National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Shrek arrived in May 2001 as DreamWorks Animation's defining statement, a computer-animated fairy tale that upended genre conventions with irreverent humor and genuine emotional depth. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, the film became a cultural phenomenon, winning the inaugural Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and launching one of animation's most successful franchises. Its blend of pop-culture satire and heartfelt storytelling marked a turning point for the studio and for mainstream animation broadly.

This cell captures the DreamWorks SKG title card, the iconic moonlit figure fishing from a crescent moon set against a cloudy night sky. Appearing at the film's opening moments, it represents the studio's signature identity as audiences first encountered it on 35mm prints during Shrek's original theatrical run.