Once upon a time, in a far away swamp, there lived an ornery ogre named Shrek whose precious solitude is suddenly shattered by an invasion of annoying fairy tale characters.

Kickboxing pandas, misunderstood dragons and grumpy green ogres — the DreamWorks Animation universe is inhabited by all sorts of creatures.

With 37 feature films — including latest release Abominable, in cinemas now — DreamWorks has been willing to take risks, widen its talent pool and spring plenty of surprises.

Just how many surprises is made plain in DreamWorks Animation: The Exhibition — Journey from Sketch to Screen, now open at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra.

More than 400 items are on show — concept drawings, original artwork, models and interactive digital exhibits — and this rarely-seen archival material, drawn from DreamWorks Animation vaults, will illuminate a hidden world.

It’s a world where gifted animators, designers, directors and writers harness the latest filmmaking processes to tell heart-and-soul stories that make millions happy.

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For Kate Morschel — curator of the exhibition — it’s a “dream” to be able to lend her skills to the film studio that gave us such gems as Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon and Madagascar.

“I remember watching Antz (DreamWorks’ first animated feature) back in 1998. Then I saw Shrek in 2001. I laughed so hard I cried,” Morschel said.

“It’s a lot of fun to revisit these films at work. People everywhere invest in these characters and feel like they are a part of their world.’’

Hatched jointly by DreamWorks Animation and ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image), the show is divided into three sections.

The first unpacks the development of key characters using sketches, portraits and puppets. The second, about storytelling, shows how the kernel of an idea evolves into a final script.

In the exhibition’s third section, visitors will see how richly imagined worlds become fully realised computer-generated environments.

Journey through the Viking township of Berk on the back of Toothless in an immersive 180-degree theatre experience, or witness the time-travelling adventure of Mr Peabody & Sherman developed from an idea into thousands of storyboards.

“This is a magical opportunity to see some of your favourite characters like you’ve never seen them before,” Morschel said. “I guarantee this will be a special moment for both adults and kids alike.”

DreamWorks Animation: The Exhibition is now open at the National Museum of Australia.

DETAILS

Venue: National Museum of Australia, Canberra

Season: Until February 2, 2020

Opening times: Monday to Sunday, 9am-5pm

Prices: $20 adult, $12 child and $50 family

Bookings: nma.gov.au

TIPS FOR VISITING THE DREAMWORKS EXHIBITION

From the National Museum of Australia’s head of visitor experience

1. BOOK YOUR TICKETS: Buy your tickets at nma.gov.au

2. RIDE FREE: Hop on the Culture Loop shuttle bus from the Canberra Centre

3. DON’T MISS OUT: Make sure to visit the Dragon Flight or the Drawing Room

4. TREAT YOURSELF: Grab your own Shrek ears or Poppy the Troll wig

5. BECOME A MUSEUM FRIEND: Sign up and beat the queues