After seeing animated masterpieces like GOAT, whether on the big screen or on your TV at home, it’s hard not to wonder about the process that goes into bringing films like this to life. I had a stupendous time going behind the scenes of the making of GOAT at Sony Pictures Animation Studios, and I’m taking you along with me to get an inside look at the film.
First, a little more about GOAT for those who have yet to see this amazing film.
“From Sony Pictures Animation, the studio behind Spider-Man™: Across the Spider-Verse and the artists who made KPop Demon Hunters, comes GOAT, an original action-comedy set in an all-animal world. The story follows Will, a small goat with big dreams who gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball—a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world. Will’s new teammates aren’t thrilled about having a little goat on their roster, but Will is determined to revolutionize the sport and prove once and for all that ‘smalls can ball!’” (Source: Sony Pictures Animation)
The Making of the GOAT Movie
The finished version of GOAT that we all know and love wasn’t a layup. In fact, a lot went into making the film, well, the greatest of all time. During the press day, I got to learn about everything that went into creating the incredible characters and arenas that allowed viewers to truly immerse themselves in the story.
Art Director Rich Daskas shared more about the unique visual style of GOAT, followed by a presentation from motion graphics effects artist Dylan Casano, who dove deep into the film’s graphics and the “impact frames” inspired by basketball trading cards.
Both avid basketball fans, Daskas and Casano explained how they drew inspiration from real basketball moments for the film’s animation.
Then, it was time to step into a day in the life of the movie’s Head of Story, Keely Propp, who spoke about the immense effort that goes into drawing and storyboarding Will and the other fan-favorite characters. From reading through pages of the script to illustrating the atmosphere and emotions that shape each scene, Propp gave a fascinating glimpse into how she and her team crafted the story, followed by a tutorial on how to draw the film’s leading star, Will.
Designing in HDR
You know those vivid colors and vibrant scenes that made you say “wow!” while watching GOAT? There’s a design element that made that possible, and it’s called High Dynamic Range, also known as HDR.
During the press day, I heard from Yiotis Katsambas, Head of Technology for Sony Pictures Animation, who introduced attendees to the world of HDR and explained how it impacted GOAT, as well as other films that utilize this technology.
Katsambas explained how adding a higher level of color intensity at the design stage can lead to cutting-edge visuals in the final picture. It’s clear that creating any film is no easy feat, and GOAT was no exception. He also shared that there were numerous iterations of the film to get the story just right. In fact, there were over 2,000 scripts, more than 19,000 designs, and over 320,000 storyboards.
“HDR presents one of the biggest changes and one of the biggest opportunities that just wasn’t possible before,” said Katsambas.
Voice Acting in GOAT
One of the most unforgettable experiences was stepping inside the voice-recording booth and participating in an ADR session in the Scratch Room. It was truly a sensational opportunity to voice a character in the film.
GOAT Filmmaker Q&A
To close out the event, GOAT director Tyree Dillihay and producer Michelle Raimo Kouyate participated in a Q&A. Before answering questions about the making of the movie, they treated attendees to a special surprise: a deleted scene from the film—which was hilarious and honestly should have been included.
Drawing from personal experiences as well as his passion for the sport, Dillihay said, “This story is a love letter to everything I love. You talk about a dream project—this is mine.”
It was an experience of a lifetime getting to learn more about the making of GOAT, a film that will undoubtedly make its mark as one of the best animated movies of all time. GOAT is out now on Digital—be sure to check it out and enjoy it again and again with family and friends.
For more on GOAT, follow @GoatMovieOfficial on Instagram. Check out my recap video from the event below!