Over the Profit Margin

According to Animated News, via Yahoo! Finance, Dreamworks' profits rose thanks to stronger-than-expected sales of the "Over the Hedge" DVD.



Yahoo! Finance reports that DreamWorks Animation received an unexpectedly higher first-quarter profit due to higher-than-expected DVD sales for Over The Hedge and other library titles.

This is great news for Dreamworks, and for animation in general. I think there needs to be at least two big players on the market to continue to push each other. Dreamworks and Pixar have a history of quietly competing with each other, and in my opinion it can only further the overall quality of their respective output.

It's just like back in the day when you had the WWF and the WCW, only with far less lubed up men in facepaint.

More from Animated News

Over the Hedge Concept Art

Though I know the movie just hit DVD and is long since gone from theaters, it's a slow news day, so I thought I'd throw up a link to some concept art over on Yahoo's site for "Over the Hedge."



For anyone who has ever read the comic strip that the film was based on, it's pretty amazing to see the transformation the characters went through to make it to the big screen. If you haven't read the comic strip, it's sort of like the difference between the way Ashley Simpson looked before, compared to after, she "didn't" get her nose job.

Yahoo's "Over the Hedge" Concept Art

Hammy's Bommerang Adventure Review

A new "mini movie" called, "Hammy's Boomerang Adventure" was included with the release of "Over the Hedge" on DVD.



First let me say that by "mini," they really do mean mini. I didn't time the film, but I can't guess it's more than three or four minutes long at very most. I'm fine with a four minute short, as long as it's four quality minutes, which this one unfortunately is not.

Without giving too much of the short away, I will say that the best part is simply watching the minute or so where Hammy interacts with the boomerang. Even this section of the short, while having it's moments, fails to deliver the solid punch of other 3D shorts of similar nature. It's sometimes good, but it's never great.

Yes, I know it's a short and it's not meant to be amazing. Yes, I know I should be happy with any additional content at all, and I am. It's not a bad short, and the animation and art, as with the full film are top notch. It just isn't a strong enough premise. I may revisit it again after I've watched the full feature a time or two, but otherwise this is a somewhat forgettable short that's bundled with an otherwise great film. It's solid, but not stupendous.

One additional gripe is that, the "First Flight" short was not included with the DVD, despite it showing before "Hedge" in various theaters at the time of release. This may have taken some of the sting away from a slightly sub-par Hammy mini.



I'd love to hear what those of you that have seen the short think about it in the comments section!

Over the Hedge on DVD Today

As the title of this post would lead you to believe, "Over the Hedge" releases on DVD today.



I thought the film was really cute, and I thouroughly enjoyed the art style, especially since I live in a "suburbia" style neighborhood similar to the one found in the movie, complete with dead possums in the street. Now I know that they're all just faking. Even the one that was getting pecked on by that crow this morning and only had one eyeball left.

"Over the Hedge" is at least worth a rental, and would make a great addition to your home library.

UPDATE: Turns out that if you buy "Hedge" from BestBuy, you get an exclusive collection of comic strips that the film is based on!

Official Over the Hedge Website

More Info On Hedge Extras

The "Over the Hedge" website has been updated with additional details on the extras that will release with the DVD this Tuesday.



According to the site, the following will be included in the extras:

Verm-Tech Institute Infomercial
Behind the Hedge (An Insider's Look Behind the Scenes)
Filmmaker Commentary
Meet the Cast
The Tech of Over the Hedge
Dreamworks Kids (A section exclusively designed for kids!)
Animal Fun Facts
Animator 101 (Learn to Draw Hammy)
Set Top Games
DVD-Rom Fun (Over 50 Exciting Printables and Activities)

Not only that, but there is a bag of chips graphic on the site called "The Hibernation" and a note that says, "Come back on November 28th and "wake up" even more fun!"

Maybe for everyone that comes back on the 28th, Dreamworks will send a live bear to your home. That would be pretty cool.

Over the Hedge Website