Barnyard

[droosan]

Didn't Droosan do some modeling on this?

Yes.

I worked mostly on the hens, the two roosters (Peck and Root), one female and one "male" cow (Bessie and Ben), as well as other background (non-speaking) critters such as goats, cats, and owls. All over a period of about 9 months. It was a fun project!

It's a quirky film .. but then, Steve Oedekerk is a quirky guy ..

[Meg]

Neat!

[ShyViolet]

That's awesome, Droosan.

[Ben]

I still can't get over male cows.

Is that touched on in the script??

[ShyViolet]

Hey, Cars had a love scene (kinda) between a boy and girl car, not to mention tiny "beetles" who were like, car insects, (get it?)

After that, I'm willing to accept anything.

[Ben]

Cars in a cars world, yes.

But not male cows, Vi. Not supposedly in the "real" world.

[James]

What makes the male cows even udder - I mean odder - is that I think I actually saw a bull in the film too!

[Ben]

So it's not referenced in the script? That's actually put me off more for this film.

What an udder disappointment.

[droosan]

No, there's no reason given in the film for the "male" cows. And yes, there is a one-shot gag of a bull riding a mechanical man.

Having worked on the film, I'm not really sure I'm at liberty to discuss the "reasoning" behind the "male" cows -- except to say that that's the way writer/director/producer Steve Oedekerk wanted it.

I would like to state, for the record, that I know there is no such thing as "male" cows in the real world (and yes, I was aware of that fact from early on in childhood) -- but I did the job I was asked to do, and had fun doing it.

I think it's also worth noting that rabbits and ducks don't really talk (nor do they generally outwit hunters -- even stupid ones), mice don't have out-of-town "tough-guy" cousins who beat up the resident house-cat when they visit, and panthers don't have pink fur.

In the real world.

[Ben]

I get the real world (sorta)!

But even in these crazy worlds, gender rules are usually respected, and after all this is a kids movie and we're gonna have a whole bunch of kids now who DON'T grow up as lucky as you are knowing that there are no male cows.

At least I know why the white cow in the logo on our front page is now looking so "worried" with that bull's arm round his shoulders!

[James]

I forgot about the bull riding the mechanical man - I actually was talking about a scene near the end where i thought there was a bull amongst the other characters waiting in the barn for an event to occur which I won't mention for the sake of those who haven't seen it.

[James]

Actually "Ben" (the brown animal in our logo) was a male cow as well!

[Ben]

I wasn't sure...so, double-WOW!

[droosan]

If kids today are getting their biology lessons from goofy animated films, thinking there are "male" cows out there is likely to be the least of their problems in later life ..

No worries, Ben .. I knew when I was working on the film 2 years ago that the "male" cow issue would be cause for debate -- and I agree that it is worthy of debate! I only regret that the N.D.A. which I signed prevents me from discussing the issue as openly as I'd like ..

My point was just to say that, no, there is no explanation for the "male" cows in the film -- that's just the way it 'is' ..

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If nothing else, the 'issue' certainly seems to have gotten people talking about the film -- and seeing it; looks like it's on track for a US$15 million domestic opening weekend. That's not 'shabby' for an August release, especially with two other CG animated films out there already.

[Josh]

True, the gender situation in Barnyard is... unique. However, I think there have been weirder situations in animation. Goofy walking Pluto, for instance.