Peter Ramsey - Moives
By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment columnist
Photos
Courtesy DreamWorks® Animation
Peter Ramsey
Breaking Ground In
Animation!
There are many success stories that come
from the hood but those are usually the one’s that don’t make it to the news or
other outlets for mass exposure. True talent knows no restriction to
geographical boundaries, ethnicities, gender or any other categories that are
traditionally used to block and hinder people from achieving their dreams and
goals by a controlling few.
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| Film Director Peter Ramsey |
Animated film director Peter Ramsey is a shinning
example of what can be accomplished when proper preparation and determination
meet opportunity. Ramsey became a new figure in Hollywood history by being the
first African-American to helm and direct a major, mega budget animated film,
“Rise Of The Guardians” from DreamWorks® studio.
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| L-R: Sandman, Easter Bunny, Santa Clause, Tooth Fairy & Jack Frost |
The movie is about the
childhood characters known as “The Easter
Bunny,” “Santa Clause,” “Sandman,” “The Tooth Fairy” and “Jack Frost.” Collectively they are
referred to in the movie as the guardians of childhood.
 |
| The Boogie Man |
In this film their arch
enemy is “The Boogie Man,” and they
team up to do battle with him to protect the children of the world.
Ramsey is a home grown, native of South
Central, LA. (Now referred to as South
Los Angeles). He began as a child to draw pictures and cartoons. His
fascination with the art world and animation continued as he grew and when he
was old enough, there was no doubt in his mind that this was his calling.
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| Easter Bunny |
In
referring to the inspiration that got him to drawing in the first place in
those early childhood days, Ramsey fondly remembers; “It was a way of
entertainment. As early in age as I can remember, I would get my mom’s
magazines and was just laying in the floor and drawing in the white spaces and
drawing little stories that would fill up the magazine and I just didn’t stop.Whenever people ask me how did you learn to draw so well?
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| Tooth Fairy |
What do you have to
do? I just tell them draw and don’t stop. I learned by doing it, doing it,
doing it. It really is that simple.” On
his path to becoming a director; like anybody else, Ramsey paid his dues while
honing the skills needed to fulfill his goals and aspirations.
 |
| Sand Man |
Ramsay explains
how he finagled his way
Up
the latter after joining the DreamWorks Animation studios eight years ago. “I
worked on the third “Shrek” as a story artists. Based on that, I became the
head of the story artist department on the next project which was “Monsters vs.
Aliens.”
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| Jack Frost |
My friend, who produced those movies, told the studio that he had also
worked with me in live action where I did a lot of second unit directing. The
studio saw that I had a little bit of experience as a director which really
helped me to get to direct “Rise Of The
Guardians.”
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| Santa Clause |
Ramsey had just
completed directing a successful TV promotional spin-off for “Monsters vs. Aliens” when the studio
approached him to helm their new re-organized project “Rise Of The Guardians.”
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| Santa's Elves |
The excitement rises in Ramsey’s voice
when he ran down the order of events that led to his direction the project;
“Guardians had been in development for probably a year and a half. They had
character designs and tried a couple of scripts but it wasn’t working out so
they had put together a new team and turned to me and asked are you interested? Can we get your thoughts on what you might
want to do with this and what your take would be?
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| Guardians in action |
I was kind of shocked that
they asked me because I knew eventually this was going to be a big complicated
film but they liked what I had to say. I teamed up with my producers and writer
and we got to work.” As they say, the rest is history but in Ramsey’s case,
that phrase has a deeper and multi-significant meaning.
© 2012 Rych McCain Media/Syndication tm
(You
DID Hear It From Me!)
Twitter@rychmccain
