Warner Bros. Animation’s “Teen Titans GO! to the Movies” is a toe-tapping, time-traveling, road-tripping adventure that takes our hopeful heroes Robin, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Raven and Starfire, from their native Jump City to the glitz and glamour of Tinsel Town.
Like the Teen Titans’ story arc itself, a young group of Filipino animators is now being celebrated for their work in “Teen Titans GO! to the Movies.” Yes, Filipino artists from Manila-based Snipple Animation contributed to bringing this hilarious superhero tale to the big screen. Learn about their interesting adventure and how they were able achieve this Hollywood breakthrough in the following interview.
Question: Tell us about Snipple Animation and how it started.
Snipple Animation: Snipple was founded in 2011 by a bunch of artists who came from all over the Philippines with one clear goal which was to showcase to the world that the true art of Animation in the Philippines and the talent of our artists was able to compete with the global demand of animation production.
We started working with shows like Geronimo Stilton, Santa’s Apprentice II, Pinocchio the feature, Dude That’s my Ghost, The Congress, Nerds and Monsters & Rick and Morty. These shows were very telling as they allowed us to show what we are able to do as a group. Our big break came with Nickelodeon where we were trusted to produced the first and second season of Dora and Friends into the City. This is the show that put Snipple on the map.
Since then we have continued to evolve and our recent / current slate includes Wacky Races, Be Cool Scooby Doo, Bunnicula, DC Super Hero Girls, Unikitty, Dorothy and the Wonders of OZ, Ducktales and Big Hero 6 to name a few. We are proud to say that we are exclusively working for Warner Bros, Disney and Dream Works.
Q: What led to Snipple doing animation work for “Teen Titans GO! to the Movies?”
SA: Snipple has built a reputation for consistently increasing the quality benchmark and delivering on schedule with ease of communication with our clients. This has led to our brand being exposed to producers in the industry who always look for reliable partners to help bring their shows to life.
We were lucky to be given the opportunity to work on a test of “Teen Titans GO! to the Movies” and even luckier to have impressed the producers with this. This led to us being given the opportunity to work on this Feature.
Q: What are the primary aspects Snipple had to work on? How long did these take? Please take us through the process.
SA: Our role in this production was to produce the animation from Layout, Backgrounds, Set up, Posing, Animation, FX and Compositing. At each stage we were lucky to be able to share and work closely with the TTGOttM team at WBA who always worked closely with us to achieve the best animation possible. We are proud to say that together we did this!
We started the project in late September/early October 2017 and finished right about at the beginning of May 2018.
Q: What are the challenges the animators had to overcome with work on the movie? Were you allowed to take creative liberties?
SA: It was a very challenging Animation style and it was a Feature Film. It’s more action packed and has more extreme shots than the series we were doing. Another challenge is the Teen Titans movie production came in while we were doing 3 TV series with a style different from Titans. More of a Pre School and too Teen oriented cartoons. So we doubled the effort to meet the deadlines with all different shows without compromising the quality our clients expect.
Q: Who are the team members and what they specifically worked on?
SA: In no specific order:
BRYCE DELA CRUZ – warehouse rooftop sequence of Titans charging towards Slades Robot and Beast Boy turning into an eagle
KIKO LERMA – Robin tied down while Titans tower is burning up and wiggling out his “baby hands”
– Various special effects and chase scenes
– Raven gulps down foods.
LOUIE BARTOLOME – Robin vs Slade
– Various action sequences
EUGENE CRUZ – Titans facing off against Slade Robot
– Stan Lee cameo
DENNVER MADULID – Robin’s Super Hero landing while glider explodes.
– Starfire zooms in on screen for end credits
RICHARD BESANA – Raven hides the crystal in Titan’s vault
– Slade piloting inside the Robot
ARMAN SALVATION – Robin in glider being shot by Slade
– Titans vs Balloon Man
JOHN IRVING PRUDENCIANO – Robin facing against Slade on Rooftop
– Tower explodes – Robin swims after Titan’s tower explodes
LAD DUBLIN – Titan’s in time cycles + city in ruins / burning.
