Click on THE ANIMATRIX - PREVIEW CARDS at:

Matrix Reloaded

These are still images from each of the episodes in production, including "Matriculated".

-- Peter Chung (cretep@earthlink.net), August 03, 2002

Answers

Awesome! The most innovative creations in the art world are taking place in the animation industry, and especially right in these prequels, really fresh approaches. Thank you for letting us know what each animator's work is Peter. I can't wait to see this!

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo9@cs.com), August 04, 2002.

Matriculated looks beautifully rendered, (if that is the right word). Love the way you conjure up images of futuristic looking technical gadgets. Aeon Flux was rich with them, eg; mike in Trevor's tie, floating cams, technical looking weaponry, etc.

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo9@cs.com), August 04, 2002.

This is going to be pure Chung alright. Skye, you can't be the creator/director of Aeon Flux, a hallmark in animation creativity and not be a big deal director. Throw into that the fact it ran for three years. I was wondering if there is a scheduled release date for Animatrix.

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo9@cs.com), August 10, 2002.

Considering your place of employment I would think you'd especially be aware your friend's no rocket scientist, (you have to laugh at this really don't you think)? So, how many frames per second do you think Animatrix will be?

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo9@cs.com), August 11, 2002.

Oh oh, they all sound like Einstein...why am I not surprised!

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo9@cs.com), August 13, 2002.

For those unfamiliar with the names of the participating directors, here is a list of their main credits:

Mahiro Maeda - Blue Submarine #6

Yoshiaki Kawajiri - Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, Ninja Scroll, Wicked City

Shinichiro Watanabe - Cowboy Bebop

Takeshi Koike - Party 7 title sequence, Trava (serialized on "Grasshoppa!" DVDs)

Koji Morimoto - Memories, Noiseman, Robot Carnival

Square USA - Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

-- Peter Chung (cretep@earthlink.net), August 03, 2002.

Nice! Although I noticed they called you an "anime" director (I guess "anime" in this case means "visually expressive animation by Asians ;). For some reason, the Matriculated still reminds me a lot of Blade Runner.

-- Inu (paul@nadisrec.com), August 03, 2002.

Question: in the Flash preview, there is a scene of humans executing robot prisoners, that looks a lot like something out of Aeon Flux. Is it yours?

-- Inu (paul@nadisrec.com), August 03, 2002.

The image you described is from The Second Renaissance, Mr. Maeda's episode. The episode is divided into two parts and is a prequel to the Matrix movies, delineating the events leading to a world where humans are enslaved to serve their machine masters.

I'm sorry, but I'm still not at liberty to reveal story information about my episode - so you can ask questions, just don't expect any answers.

-- Peter Chung (cretep@earthlink.net), August 03, 2002.

Just out of curiosity, were the Wachowski brothers involved at all in the production process of any of these animated shorts?

Also, what was the budget of Matriculated? Are we gonna get TV quality animation or feature film quality animation? Or somewhere in between? The still frame in the preview section looked pretty detailed (it has a vibrancy that leads you to expect movement), but is that an actual frame from the short, or just some advertising material?

And lastly, I'm sure a lot of people would be interested to know how Peter Chung got lumped in with all these anime gurus. Were you commissioned, or did you find out about the opportunity beforehand and get involved through your connections? And most importantly, are you considered an anime director because you have a huge corpus of work in Japan that we Americans have never been privy to? Do tell.

-- Logo (Vosepherus@aol.com), August 04, 2002.

Logo, The project was proposed by the Wachowskis, who are fans of comics and Japanese animation. Check out some of the online comics stories on the Matrix website if you have the time. They've suggested that there are many possible stories taking place in the Matrix "universe" which couldn't be addressed in the movies. Animatrix is an extension of that idea in an animated medium.

Initially, the Wachowskis were quite involved in the development of the animated episodes. Several of them have stories written by the brothers themselves - check the backs of the preview cards for story credits. They had the most involvement with the episode done by Square USA. I'm told that that episode will also be released theatrically as a short subject (presumably with Matrix Reloaded).

Having been brought on board late in the process, I'm being given a great deal of creative freedom. My episode, Matriculated, is being allowed to be made with minimal outside input. I won't say much more than that. Regarding budget and production values-- I'd rather let you see the film for yourself and decide what level of quality to call it, rather than have me influence your expectations. (Yes, the still image in the preview is an actual production frame.)

