercials and visual effects for film. Some of the more memorable commercials that Blue Sky worked on during this time period were a Chock Full O' Nuts spot with a talking coffee bean, and an intro for a Nickelodeon
cartoon called Nicktoons
that featured the show's mascot, Nick Boy, realized as human-shaped orange goo. Using their proprietary animation pipeline, the studio produced over 200 spots for clients such as Chrysler
, M&M/Mars
, General Foods
, Texaco
, and the United States Marines
.
's Los Angeles-based effects company, VIFX, acquired Blue Sky Studios to form Blue Sky|VIFX. The new company produced visual effects for films such as The X-Files
, Blade
, Armageddon, Titanic
and Alien Resurrection. In 1998, Chris Wedge
realised long unfulfilled dreams and produced the Academy Awarded
animated short film, Bunny.
Due to the f/x market crash, Fox decided to leave visual effects business. In 1999, they sold VIFX to Rhythm & Hues Studios, and considered selling Blue Sky next. At the time, the studio got the opportunity with the Ice Age script to turn it into a comedy. In 2002, Ice Age
was released to a great critical and commercial success. The film got a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
, and established Blue Sky as only the third studio, along with DreamWorks and Pixar, to launch a successful CGI franchise.
As of Monday, January 5, 2009, the studio moved from White Plains, New York
to Greenwich, Connecticut
.
-like scanline rendering
prevalent throughout the CG industry.
Upcoming films
Films in development
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
CGI-animation studio
Animation studio
An animation studio is a company producing animated media. The broadest such companies conceive of products to produce, own the physical equipment for production, employ operators for that equipment, and hold a major stake in the sales or rentals of the media produced...
which specializes in high-resolution, computer-generated character animation and rendering. It is owned by 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
and located in Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
. In addition to their feature-length animated films, including the Ice Age
Ice Age (film series)
Ice Age is a series of animated films produced by Blue Sky Studios, a division of 20th Century Fox, and featuring the voices of Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, and Chris Wedge. Three films have been released in the series thus far, Ice Age in 2002, Ice Age: The Meltdown in 2006, and Ice...
series, Robots
Robots (film)
Robots is a 2005 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios for 20th Century Fox, and was released theatrically on March 11, 2005. The story was created by Chris Wedge and William Joyce, a children's book author/illustrator. The two were trying to create a film version of...
(2005), Horton Hears a Who!
Horton Hears a Who! (film)
Horton Hears a Who!, also known as Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!, is a 2008 American CGI-animated comedy feature film based on the Dr. Seuss book of the same name. It is the fourth feature film from Blue Sky Studios, and the third feature film based on a Dr. Seuss book, following How the Grinch...
(2008), and Rio
Rio (film)
Rio, often promoted as Rio: The Movie, is a 2011 American 3D computer-animated musical comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios and directed by Carlos Saldanha. The title refers to the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, in which the film is set. The film features the voices of Jesse Eisenberg, Anne...
(2011), Blue Sky has worked on many high-profile film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s, primarily in the integration of live-action with computer-generated animation.
1987–1997
Blue Sky was founded in February 1987 by Chris WedgeChris Wedge
Chris Wedge is an American film director, best known for the films Ice Age and Robots.-Early life and career:Wedge was born in Binghamton, New York. He attended Fayetteville-Manlius High School, graduating in 1975...
, Carl Ludwig and four other artists and technicians who had previously worked on the Disney
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
film Tron
Tron
-Film:*Tron , a franchise that began in 1982 with the Walt Disney Pictures film Tron** Tron , a 1982 science fiction film by Disney, starring Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, Cindy Morgan, Dan Shor and David Warner...
while employed at MAGI/Synthavision
Mathematical Applications Group, Inc.
Mathematical Applications Group, Inc. was an early computer technology company founded in 1966 by Dr. Philip Mittelman, it was located in Elmsford, New York. It was one of four companies hired to create the CGI animation for the film Tron...
. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, the studio concentrated on the production of television commercials and visual effects for film. Some of the more memorable commercials that Blue Sky worked on during this time period were a Chock Full O' Nuts spot with a talking coffee bean, and an intro for a Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
cartoon called Nicktoons
Nicktoons
Nicktoons are animated television shows that are produced by and aired on the children's television channel Nickelodeon. Prior to 1991, Nickelodeon aired mostly foreign made animated series. The idea for Nicktoons was formed in 1989 and on Sunday, August 11, 1991, the first Nicktoon, Doug, was...
that featured the show's mascot, Nick Boy, realized as human-shaped orange goo. Using their proprietary animation pipeline, the studio produced over 200 spots for clients such as Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
, M&M/Mars
Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated is a worldwide manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products with US$30 billion in annual sales in 2010, and is ranked as the 5th largest privately held company in the United States by Forbes. Headquartered in McLean, unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia,...
, General Foods
General Foods
General Foods Corporation was a company whose direct predecessor was established in the USA by Charles William Post as the Postum Cereal Company in 1895. The name General Foods was adopted in 1929, after several corporate acquisitions...
, Texaco
Texaco
Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
, and the United States Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
.
1997–present
In August 1997, 20th Century Fox20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
's Los Angeles-based effects company, VIFX, acquired Blue Sky Studios to form Blue Sky|VIFX. The new company produced visual effects for films such as The X-Files
The X-Files (film)
The X-Files is a 1998 American science fiction-thriller film written by Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, and directed by Rob Bowman. It is the first feature film based on The X-Files series created by Carter that revolves around a fictional FBI paranormal investigation unit called the X-Files...
, Blade
Blade (film)
Blade is a 1998 vampire superhero action horror starring Wesley Snipes and Stephen Dorff, loosely based on the Marvel Comics character Blade. The film was directed by Stephen Norrington and written by David S. Goyer. Blade grossed $70 million at the U.S. box office, and $131.2 million worldwide...
, Armageddon, Titanic
Titanic (1997 film)
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal...
and Alien Resurrection. In 1998, Chris Wedge
Chris Wedge
Chris Wedge is an American film director, best known for the films Ice Age and Robots.-Early life and career:Wedge was born in Binghamton, New York. He attended Fayetteville-Manlius High School, graduating in 1975...
realised long unfulfilled dreams and produced the Academy Awarded
Academy Award for Animated Short Film
The Academy Award for Animated Short Film is an award which has been given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as part of the Academy Awards every year since the 5th Academy Awards, covering the year 1931-32, to the present....
animated short film, Bunny.
Due to the f/x market crash, Fox decided to leave visual effects business. In 1999, they sold VIFX to Rhythm & Hues Studios, and considered selling Blue Sky next. At the time, the studio got the opportunity with the Ice Age script to turn it into a comedy. In 2002, Ice Age
Ice Age (film)
Ice Age is a 2002 American computer-animated film created by Blue Sky Studios and released by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Carlos Saldanha and Chris Wedge from a story by Michael J. Wilson. The story follows three Paleolithical mammals attempting to return a lost human baby to its parents...
was released to a great critical and commercial success. The film got a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature is one of the annual awards given by the Los Angeles-based professional organization, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
, and established Blue Sky as only the third studio, along with DreamWorks and Pixar, to launch a successful CGI franchise.
As of Monday, January 5, 2009, the studio moved from White Plains, New York
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
to Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
.
Technology
The studio is notable for its proprietary Renderer CGI Studio, a rendering software system like Pixar's RenderMan. Initially developed by Eugene Troubetzkoy, Carl Ludwig, Tom Bisogno and Michael Ferraro, CGI Studio was notable for its use of ray tracing as opposed to REYESReyes rendering
Reyes rendering is a computer software architecture used in 3D computer graphics to render photo-realistic images. It was developed in the mid-1980s by Loren Carpenter and Robert L. Cook at Lucasfilm's Computer Graphics Research Group, which is now Pixar. It was first used in 1982 to render images...
-like scanline rendering
Scanline rendering
Scanline rendering is an algorithm for visible surface determination, in 3D computer graphics,that works on a row-by-row basis rather than a polygon-by-polygon or pixel-by-pixel basis...
prevalent throughout the CG industry.
