Akadot had the opportunity to meet with Frank Gladstone of DreamWorks Pictures regarding the upcoming domestic release of the feature film Millennium Actress. Millennium Actress is the first Japanese animation title DreamWorks will distribute, and Gladstone tells Akadot why this particular film over all the other untouched animation titles was chosen. Gladstone also shares his experiences working in America's animation industry and his thoughts about Japanese animation.

Akadot: For fans that are unaware, please tell us a little bit about yourself.

Frank Gladstone: I've been in the business for about 30 years and started as an independent animator in Miami, Florida doing commercials, educational films, and teaching [animation]. There were no animation schools in Florida and anyone who worked with me basically had to be taught what to do, so I began by teaching my own crew and soon ended up teaching at the University of Miami as well. I eventually was hired to find talent during the expansion of animation here in the states during the 1990's. I went to work for Disney as a recruiter and a teacher of animation. I also worked at Warner Brothers as a producer. I call myself an "art guy" but my real job is artistic development; helping the artists at DreamWorks gain a greater understanding of filmmaking. I also find films that are valuable and worth looking at, studying and distributing, which is how I came across Millennium Actress.

Akadot: What were some of the projects you worked on during your career?

FG: I was at Disney and worked as a trainer on The Rescuers Down Under, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King. And I left right at the end of Pocahontas. At Warner Brothers I worked on Quest for Camelot and here [DreamWorks] I began at the very end of The Prince of Egypt, so basically I've worked on The Road to El Dorado and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.

Akadot: Since you worked at many production companies, how do you like working at DreamWorks now?

FG: DreamWorks has allowed me to expand what I do and let me define my job to a greater degree and allowed me to do more things than at the other studios. Though I was a producer at Warner Brothers, my work at DreamWorks has been probably the most fun and I am always looking for that. For instance, allowing me to go to Japan with Digital Manga might never have happened at the other studios I guess.

Akadot: When did DreamWorks come up with the idea that the animation industry is growing in America and start researching Japanese anime?

FG: It didn't happen like that really. It was basically an idea that both myself and producer Janet Healy [DreamWorks] with the assistance of Hikaru Sasahara [Digital Manga, Inc.] came up with. I have always been interested in anime and the production process, which always intrigued me. We thought we should just go [to Japan] and it would be just a familiarization trip. We wanted to see what was out there and meet some studios with no other goal in mind. It was a very worthwhile trip and a lot of fun. I really loved seeing the studios and I like the way anime is produced. We met a lot of terrific people.

We are very aware of the power of anime and how it works in certain markets. But, that wasn't the initial reasoning behind this effort. We wanted to see how things were shaping up in the anime world and my agenda was to look at the production techniques. By doing so, we met a lot of people, saw a lot of studios, and saw some interesting projects.

Akadot: How did you come across working with Digital Manga, Inc. and when did you decide to take on this project and take a trip to Japan?

FG: Well, Hikaru got sent to me, serendipitously, through the company switchboard. He was looking for a contact for website we had at the time and I helped him. I set up an appointment for him with the web group and told him I was interested as well. I asked if I could sit in on the appointment. We [Hikaru and I] got along. I like Hikaru and he likes me. When DreamWorks said they would send Janet and I, and when Hikaru said he would act as guide, then that's where the whole thing really started.

We also talked, from time to time, with other anime companies as well, so I don't want to lead you into believing there was just one contact. In fact, all the American studios have looked as anime as a possibility, as have we. Animation studio representatives have been here before, not only from Japan but from other countries as well. It was just that this time we formulated an organized effort. Other times it has been just "come in, go out."

Akadot: Do you think it was because you went to Japan that this project worked out?

FG: I don't know if it was actually that. The trip to Japan just gave us a window to look at things and establish face-to-face contacts with producers, directors, and publishing companies there. We were exposed to many interesting things.

Akadot: When did you first hear about this film?

FG: I first heard about this film when we visited Japan. There was only a one sheet, a small poster and some artwork and a brief synopsis [of this film]. The one sheet intrigued both Janet and I. We asked the producer, Taro Maki, when the picture was finished [it was just ending production] if we could see it. So about six months later, Klockworx [Asian distributor of the movie] came over and showed it to us.

Akadot: What was it about that one sheet that intrigued you so much?

FG: A couple of things looking back. First, it didn't look like your "usual" anime picture. It wasn't robot suits, it wasn't doll-baby Sailor Moon style, it was a very realistic approach stylistically. Also, the idea of the film about an actress and filmmaking was engrossing, but we didn't know much more than that. It was intriguing and it was something different, frankly, and because it was something different, we wanted to see it.

Akadot: Was the artwork the first thing that really impressed you?

FG: Yes, it was the artwork. It was very appealing. Then, the idea that this was about an actress in the film business. The synopsis at the time was relatively open and the idea of the story was out of the ordinary. We wanted to see what it was like.