As to the process by which I got involved in this-- let's just say yes, it was both connections and being commissioned.

I am not nor have I ever been considered an "anime" director. (Which I'd think is an issue nobody but "anime" fans should care about- and don't ask me why they do. I have no idea.)

-- Peter Chung (cretep@earthlink.net), August 04, 2002.

People will always have a desire to pigeonhole creative works. The anime fan is no different. What matters is the thing itself, not the image surrounding it.

This is what pisses me off about fandoms, BTW... people who technically *are* fans of a certain artform, like manga, feel the need to define themselves against the fandom at large, because of it's perceived negative image. What they don't realize is that *they* are helping to foster that image.

-- Inu (paul@nadisrec.com), August 04, 2002.

Sweet. Thanks for answering all my questions. I guess I should have known the Wachowski's would be anime fans since the Matrix had such obvious anime inspired moments. Actually, I was thinking how that slow-mo, rotating, matrix vision effect is actually pretty common in animation. The rotation part may be less common, but slowing down the motion in mid action has been an animation staple for years. Especially when characters are jumping does the framerate speed up.

Does your involvement in this project mean the Wachowski's are Flux fans?

-- Logo (Vosepherus@aol.com), August 05, 2002.

Yeah, and are the chances of seeing some animated Yuen Wo Ping calibur choreography good?

-- Sam (janecherrington@paradise.net.nz), August 05, 2002.

Sam, with all the digital manipulation that's applied to the fight scenes in the movies, I think they already qualify as being animated.

-- Peter Chung (cretep@earthlink.net), August 05, 2002.

I think the question being put forward was "Why is Peter Chung, a fairly obscure director of an older, cult show, being called in alongside the Big Names of anime? Either the Wachowski brothers think you're big stuff, or you *are* big stuff, and you're just hiding it from us ^_^.

skye

-- skye (skyknyt@aol.com), August 06, 2002.

Well the Wachowski's do have some pretty cool taste, they seem to know who's best at doing what they want.

-- Sam (janecherrington@paradise.net.nz), August 06, 2002.

Somewhere in this great big forum, is a reference Peter made to one of the Matrix crew, Geoff Darrow, being a Flux fan. When the Wachowskis said "hey we need some futuristic-looking animation", he could've set them on the right path... I'm just glad that Peter gets to do what he wants here, without too much interference from the "suits" ^_^

-- Inu (paul@nadisrec.com), August 09, 2002.

Its not that *my* eyes don't bug out every time I see Peter's name... but when I sent an email to my friend saying that "Peter Chung is working on animatrix!" He was like "Who?" Keep in my, this is the same guy that has both the DVD *and* VHS sets of Aeon...

skye

-- skye (skyknyt@aol.com), August 11, 2002.

well... *coughs* It might surprise you that he runs the network around here. Heheh. For the most part, all the rocket scientists I've met are ridiculously absent-minded. Heads in the clouds, so to speak. :) (don't kill me!)

skye

-- skye (skyknyt@aol.com), August 12, 2002.

Does this mean Peter, you are finished with Animatrix? Are you going on to new animations?

-- Kissykitty (MirKittythe1st@aol.com), October 03, 2002.

YES! Finally saw the preview (issues). In all honesty, I'm more excited about this than I am about The Matrix Reloaded. Actually, I dare say I'm not alone here...

-- Sam (janecherrington@paradise.net.nz), October 08, 2002.

I always wondered why animated hand to hand combat was never made to the standard of whats out there, in particular decent martial arts choreography. Its that intricate fast paced stuff, showing up more and more in hollywood cinema (Borne Identity, Spider Man, The Muskateer). Street Fighter animated seems to be as good as it really gets. Animation usually tries to make things like action look better than what they can in real life. But obviously animators cant be expected to have the knowledge of martial arts required for such things. However, with Animatrix they might have he rights to copy Yuen Wo Pings choreography straight off the movie. Ideally they could then extend from it. Or maybe Yuen Wo ping and his team would devise and tape some sequences especially for one or more of the story lines, and the animators could work from those. I'm going to get my hopes up or anything, but It'd be cool! Go here to the art of film forum, if anyone wants to read about my feelings on martial arts choreography. I'm down with hearing any kinds of comments anyone wants to make.

-- Sam (janecherrington@paradise.net.nz), October 11, 2002.