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Shaping the Characters
Having unique characters also makes the story more interesting.
"Here we have three brothers that are extremely different, and maybe they don't even get along," says Henson. One brother is very relaxed, one is uptight, and the third is super-responsible.
To voice them, "we got incredible comedians," she says, including Brad Garrett, who voiced Gusteau in "Ratatouille"; Jon Cryer of TV's "Two and a Half Men"; and Jesse McCartney, the voice of Theodore in "Alvin and the Chipmunks."
The actors worked hard. Often "they read a line six different ways," Henson says, maybe first as a whisper and then a scream, or quickly and then very slowly. Later, an editor will decide which reading fit best.
Designing the Ugly
Getting the right look for a character can be tricky.
A "design that pleases everyone may be too bland," Henson says. "We wanted the characters to look a little ugly. Not safe, not predictable, but to stand out and be unique."
The artistic team came up with a balance of ugly and cute, she says. "I think there is an ugly-cuteness to them."
After the voices are recorded, animators link them to their sketches. The result is a draft of the film called an animatic. Any changes must be made now, before the movie goes into final production. Henson says viewing the animatic is a key moment, when the film feels "real."
It's also the point where her mind starts to turn to the next big project.
-- Brenna Maloney
