Inside 'Shark Tale'

Considering the complex nature of the process, "The biggest challenge by far was finishing the movie," says Letterman. "There was much to do, and the release date got pushed ahead by a month. I think the total between production and pre-production was three years, and that's really fast for animation. Shrek was five years," he compares. "I think the movies are getting faster now because of computer technology."

Letterman remembers the first time he saw the finished film. "Up until that time, I'd seen it a thousand times in every iteration possible on the AVID system -- we'd watch it on a low-res screen over and over again. But when I finally saw it in a theater with all its resolution, scenes I'd seen a thousand times blew me away. It was like watching it for the first time. The colors were so rich and the details -- it just looked gorgeous."

Lignini was equally satisfied to see the results of his efforts, but admits that the film has changed his perception of fish forever. He can no longer pass by a fish tank without imagining what actors they look like.

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