Feature films
Released films| # | | Title | | Release date | | Budget | | Gross | | RT Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance... | | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ice Age Ice Age (film) Ice Age is a 2002 American computer-animated film created by Blue Sky Studios and released by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Carlos Saldanha and Chris Wedge from a story by Michael J. Wilson. The story follows three Paleolithical mammals attempting to return a lost human baby to its parents... |
$59,000,000 | $383,257,136 | 77% | 7.4 | |
| 2 | Robots Robots (film) Robots is a 2005 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios for 20th Century Fox, and was released theatrically on March 11, 2005. The story was created by Chris Wedge and William Joyce, a children's book author/illustrator. The two were trying to create a film version of... |
$75,000,000 | $260,718,330 | 64% | 6.4 | |
| 3 | Ice Age: The Meltdown Ice Age: The Meltdown Ice Age: The Meltdown, also known as Ice Age 2: The Meltdown or simply as Ice Age 2, is the 2006 sequel to the 2002 computer-animated film Ice Age. It was produced by Blue Sky Studios for 20th Century Fox, and premiered in Belgium on March 1, 2006... |
$80,000,000 | $655,388,158 | 57% | 6.9 | |
| 4 | Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! Horton Hears a Who! (film) Horton Hears a Who!, also known as Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!, is a 2008 American CGI-animated comedy feature film based on the Dr. Seuss book of the same name. It is the fourth feature film from Blue Sky Studios, and the third feature film based on a Dr. Seuss book, following How the Grinch... |
$85,000,000 | $297,138,014 | 79% | 7.2 | |
| 5 | Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, also known as Ice Age 3, is a 2009 3-D computer animated film. It is the third installment of the Ice Age series, produced by Blue Sky Studios and distributed by 20th Century Fox... |
$90,000,000 | $886,686,817 | 45% | 7.1 | |
| 6 | Rio Rio (film) Rio, often promoted as Rio: The Movie, is a 2011 American 3D computer-animated musical comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios and directed by Carlos Saldanha. The title refers to the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, in which the film is set. The film features the voices of Jesse Eisenberg, Anne... |
$90,000,000 | $483,865,093 | 72% | 7.2 |
Upcoming films
| Title | | Release date | Ice Age: Continental Drift Ice Age: Continental Drift Ice Age: Continental Drift, also known as Ice Age 4, is an upcoming American 3-D computer-animated film directed by Steve Martino and Mike Thurmeier, starring the voices of Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, with Chris Wedge and Jeremy Renner.It... | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaf Men | ||||
Films in development
| Title | Spore | |
|---|---|---|
| The Story of Ferdinand | ||
| Mutts |
TV specials
| # | Title | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas |
Short films
| # | Title | Release Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bunny | Academy Award winner | |
| 2 | Gone Nutty Gone Nutty Gone Nutty is an animated short film, directed by Carlos Saldanha for Blue Sky Studios. The short features the character Scrat from Ice Age, who is yet again having troubles with collecting his beloved acorns. It has roughly the same story as the trailer at the very beginning of Ice Age... |
Academy Award nominee | |
| 3 | Aunt Fanny's Tour of Booty Aunt Fanny's Tour of Booty Aunt Fanny's Tour of Booty is a computer animated short comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios. The film is included in the computer animated film Robots DVD as a bonus feature.-Plot:... |
||
| 4 | No Time for Nuts No Time for Nuts No Time for Nuts is a computer animated short film from Blue Sky Studios , starring Scrat of Ice Age fame, premiering on the DVD release of Ice Age: The Meltdown, much in the same vein as Gone Nutty on the previous movie's DVD release... |
Academy Award nominee | |
| 5 | Surviving Sid Surviving Sid Surviving Sid is a 2008 computer animated short direct-to-video short from Blue Sky Studios and distributed by HiT Entertainment, starring Sid the Sloth of Ice Age and a cameo appearance by Scrat. It is the third in the series of Ice Age short films, the first being Gone Nutty released with the... |
||
| 6 | Scrat's Continental Crack-up Scrat's Continental Crack-up Scrat's Continental Crack-up and Scrat's Continental Crack-up - Part 2 are animated short films directed by Steve Martino and Mike Thurmeier for Blue Sky Studios. The short films serve as a promotion and story introduction for a feature film Ice Age: Continental Drift... |
||
| 7 | Scrat's Continental Crack-up - Part 2 Scrat's Continental Crack-up Scrat's Continental Crack-up and Scrat's Continental Crack-up - Part 2 are animated short films directed by Steve Martino and Mike Thurmeier for Blue Sky Studios. The short films serve as a promotion and story introduction for a feature film Ice Age: Continental Drift... |
Commercials
- Brawn "The Last Word" (1992)
- NicktoonsNicktoonsNicktoons are animated television shows that are produced by and aired on the children's television channel Nickelodeon. Prior to 1991, Nickelodeon aired mostly foreign made animated series. The idea for Nicktoons was formed in 1989 and on Sunday, August 11, 1991, the first Nicktoon, Doug, was...
