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HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2

B E ST A N I M AT E D F E AT U R E AWA R D
O

N Tuesday, Jan. 6, the National

Board of Review hosted its annual gala at Cipriani 42nd Street. The
Best Animated Feature Award went
to How to Train Your Dragon 2. We
spoke with the films producer Bonnie Arnold and writer/director and
producer Dean DeBlois exclusively
on the red carpet. Read what they
had to say below:

Can you speak about working Why are you passionate about
with Cate Blanchett and what this world?
that was like?
Bonnie: I love good stories and Im
Dean: Well Cate has been a favorite
actress of mine ever since I saw her
in Elizabeth. So I wrote the part for
her, and then I saw her at the Oscars
in 2011.

We were nominated for

best animated feature, and
at the reception just before
What does it mean to be honored the event got underway.
tonight?

Bonnie: Listen, the National Board

Review is a classy award. So were
thrilled and its a great way to kick off
the award season. The other movies
are great, what can I say? I mean,
there are a lot of really good animated films, and were just thrilled that
the National Board Review chose to
recognize us as the as their number
one pick for the year. So we couldnt
be more excited to go in and accept
it on behalf of ourselves and on behalf of our amazing crew.

What initially attracted you to

work on these films?

Dean: Well, I think dragons. Just

the idea of a young protagonist in a
world of fantasy is something thats
definitely my wheelhouse. Most of
the stories that I work on have that
theme going on. And just the wish
fulfillment of dragons, and being able
to do it in animation where we can
really give them life and personality, and make them as believable as
possible so that any kid watching the
film or any adult watching the film
gets that momentary wish fulfillment
of having a dragon of their very own.

I saw her sipping on a glass of champagne, and I went up and introduced

myself, and told her Id written the
part for her. And luckily the first movie was a big hit in her household. She
said her four boys loved the movie
and that I should send her the script
and she wasnt doing anything.
So it was a very fortuitous
moment and were so
lucky to have her.

not an artist, but I like to be with

them. I like to be around them. And
its just fun for me honestly. I have a
daughter, and my daughter grew up
while I was making these films. And
not only do I make them for her but I
get so much pleasure out of watching other families with their kids,
watching these movies and getting
something out of them, and enjoying
it and having something to do as a
family. So thats an important piece
of it for me.

DREAMWORKS LAUNCHES Puss in boots

Netflix Series
About Puss in boots

He is Puss in Boots, the sword-wielding DreamWorks cat who made such

an impression in the Shrek movies that he got a movie of his own. Now
he has a Netflix series, The Adventures of Puss in Boots, the first five
episodes of which debuted Friday. Eric Bauza replaces Antonio Banderas
as the voice of the title character, although the exotic accent and, equally
important, personality are more or less the same. Puss is cocky, dashing
and fearless but also a tad reckless; collateral damage seems to follow him
wherever he goes.

Series Plot

The new series takes place in San Lorenzo, an innocence-saturated city

that is hidden from the nasty real world by a magic spell until Puss, in the
premiere, accidentally disarms its protective shield.
Since San Lorenzo is full of treasure, thieves soon come calling, and Puss
decides he must become the citys defender. That an attractive female cat
named Dulcinea (Jayma Mays) is one of the inhabitants makes his decision
easier.
Puss in Boots drinking

What can fans expect

from the next installment?

Series style

Dean: More, more, and more of

everything.
Bonnie: More, bigger, and
better then before.
Dean: Its the completion
of his coming of age. So
we get to see him become
that wise Viking chief that hes
destined to be.

The show is nicely drawn, and San Lorenzo is populated with some appealingly odd young residents, human and otherwise; children will have no
trouble finding a favorite. The humor is relatively sophisticated

You could write a psychological treatise on Dulcinea, who has

modeled her life on a somewhat vacuous book of epigrams

But not so sophisticated that children will be left behind. And Puss is an
endearing guy in a small-scale sort of way.
Puss in Boots at the pub

Can you tell me about your

passion for the world of
animation?

Dean: Well, I could always draw and I wanted to

be a comic book artist. I discovered animation could kind of
play into all of those things. Creating
characters, drawing them, inventing
worlds, telling stories, but doing it for
a worldwide audience in movement.

Puss in Boots Sparing

Premiere

Puss in Boots was stretched to his limits trying to carry a feature-length film
on his own, but for these 22-minute episodes, he seems just right. The Adventures of Puss in Boots, all new Netflix original series will be premiering
Friday January 16, 2015 (TNS). Dont forget to check it out.

How to Train your Dragon Dreamwork

Puss in boots begging