Chris Wedge

Chris Wedge
Wedge in 2014
Born John Christian Wedge
(1957-03-20) March 20, 1957
Binghamton, New York, U.S.
Residence Katonah, New York, U.S.
Nationality American
Education Fayetteville-Manlius High School
Alma mater State University of New York at Purchase
Ohio State University
Occupation Film director, film producer, screenwriter, cartoonist, voice actor
Years active 1982–present
Notable work Ice Age
Robots
Epic
Monster Trucks
Spouse(s) Jeanne Markel[1]
Children 2

John Christian "Chris" Wedge (born March 20, 1957) is an American animated film director, producer, and writer whose films include Ice Age (2002), Robots (2005), Epic (2013) and Monster Trucks (2016). He is a co-founder of the animation studio Blue Sky Studios and voiced the character Scrat in the Ice Age franchise.

Early life

Wedge was born in Binghamton, New York.[2] He became interested in animation when he was 12 years old: "Back then, there was a TV special about kids making cut-out animation in a workshop—as I recall it was Yellow Ball Workshop—it was a clear technique to follow and I followed it. That fascinated me and it got me started. It was so simple, effective and magical in outcome and I stuck with creating things throughout my childhood, teenage years and then college."[3]

He attended Fayetteville-Manlius High School, graduating in 1975.[4] He received his BFA in Film from State University of New York at Purchase in Purchase, New York in 1981, and subsequently earned his MA in computer graphics and art education at the Ohio State University. He has taught animation at the School of Visual Arts in New York City where he met his future film directing partner, Carlos Saldanha.

Career

In 1982, Wedge worked for MAGI/SynthaVision, where he was a principal animator on the Disney film Tron, credited as a scene programmer. Some of his other works include Where the Wild Things Are (1983), Dinosaur Bob, George Shrinks, and Santa Calls.

Wedge is co-founder and Vice President of Creative Development at Blue Sky Studios, one of the premier computer animation studios and producer of Wedge's films. He is the owner of WedgeWorks, a film production company founded by Wedge.

In 1998, he won an Academy Award for the short animated film, Bunny. In 2002, Wedge directed Blue Sky Studios' first computer-animated film, Ice Age. He also voiced Scrat in the film and its following sequels, performing the character's "squeaks and squeals."[5] In 2005, Wedge directed Robots, based on a story he created with William Joyce. In 2013 followed Epic, loosely based on Joyce's book, The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs.[6]

In 2009, it was reported that Wedge would direct an animated feature film adaptation of Will Wright's Spore, but since then there has been no further news about the film.[7]

Wedge directed the science fiction/action film Monster Trucks (2016), with a $100 million budget, and starring Lucas Till and Jane Levy.[8] Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger wrote the script for the film,[8] produced by Mary Parent.[9]

Personal life

Wedge lives in Katonah, New York[3] with his wife Jeanne Markel.[1] They have a daughter and a son, Sarah and Jack.[10]

Filmography

Director

Year Title Notes
1985Tuber's Two-StepShort film
1987Balloon Guy
1998BunnyAcademy Award for Best Animated Short Film
Also writer
2002Ice AgeAcademy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature
2005Robots
2013Epic
2016Monster Trucks

Producer

Year Title Notes
1990The Mind's EyeShort film
2002Gone NuttyExecutive producer
2006Ice Age: The Meltdown
No Time for Nuts
2008Horton Hears a Who!
Surviving SidShort film
Executive producer
2009Ice Age: Dawn of the DinosaursExecutive producer
2011Rio
2012Ice Age: Continental Drift
2014Rio 2
2016Ice Age: Collision Course[11]
2017Ferdinand

Animator

Year Title Notes
1982TronPrincipal animator
1987Balloon GuyAnimator
1996Joe's ApartmentAnimation director

