'Ice Age' to the Digital Age exhibit opens in Katonah

Saturday September 22, 2012 5:10 PM By Kristin Taveira

Photo credit: 20th Century Fox | This image released by 20th Century Fox shows characters, from left, Manny, voiced by Ray Romano, Diego, voiced by Denis Leary, Sid, voiced by John Leguizamo, Granny, voiced by Wanda Sykes and Shira, voiced by Jennifer Lopez in a scene from the animated film, "Ice Age: Continental Drift."

Fans of sabertooth squirrel Scrat and his prehistoric pals can get a behind-the-scenes look at how animated films are made in a new exhibit, "Ice Age" to the Digital Age: The 3D Animation Art of Blue Sky Studios. The exhibit, which includes movie clips, rarely seen concept drawings, sculptural models, digital stills and more, opened on Sunday at the Katonah Museum of Art, where it will remain until Jan. 20.

In addition to the permanent parts of the exhibit, visitors are also invited to get a hands-on taste of how the technology works at interactive stations where they can sketch and manipulate computer-generated images.

To ensure that everyone who wants to experience the exhibit can attend, it will be a part of the museum’s Stroller Tours, a before-hours program for adults with babies under 18 months old. The Stroller Tours, held from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., will take place on the following Fridays: Sept. 21, Oct. 19, Nov. 9 and Dec. 7.

In collaboration with the museum, the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville will offer a host of related events. Screenings of Blue Sky Studio films are scheduled throughout October, including “Robots” (Oct. 6-7), “Horton Hears a Who” (Oct. 13-14) and “Rio” (Oct. 20, Oct. 27-28). Children’s workshops in animation, storyboarding, voice acting and more will also be offered.

The film center will also host a special event, “An Evening with Chris Wedge,” at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16. Wedge, a Katonah resident, is the Academy Award-winning director of the original “Ice Age” film and the cofounder and VP of creative development at Blue Sky Studios. He will present a selection of short films and talk about the art of animation.

IF YOU GO

What: “Ice Age” to the Digital Age: The 3D Animation Art of Blue Sky Studios

When: Sept. 16-Jan. 20 (Tues.-Sat.: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun.: noon-5 p.m.)

Info: Katonah Museum of Art, 134 Jay St., Katonah; 914-232-9555; www.katonahmuseum.org; $7 museum admission, $5 seniors and students, free for members and children under 12; Stroller Tours: $5, free for members, breakfast snacks included

What: Celebrate Blue Sky Studios

When: Oct. 6-Dec. 3, multiple times

Info: Jacob Burns Film Center, 364 Manville Rd., Pleasantville; 914-747-5555; www.burnsfilmcenter.org; prices vary; for Chris Wedge event $14 per person, $9 for members

Photo: An image from "Ice Age: Continental Drift," the fourth installment of the "Ice Age" franchise

Tags: Katonah , Katonah Museum of Art , Pleasantville , Jacob Burns Film Center , movies , events , kids