Brief: The success of recent films such as Shrek 2 has been reflected in the positive start to DreamWorks Animation's IPO

The winning combination of technology, art and commerce was on display last week in DreamWorks Animation's initial public offering. Building on the financial success of this year's "Shark Tale" and "Shrek 2" releases, DreamWorks last Thursday spun off the animation unit, raising $812m in a deal that saw shares soar from $28 to $38.75 by market close.

The IPO highlights the growing sway of technology in the animation business, where breakthroughs in software, processing power and data storage can be as important as raw artistic ability.

"No matter how much faster computers get, it takes the same amount of time to render computer animated movies, because the effects keep getting more sophisticated," said Scott Owen, a professor of computer science at the University of Georgia and an adviser for Siggraph, the computer animation industry's main annual trade show.

For an in-depth look at the implaications of the IPO, click here.

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