The second and third dimensions collide in Titan A.E., the first animated science fiction film financed by a major U.S. studio since 1981's Heavy Metal.
"To me, there's something about 2-D that just feels like it's had human hands on it," said co-director Don Bluth (Anastasia). "If we had gone over entirely to computer generated imagery, then there's something about that to me that seems a little removed."
Set in the year 3028, the story begins after an evil race called the Drej destroy Earth and follows a rebellious teen-ager as he searches for the lost spaceship Titan, which supposedly holds the secret to destroying humanity's alien enemies.
Although new to science fiction, Bluth and co-director Gary Goldman took to the genre quickly.
"The astronomy and science fiction elements were mind-boggling to me," Bluth said. "Creating new worlds and letting our imaginations run wild in the process was an exciting adventure for all of us. It was a challenge to figure out how to put all that up on the screen and at the same time make audiences feel emotions about the characters."
Blowing up the Earth and other technical problems
Filmmakers said their biggest challenge was combining two- and three-dimensional elements in the film, which combines about 80 percent computer-generated images with traditional hand-drawn cel animation.
"We always were trying to push the boundaries of mixing 3-D and 2-D," said animation director Len Simon.
For example, some sequences have 2-D characters in 3-D spacesuits riding 3-D vehicles.
"It was a tough nut to crack, but worth it," said co-director and longtime Bluth collaborator Gary Goldman. "This is by far the most challenging film we've ever done."
So what were some of the challenges?
"The first project they threw at me was blowing up the world," said lead 3-D animator Charlie Breakiron, who used 30 layers of 3-D elements to create the global explosion.
"The energy beam from the Drej mothership causes the Earth to spin faster and faster, and it starts to break apart on the plates, which are on the actual fault lines," Breakiron said. "After the tremendous explosion, there is a horrendous shock wave, and chunks of Earth's crust take out some of the fleeing ships, and even the moon."
Breakiron said he and effects supervisor Peter Matheson grounded the final effect of the tectonic weapon on geological facts.
Big cast, epic story
The cast includes Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting) as the rebellious Cale, Bill Pullman (Independence Day) as Captain Korso, Drew Barrymore (E.T.,
) as Akima, Nathan Lane (The Lion King) as Preed, John Leguizamo (Romeo + Juliet) as Gune, and Janeane Garofalo (Mystery Men) as Stith.
Screenwriter Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) said he tried to emphasize the human story against the spectacular backdrop.
"Against a huge canvas, it's really about Cale, Akima and Korso," he said. "I wanted to find the emotional connections Cale makes with the others, and how these change him. Among other things, I wanted to explain how his bitterness and conflict with the memory of his father would express itself."
The film opens June 16.
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