Writer

Year Title Notes
1998Bunny
2013EpicStory

Actor

Year Title Role Notes
2002Ice AgeScrat, Dodo
Gone NuttyScratShort film
2005RobotsWonderbot, Phone Booth
Aunt Fanny's Tour of BootyHackyShort film
2006Ice Age: The MeltdownScrat
No Time for NutsShort film
Family GuyEpisode "Sibling Rivalry"
2008Surviving SidShort film
2009Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
2011Ice Age: A Mammoth ChristmasTV Special
2012Ice Age: Continental Drift
2015The SimpsonsEpisode: "Treehouse of Horror XXVI"
2016Ice Age: The Great Egg-ScapadeTV Special
Ice Age: Collision Course [11]

Critical reception

Film Rotten TomatoesMetacriticIMDb
Overall
Ice Age (2002)77%[12]60%[13]7.6[14]
Robots (2005)64%[15]64%[16]6.3[17]
Epic (2013)64%[18]52%[19]6.7[20]
Monster Trucks (2016)31%[21]41%[22]5.4[23]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
1996Ottawa International Animation Festival AwardBest Production Under 10 Minutes in LengthJoe's ApartmentWon
1999Academy AwardBest Animated Short FilmBunnyWon
Drama International Short Film Festival AwardSpecial Prize for AnimationWon
Nashville Film Festival AwardBest AnimationWon
Jury AwardBest ShortNominated
Oberhausen International Short Film Festival AwardPrize of the Children's Short Film CompetitionWon
2003Academy AwardBest Animated FeatureIce AgeNominated
Annie AwardOutstanding Directing in an Animated Feature Production
Shared with Carlos Saldanha (co-director)		Nominated
DVD Exclusive AwardBest Audio Commentary, New Release
Shared with Carlos Saldanha (co-director)		Nominated
ShoWest Convention AwardAnimation Director of the YearWon
2013Behind the Voice Actors AwardBest Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film
Shared with Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo, Queen Latifah, Keke Palmer, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Wanda Sykes, Jennifer Lopez, Alan Tudyk, Joy Behar, Patrick Stewart, Simon Pegg & Rebel Wilson		Ice Age: Continental DriftNominated
2014Annie AwardOutstanding Achievement in Directing in an Animated Feature ProductionEpicNominated

References

  1. 1 2 Staudter, Thomas (March 21, 1999). "'Bunny' From Harrison Competes for Oscar". The New York Times. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Behind The Voice Actors - Chris Wedge". Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Buchman, Lisa (September 12, 2012). "Meet Chris Wedge, 'Ice Age' Creator, Katonah Resident". Patch. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Chris Wedge, Class of 1975, Inducted in 2000". Fayetteville-Manlius Hall of Distinction. Fayetteville-Manlius Schools. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
  5. ↑ LaRue, William (November 2, 2006). "'Ice Age' director gives students a look into animation". The Syracuse Post-Standard. Syracuse.com. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
  6. ↑ Schneider, Karl (August 24, 2006). "Chris Wedge to direct THE LEAF MEN AND THE BRAVE GOOD BUGS". Movie News, Mania.com. Mania Entertainment, LLC., citing The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
  7. ↑ Graser, Marc (October 1, 2009). "EA sets up 'Spore' at Fox". Variety. Retrieved October 7, 2010.
  8. 1 2 "Paramount Animation Plans 'Monster Trucks' Live Action-Toon Franchise: In Final Talks With Blue Sky's Chris Wedge To Direct". deadline.com. July 31, 2013. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Paramount Animation Planning Live Action/Animated Franchise 'Monster Trucks' With Blue Sky's Chris Wedge". indiewire.com. August 1, 2013. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Chris Wedge Acceptance Speech". The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved June 2, 2013. And so to my beautiful wife and family, Jean*, Sarah and Jack...
  11. 1 2 Truitt, Brian (October 22, 2015). "Exclusive: 'Ice Age' squirrel to make Macy's debut". USA Today. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Ice Age (2002) - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Ice Age Reviews - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Ice Age (2002) - IMDb". Uk.imdb.com. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Robots (2005) - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Robots Reviews - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Robots (2005) - IMDb". Uk.imdb.com. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Epic (2013) - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Epic Reviews - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Epic (2013) - IMDb". Uk.imdb.com. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Monster Trucks (2017) - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  22. ↑ "Monster Trucks Reviews - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  23. ↑ "Monster Trucks (2016) - IMDb". Uk.imdb.com. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
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