It took a total of 379 artists to create ‘Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa’ (the total crew number minus production staff and voice talent). Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa was in production for approximately 3.5 years (from Summer 2005 to Fall 2008).
Several DreamWorks Animation directors actually do the voices of some of the characters in the movie – “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” director Tom McGrath plays the lead penguin, Skipper; director of the upcoming “Monsters vs. Aliens” Conrad Vernon (who also voiced the Gingerbread Man in the “Shrek” films) voices Mason the monkey; and “Shrek the Third” director Chris Miller (also the voice of the Magic Mirror in the “Shrek” films), gives voice to Kowalski the penguin. Associate editor Chris Knights gives voice to the “cute and cuddly” penguin, Private.
The penguins originated from a film that director Eric Darnell was developing, called “Rockumentary,” about a Beatles-like rock quartet. When that project was shelved and Darnell was brought on to the first “Madagascar”, he incorporated the penguins into the script, changing them from musicians to military commandos.
The ship in the film (which the penguins hijacked in the first movie) was inspired by one at the Port of Redwood City (near PDI/DreamWorks’ campus).
Did you know that Alex’s family birthmark is the same shape as the African continent?
If Marty seems a little brighter than the other zebras, that’s because he is. Production made Marty slightly lighter than the other zebras so we could tell him apart from the herd.
Hmmmmmmm…..
How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?
If money doesn’t grow on trees then why do banks have branches?
Since bread is square, then why is sandwich meat round?
Why does a round pizza come in a square box?
How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?
Why is it that people say they ‘slept like a baby’ when babies wake up like every two hours?
Why are you IN a movie, but you are ON TV?
Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?
How come we choose from just two people for President and fifty for Miss America?
Why do doctors leave the room while you change? They’re going to see you naked anyway.
If a 911 operator has a heart attack, whom does he/she call?
A call for help
This is the true story of George Phillips of Meridian, Mississippi, who was going to bed when his wife told him that he’d left the light on in the shed. George opened the door to go turn off the light but saw there were people in the shed in the process of stealing things.
He immediately phoned the police, who asked “Is someone in your house?” and George said no and explained the situation. Then they explained that all patrols were busy, and that he should simply lock his door and an officer would be there when available.
George said, “Okay,” hung up, counted to 30, and phoned the police again.
“Hello, I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people in my shed. Well, you don’t have to worry about them now because I’ve just shot them all.”
Then he hung up. Within five minutes three squad cars, an Armed Response unit, and an ambulance showed up. Of course, the police caught the burglars red-handed.
One of the policemen said to George: “I thought you said that you’d shot them!”
George said, “I thought you said there was nobody available!” |
