Interview with the film makers of “The Boss Baby” Ramsey Naito and Tom McGarth

The Boss Baby Miami Press Day — Director Tom McGarth and Producer Ramsey Naito

I recently had a chance to sit down in Miami to chat with Producer Ramsey Ann Naito, Director Tom McGarth of The Boss Baby. The newest animated film by DreamWorks Animation out in theaters on March 31.

Tom McGarth shared his personal connection with The Boss Baby, being the youngest in the family himself and this film being an apology letter to his brother for making his life so miserable as kids as he was his nemesis. Now they are best friends, and much of the imaginary play in the film is how they played as kids.

The film is an amalgam of the 60’s 70’s and 80s(my favorite decade).Ramsey Naito thought it was important for it to be a time before cellphones and computers, when kids went outside and used their imagination.

TM: We grew up watching Peter Pan and Lady and the Tramp which transported you to a magical place, like your stepping into a painting. So we really wanted to go back to that, doing shape language based on the design of the 60s. Big soulful eyes, makeing the characters appealing and connect with each other.

Q:There were moments of comedy that stem from cartoons from the 90s, what influenced the humor in The Boss Baby?

TM:Cartoons you saw in the 90s were influenced by the cartoons in the 50s and the 40s. We went further than that even with the dialogue. The animators are the stars, we wanted as much physicality and humor from the animators.

RN: when you get the DVD there are some extras with lots of that footage.

This was a story that was a reflection of my life. I have 3 kids, the eldest was 7 when his brother arrived like Tim Templeton and was very jealous and afraid that he was going to be replaced or loss all his love and it was a stressful time for him. So I related to this story an emotional journey that I was completely captivated by.

Synopsis:

DreamWorks Animation and the director of Madagascar invite you to meet a most unusual baby. He wears a suit, speaks with the voice and wit of Alec Baldwin, and stars in the animated comedy, DreamWorks’ THE BOSS BABY. THE BOSS BABY is a hilariously universal story about how a new baby’s arrival impacts a family, told from the point of view of a delightfully unreliable narrator, a wildly imaginative 7 year old named Tim. With a sly, heart-filled message about the importance of family, DreamWorks’ THE BOSS BABY is an authentic and broadly appealing original comedy for all ages.