Disclosure: Los Tweens attended a pre-screening of EPIC, will be receiving promotional materials and Katherine’s brother is one of the animators of the film. However, all opinions expressed are certainly our own.
After attending the pre-screening of EPIC, I turned to Cristy and said, “Wow, I was actually entertained the entire time.” To which she answered, “Yeah, I never once reached for my phone.”
Animated films often times fall short for los padres. EPIC does not! The plot and action will leave you wondering what’s next, the characters have depth, and the jokes will actually make you laugh. Cristy and I also appreciated the multi-cultural characters in the film.
Oh and I guess we should also mention that the tweens loved it! Check out their video review below:
In addition to attending the pre-screening, I also had the opportunity to interview one of the animators of the movie. Julen Santiago originally from Barakaldo, Spain shared with me a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the EPIC, and more.
What’s your absolute favorite thing about being an animator?
This is my dream job so I have a hard time picking just one thing. I guess it would have to be that I get to be creative every day and have fun.
Which EPIC character did you animate?
Grub, the slug. (SIDE NOTE: The slugs are the comedic relief in the movie and will quickly become your tween’s favorite characters.)
Who do you feel was the hardest character to animate?
The slugs were the hardest characters to animate because their eyes are separated from their heads and they move differently.
What was one of the biggest challenges of animating a “fantastical world” set in the forest?
Gravity was the biggest issue. In the world of the Leafmen, everything is lower and gravity is different. It posed a challenge.
Steven Tyler, Beyonce and Pitbull all lend their voices to the film. What are your thoughts on musicians becoming animated characters?
It was great. The recordings we received from each of them were fantastic and the creative director did a great job in getting the best out of every one. The seasoned actors gave amazing voice performances as well.
What’s a little sneak-peek you can give us into Pitbull’s character?
He plays a complicated character who isn’t the good buy but isn’t a bad guy either.
Without revealing too much, what part or aspect of EPIC are you most excited for audiences to see?
I really love the relationship between the main character MK and her father as well as that of Ronin and Nod. The characters have layers and a deep background which is really nice to see in an animated film.
