On October 21, 2008, Mr. Jeffrey Katzenberg and Ms. Ann Daly, the CEO and the COO of DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc., International Publishing Director Mr. David Porter and other top management personnel, as well as the film crew for “Kung Fu Panda” and “Kung Fu Panda 2” visited the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, the first stop of their trip to Chengdu.
“Kung Fu Panda” made by DreamWorks was hugely successful this summer, taking in a record making＄600 million. The title character is an adorable and clumsy giant panda named Po and has become a cartoon idol. The company is now planning to make “Kung Fu Panda 2.” CEO Dream Works, Jeffrey Katzenberg, colleagues, and the film crew arrived in Chengdu on October 22. Besides their visit to the base, they will also go to the Jingsha Archeological Museum and Qingcheng Mountain, where they hope to learn more about Chengdu’s culture and gain inspiration for “Kung Fu Panda 2.”
The group arrived at the Base at 9:30 in the morning. Accompanied by Base experts, they visited panda cubs born this year. Mr. Katzenberg had a photo taken with a 3-month old cub in his arm, however, this was not enough “panda time” for the famous CEO. When other members of the group had their pictures taken with a 2 year old panda, Mr. Katzenberg ran over to get a photo as well. He told the experts that it was his first time to get so close to these. During the visit, he couldn’t help saying how lovely the giant pandas were . Also, he highly appreciated the Base’s efforts in giant panda conservation and the beautiful environment of the Base. After that, the group visited the young panda enclosure.
After the tour, the group held a press conference in the Base’s new museum. At the meeting, DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. and the Base co-named a panda cub born on July 26th this year Po. Then, they exchanged gifts to commemorate this event. After that, Mr. Katzenberg and his group answered questions from reporters with major domestic and foreign medias. Their first stop in Chengdu was concluded then.
Meanwhile, the 13 film crew members including the producer of Kung Fu Panda Ms. Melissa Cobb and story artist Jennifer Yuh also came to the Base very early in the morning, in order to learn as much about the giant panda’s living habits as was possible in one day. Accompanied by a Base employee, they shot a few scenes of panda cubs, young, sub-adult and adult giant pandas eating and playing. Everyone was very excited and couldn’t stop exclaiming, “They are so adorable!” After that, they shot scenes of a panda mother nursing her cubs and had a photo taken with a 2-year old giant panda. It is said that the crew will record their entire trip to Chengdu and include it in the extras of “Kung Fu Panda 2.” Thus, the Base and its giant pandas will likely gain a global audience upon the release of the film.
Translated by Kitty Hee
English edited by E.H. King