Everybody’s favorite panda is back! Meet the filmmakers of “Kung Fu Panda 3” and learn how to fold dim sum with San Francisco’s M.Y. China’s executive chef Tony Wu.
Video Content: Kung Fu Panda 3 and folding Dim Sum with chef Tony Wu (2016)
SIDEWALKS host Veronica Castro talks to the filmmakers of “Kung Fu Panda 3,” producer Melissa Cobb and directors Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Alessandro Carloni. Also, they learn how to fold dim sum by Executive Chef Yong Dong (Tony) Wu from M.Y. China.
Mini-Biographies:
Jennifer Yuh Nelson (Director) made her feature film directorial debut with “Kung Fu Panda 2” and is co-director for film #3. Other DreamWorks Animation’s motion pictures includes 2008’s “Kung Fu Panda” (as head of story), 2005’s “Madagascar” (as story artist), 2003’s “Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas” (as head of story) and 2002’s “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron” (also as story artist). Prior to joining DreamWorks Animation, Nelson worked at HBO Animation, where she served as director, story artist and character designer for HBO’s animated series “Spawn.”
Born in Bologna, Italy, Alessandro Carloni (Director) has been involved with several DreamWorks Animation feature films, such as 2014’s “How to Train Your Dragon 2” (as co-head of story), 2011’s “Kung Fu Panda 2” (as story artist), 2010’s “How to Train Your Dragon” (as head of story), 2008’s “Kung Fu Panda” (as supervising animator and story artist), 2006’s “Over the Hedge” (as story artist and animator) and 2003’s “Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas” (as animator). Prior to DreamWorks Animation, Carloni worked in Denmark for the feature film “A Fish Tale” (as an Animation Supervisor and Sculptor) and in Germany for Munich-Animation’s “The Shark and the Piano Player (co-director and was the Animation Director) worldwide. In Italy, France and England, Carloni directed numerous commercials and music videos for international stars. He co-created the music video for Busta Rhymes and Mariah Carey’s “You Know I Got It.”
Melissa Cobb (Producer) produced both ”Kung Fu Panda” (2008) and ”Kung Fu Panda 2” (2011). She is also involved with other ”Kung Fu Panda” projects, including ”Secrets of the Furious Five,” “Secrets of the Masters” “Kung Fu Panda Holiday,” and the Nickelodeon TV series “Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness.” Cobb’s entertainment career started by producing live theatrical projects, including “Greater Tuna” and two series of award-winning plays at the Edinburgh Arts Festival. She segued into feature film production for I.R.S. Media (first as Director of Development, then as VP of Production), where Cobb oversaw many productions and developments, including “One False Move.” Previously, Cobb worked for Walt Disney Pictures as a Creative Executive (later advancing to Director of Production), Senior VP of Production for Blue Peach (animated “Titan A.E.” and the live-action “Ever After”), 20th Century Fox Animation as Senior VP of Production (“Titan A.E.” “Olive, the Other Reindeer”), and VP of Motion Pictures for Television at VH1.
Chef Yong Dong (Tony) Wu is the executive chef at M.Y. China in San Francisco. From Tian Jian, he is known for both northern and southern Chinese cooking including mastery of eight different noodle preparations, knife work and vegetable carving. He has competed in numerous culinary competitions, winning top honors and 33 gold medals in various culinary events. Wu was the first chef to set a record for pulling 16,000 noodles in two minutes. He has worked with some of the world’s top chefs and have cooked for the Prime Minister of Japan, as well as prepared the state banquet for the King of Thailand, the Prime Minister, and many prominent officials. Chef Wu moved to Toronto in 1996 to work at Peking Men Restaurant before moving to Vancouver to open Lee Shen Dek.
Interview Credits:
Recorded: January 9, 2016
Host / Producer: Veronica Castro
Editor: Richard R. Lee
Special Thanks To: 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks Animation, M.Y. China