Production begins officially with scratch vocal recordings in historic Columbus, Georgia
Led by consultant Dan St. Pierre (Aladdin, The Lion King, Tarzan) and accompanied by writers Mike Stokey (Band of Brothers) and Richard Lanni (The American Road to Victory), the Fun Academy team set out to find the perfect location to officially move the film from “development” to “production” with a scratch vocal recording of the screenplay.
THE PROCESS
While performances delivered on a scratch track may not wind up in the final film, our animators now have character references to translate the written page into the moving picture.
To find voices for Robert Conroy and his battle buddies, producers searched for a place that had professional audio production resources, quality talent to breathe life into the script, and a supportive atmosphere to understand the film’s goal of both high-concept entertainment and military history education.
The scratch cast includes the voices of actors Nick Rulon, Jim Pharr, and Johanna Cabatingan from the Springer Opera House; Janis Beck and Dale Giefing from the Columbus School of Music and Dance; musician Jason Ezzell; voiceover/public speaking instructor Brian Cook; and Fun Academy’s own Jordan Beck and Richard Lanni.
THE SETTING
Columbus, Georgia has long been known for its connection to the military through Fort Benning, the home of several U.S. Army schools, but did you know that the Fountain City is also home to a thriving arts community?
“Places like the Springer and The Loft have always been about showing the world what Columbus has to offer. We’re glad to add another great project to our community’s artistic heritage.”Paul Pierce, Springer Opera House artistic director
From the state theater of Georgia to one of the region’s premier schools for the performing arts – as well as a lively independent music and art scene – Columbus’ talent pool was at the full disposal of the Sgt. Stubby team. The scratch sessions were hosted at The Loft Recording Studios, located in a 100+ year old building similar to those Conroy and his doughboy companions would have recognized from their own hometowns.
THE FILM
Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero is the incredible true story of a stray bull terrier mutt and the lasting bond he forged with the doughboys of the 26th “Yankee” Division at the onset of America’s entry into World War I. For his valorous actions, Stubby was the first dog promoted to the rank of Sergeant in U.S. Army history. The film has been selected as an official project of the United States World War I Centennial Commission and is the first animated feature for Fun Academy Motion Pictures and Labyrinth Media & Publishing, producers of motion pictures that entertain, innovate, and inspire audiences of all ages.
Starring Logan Lerman, Helena Bonham Carter, Gérard Depardieu
Music by Patrick Doyle
Animation by Mikros Image
The film is slated to theatrically debut in April 2018. For exclusive production updates, follow Stubby’s big screen adventures on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and Pinterest!