In the spacious offices of Blue Sky Studios' headquarters in White Plains, New York, festive ribbons and balloons adorned the space. The casually dressed employees all wore happy smiles, gathered around and counting down together, "3, 2, 1!"
"Wow!" Mike Arlinghaus, the returning Animation Production Supervisor and Technical Director from Los Angeles to New York, exclaimed as he popped the champagne. With a "pop," the sparkling wine sprayed into the air. He shook the champagne bottle back and forth, causing the people around him to dodge, filling the office with laughter, and the animators screamed, "Oh my God! Don't come this way," "No, no, I really can't take this!"...
Grossing over sixty million in box office receipts in its opening week, "Ice Age" greatly exceeded market expectations and deserved a grand celebration from Blue Sky and Fire Flame. Throwing a little party in the office was one way to celebrate.