Chris Meledandri

I grew up with probably three different authors having a seminal influence on my childhood, Dr. Seuss being one and Maurice Sendak being another. ”

I think that every enduring story that has expressions over multiple periods, that role of being the keeper of the integrity of the vision is a very important role. ”

I was pulled out of school for every moratorium day and every rally for a left-wing candidate... from Ed Koch in his heyday to Eugene McCarthy. That's the culture that I came from. ”

I believe people leave a theater bonding with characters. Story is the vessel that carries character. Comedy is a very important component of expressing character. ”

I go back to family: 'Ice Age' was about disparate characters rejected by their own kind. They come together to save the child. 'Despicable Me' is about redefining what a family could be. It has a visual distinction and an experimental quality. ”

Children succeed when grown-ups care about them. ”

My faith in my filmmaking changed on the heels of 'Titan.' It allowed me to pursue things that I previously would have questioned. ”

If you're going to make a movie about a character who is a supervillain, it's fantastic to have a core sense of empathy for that character. ”

Education is supposed to be our great equalizer, but when only half of low-income students are enrolling in college and only three tenths are graduating, you have to figure some of our children are getting a greater equalizer than others. ”

I have been very fortunate since 'Ice Age' to make movies that somehow charm audiences. I think that the key to it for me has been coming up with the right ideas but, more importantly, choosing the right collaborators and artists to execute those ideas. ”