– Joker + Harlequin throwing bombs
NATHAN PANGILINAN – Balloon man destroys city
– Batman chases Titans
SAMUEL MARQUEZ – Robin falls through door as Tower breaks in half
– Titans fights Slade in the air “What up Deadpool”
PETER SISON – Challengers trapped in the void with Justice League
– Justice League chasing the Titans
GLENN AGNER – Raven vs Balloon Man
– Robin lands on rooftop after being hit by Robots ball and chain
JR YAMON – Titan’s Tower exploding
– Robin Slides as Tower breaks in half
CARLA MAE RAVINA – Starfire hugs and pops Balloon Man’s balloon kitties
– Robin runs through exploding hallway
RODYLINE DETAYSON – Raven vs Balloonman “Stop hitting yourself”
– Robin runs through exploding hallway
JULIET CHAN – Titans chased by Justice League
– Titans in golf cart
JEFFREY IMUTAN – Beast boy and Cyborg falling
– Raven & Starfire flies to catch Beast boy & Cyborg
JASPER LAGORZA – Titan’s on stage chased by Justice League
– Slade robot looms on Titans
KARLO CAYETANO – Beast boy + Cyborg vs. Slade
– Robin dialogue at end part
ERIC ACCAD – Slade robot strutting
– Robin’s ground smash with giant mechanical “baby hands”
GABRIEL CRUZ – Titans flying through the screen facing Balloon Man
– Robin in burning / exploding Titans tower
ALLAN LEYCANO – Slade Robot coming out of the ground and rising up
DANA VENTAJADO – Titans vs Batmobile
– Justice League audience in Theatre
RICO SARMIENTO – The awesome Backgrounds
Q: How was the overall experience working on “Teen Titans GO! to the Movies?” And what did it mean to the team who worked on it?
SA: It wasn’t easy to step up and produce a Feature Film but we love a challenge. We worked very hard to make sure we met the quality expectations and delivery for WBA. The late nights and huge learning curve throughout the process made it worth our while. For us it was extra special because we proved to ourselves that we could push our boundaries in terms of the quality we produce and we learnt a huge amount throughout the process. It meant the world to work on a Feature like this and we are super proud and humbled by this amazing experience. There is a Super Hero in us all.
Q: What is the team’s reaction after watching the film for the first time at the recent premiere in Manila? And what was it like watching it with a big audience?
SA: It was of immense pride and excitement. To see something you have worked on being enjoyed by everyone around you is very very special and humbling. Great to see the audience laugh and appreciate the movie. Seeing our names on the credits is the icing on the cake. AMAZING!!!!
About “Teen Titans GO! to the Movies”
When the Teen Titans go to the big screen, they go big! “Teen Titans GO! to the Movies” finds our egocentric Super Heroes in their first feature film extravaganza—a fresh, gleefully clever, kid-appropriately crass and tongue-in-cheek play on the superhero genre, complete with musical numbers.
It seems to the Teens that all the major superheroes out there are starring in their own movies—everyone but the Teen Titans, that is! But de facto leader Robin is determined to remedy the situation, and be seen as a star instead of a sidekick. If only they could get the hottest Hollywood film director to notice them. With a few madcap ideas and a song in their heart, the Teen Titans head to Tinsel Town, certain to pull off their dream. But when the group is radically misdirected by a seriously Super-Villain and his maniacal plan to take over the Earth, things really go awry. The team finds their friendship and their fighting spirit failing, putting the very fate of the Teen Titans themselves on the line!
The first-ever big-screen version of DC Entertainment and Cartoon Network’s animated TV show stars Greg Cipes (TV’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”) as Beast Boy, Scott Menville (TV’s “Spider-Man”) as Robin, Khary Payton (“The Walking Dead”) as Cyborg, Tara Strong (the “My Little Pony” franchise) as Raven, and Hynden Walch (TV’s “Adventure Time with Finn & Jake”) as Starfire, reprising their roles from the series.
Will Arnett (“The LEGO® Batman Movie”) and Kristen Bell (“Frozen”) also lend their voices and, in guest roles, Superman super fan and Oscar winner Nicolas Cage (“Leaving Las Vegas”) portrays the Man of Steel; singer/songwriter Halsey lends her voice to Wonder Woman; and rapper/-singer Lil’ Yachty plays Green Lantern.
In Philippine cinemas August 1, “Teen Titans GO! to the Movies” is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.