"Show Open" (1993) - Chock Full O'NutsChock full o'NutsChock full o’Nuts is a chain of lunch counters in New York City that spawned a brand of coffee.-History:The chain was founded by William Black , an American immigrant who sold nuts in Times Square to theater-goers. In 1926, he opened a store on Broadway and 43rd Street, and began selling coffee and...
"Complements" (1993) - NestleNestléNestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
"Cookie Jar" (1993) - PepsiPepsiPepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
"Swingers" (1996) - RayovacRayovacRayovac is a brand of batteries owned by Spectrum Brands of Madison, Wisconsin, United States.- History :...
"Fierce Creatures/Super Stomper" (1997) - TargetTargetTarget may refer to:-Retail:* Target Corporation, an American retail chain** Target Canada, its Canadian subsidiary* Target Australia, an Australian retail chain similar to, but not associated with, Target Corporation...
"Toys" (1998)
Contributions
- Joe's ApartmentJoe's ApartmentJoe's Apartment is a 1996 musical-serio-comedy film starring Jerry O'Connell and Megan Ward and the first film produced by MTV Films. It was based on a 1992 short film first made for MTV , but was also inspired by both the 1987 Japanese film Gokiburi-tachi No Tasogare and...
(1996) – dancing and singing cockroaches - Alien Resurrection (1997) – the aliens
- A Simple WishA Simple WishA Simple Wish is a 1997 fantasy-comedy film directed by Michael Ritchie, and starring Martin Short, Mara Wilson, and Kathleen Turner. The film about a bumbling male fairy godmother named Murray , who tries to help eight-year-old Annabel fulfill her wish that her father, a carriage driver, wins the...
(1997) – numerous characters and special effects - Star Trek: InsurrectionStar Trek: InsurrectionStar Trek: Insurrection is a 1998 American science fiction film directed by Jonathan Frakes, written by Michael Piller , and with music composed by Jerry Goldsmith. It is the ninth film in the Star Trek franchise, and the third to feature the cast from the television series Star Trek: The Next...
(1998) – several alien creatures - Jesus' SonJesus' SonJesus' Son is a 1999 film that was adapted from a collection of short stories of the same name by Denis Johnson. It stars Billy Crudup, Samantha Morton, Holly Hunter, Dennis Hopper, Denis Leary, Will Patton, John Ventimiglia, Michael Shannon and Jack Black...
(1999) – sacred heart, "liquid" glass, and screaming cotton ball effects - Fight ClubFight Club (film)Fight Club is a 1999 American film based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. The film was directed by David Fincher and stars Edward Norton, Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter. Norton plays the unnamed protagonist, an "everyman" who is discontented with his white-collar job...
(1999) – the "sliding" penguin - The SopranosThe SopranosThe Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
(2000) – the "talking fish" in the episode Funhouse - Titan A.E.Titan A.E.Titan A.E. is an American animated post-apocalyptic science fiction film directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman released in 2000. The title refers to the spacecraft that is central to the plot, with A.E. meaning "After Earth."...
(2000) – 3D animation: creation of the new world