The power of HP technology and the creativity of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. have merged once again to bring the studio’s latest creation, “Megamind”, to life in 3-D in theatres across Europe.

In Megamind, a superhero story with a fresh spin, audiences experience a spectacular array of 3-D effects. This innovative animation was made possible in part by the power of HP Z800 Workstations, which were used to design elements from the film, including the one million crowd characters and the movement of the superheroes’ capes. In addition to the workstations, DreamWorks Animation was equipped with HP ProLiant servers, storage and networking solutions.

The increased performance of the HP Z800 HP Workstations, made possible by the units’ high speed Intel processing cores, memory and option drives, meant that DreamWorks Animation artists could manipulate their creations more quickly, leaving more time to create and innovate with new effects and rich animation.

“Earlier this year, HP technology helped bring our animators’ imaginations to life in two 3-D blockbusters with Shrek Forever After and How to Train Your Dragon, so HP Workstations were the natural choice to explore new creative frontiers in Megamind,” says Derek Chan, Head of Digital Operations, DreamWorks Animation. “Running up to 50 per cent faster than previous models, we found the HP Z800+ Workstations enabled our animators focus on what’s important – the detail of their creations – rather than their IT.”

“DreamWorks Animation is constantly pushing the boundaries of innovation in animation to excite and engage audiences in new ways. Similarly, at HP we strive to take the power and performance of our technology to the next level to provide our customers with the tools they need to unleash their creativity and realise their imaginations,” said Jim Zafarana, vice president and general manager of Global Business Unit, Workstations HP.