THE BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY & ART OF ANIMATION AND VFX

NOVEMBER 2024

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 THE BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY & ART OF ANIMATION AND VFX

NOVEMBER 2024

How to
Build a
LEGO
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PHARRELL WILLIAMS
IN PIECE BY PIECE

MEMOIR
OF A SNAIL
TOMB RAIDER:
THE LEGEND
OF LARA CROFT
TRANSFORMERS
ONE
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animationmagazine.net
 “ VIBRANTand EMOTIONAL.
A contender for BEST ANIMATED FILM and ONE OF THE BEST SUPERHERO MOVIES OF THE YEAR.”

“The incredible collection of folks who’ve come together

to make Ultraman: Rising have poured their souls
into this action-packed movie with a big, beating heart.
It’s informed by our collective experience as children and parents —
the struggles, the victories, the laughs, and the love.”
– Director, Shannon Tindle

WATCH NOW
 “Season two is about reunification, redemption and the return of hope.
We hope League of Legends players feel like this next phase
of Arcane does right by the champions they’ve known
and played for so long, and that the arcs feel rewarding and earned.”
– Co-Creator, Christian Linke

NOVEMBER
© 2024 RIOT GAMES, INC. ARCANE LEAGUE OF LEGENDS AND ANY ASSOCIATED LOGOS ARE TRADEMARKS, SERVICE MARKS, AND/OR REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF RIOT GAMES, INC.
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WHERE THE ENTERTAINMENT IS

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 NOVEMBER 2024
VOLUME38, ISSUE 89 NUMBER 344
animationmagazine.net

Piece By Piece. Page 18 Memoir of a Snail. Page 14 Stomp! Stomp! Rhinos! Page 36

FRAME-BY-FRAME A Knight to Remember - 28 Making Cinematic Memories - 42

David Skelly and Sharon Flynn take us along on The Animation Is Film Festival returns to L.A.
October Animation Planner - 4 the creative journey of making Nickelodeon’s hot for three days of must-see premieres, panels
The Must-Have List - 6 new property, Max & the Midknights. and special screenings.
World Animation Summit Lineup - 8 VFX
2024 Hall of Fame Honorees - 9 Trick or Theft - 31
The producers of DreamWorks’
FEATURES The Bad Guys: Haunted Heist tell us Tech Reviews - 44
how to scare up a Halloween special. Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve 19,
Robots in Disguise: The Origins - 10 ZBrush for iPad19.
Director Josh Cooley and producer Lorenzo di Final Season in the Final Frontier - 34 SHORTS
Bonaventura gives us the scoop on their big fall Creator/showrunner Mike McMahan offers a
movie, Transformers One. special sneak peek at the fifth and final season Hair Apparent - 46
of Star Trek: Lower Decks. Three balding brothers travel to Istanbul to
Magnificent Misfits - 14 get hair transplants in Nicolas Keppens’
Writer-director Adam Elliot details the making of his Animating the Emotional Life of Children - 36 award-winning short, Beautiful Men.
acclaimed stop-motion feature, Memoir of a Snail. OAK9 Entertainment president Mindaugas
Jokubaitis talks about the innovative Lithuanian CLOSING SHOT
How to Build a Mini-Fig Biopic - 18 animation company’s latest projects.
Go behind the scenes of Morgan Neville’s A Day in the Life - 48
hot new Pharrell Williams LEGO biopic, EVENTS Emmanuèle Pétry, co-founder and head of
Piece By Piece. international productions at Dandelooo gives
Market Savvy! - 38 us a glimpse of her creative world this month.
Consuming Creatures - 22 MIPCOM regulars give us their take on the TV
Director Yoshimi Itazu unwraps the magic of animation industry and the fall market.
his charming feature, The Concierge.
TV/SCREENING
Editorial Cover A: Paramount’s Transformers One
What Makes Lara Tick - 24 Editorial Cover B: Focus Features’ Piece By Piece
Showrunner Tasha Huo discusses the thrills of
bringing Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft MIPCOM Cover: Oak9 Entertainment’s Stomp! Stomp! Rhinos!
to animated life.

animationmagazine.net November 2024 • Animation Magazine • 1

 FROM THE EDITOR
ANIMATION MAGAZINE
September/October 2024
Vol. 39, Issue 7, No. 343

No Replacement [email protected]

President & Publisher: Jean Thoren

for Human Artistry Accounting: Jan Bayouth

EDITORIAL
the studios. (According to a recent impact study, 29% Editor in Chief: Ramin Zahed

of animation jobs will potentially be disrupted in the Multimedia Editor: Mercedes Milligan
Webmaster: Damaso Abrajan
next three years.)
Asst. Webmaster: Lucy Abrajan
On a much happier note, this issue features
Tech Reviews Editor: Todd Sheridan Perry
three stories focusing on three very eclectic, and Copy Editor: Jason Sanchez
innovative animated movies of the season: Josh Cooley’s Contributors: Kambole Campbell, Ryan Gaur,
Transformers One, Adam Elliot’s Dickensian stop-motion Trevor Hogg, Tom McLean, Charles Solomon, Jeff Spry
epic Memoir of a Snail and Morgan Neville’s Lego [email protected]

Pharrell Williams biopic, Piece By Piece. If you need

ADVERTISING SALES
proof that animation can never be boxed in its own
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little category, all you have to do is put these three
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titles next to each other. Each one of them offers its Director of Advertising: Sam Selvaggio

J ust a few days before we wrapped this issue,

news broke that Lionsgate is officially one of
the first Hollywood studios to dive into the pool
of AI technology. The studio has partnered with AI
special kind of magic and will appeal to its own kind
of audience. Of course, I have a feeling most of the
readers of this magazine will love all three movies
because they make perfect use of this medium.
[email protected]

EVENTS
Director: Kim Derevlany
[email protected]
research company Runway to create and train
an exclusive AI model based on its considerable
CREATIVE
portfolio of film and TV content. Not only does Art Director: Francis Klaess
this library include live-action fare such as John
Wick, Twilight and The Hunger Games, it also ACCOUNTING/CIRCULATION
has animated movies like Astro Boy, Norm of Circulation Director: Jan Bayouth

the North, Shaun the Sheep Movie and Rock Dog. [email protected]

Lionsgate vice chair Michael Burns noted

TO SUBSCRIBE
that the AI technology will help reduce costs. For the U.S., the rate is $60 for 1 year or $95 for
He added, “Runway is a visionary, best-in-class 2 years. Rates for Canada and Mexico are US$75
partner who will help us utilize AI to develop for 1 year or US$120 for 2 years delivered by foreign
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six to eight weeks for initial delivery. Also available
already excited about its potential applications to Don’t forget that next month’s issue is our super-
in a digital version for $36 for 1 year or $60 for
their preproduction and postproduction process. We sized tabloid edition, which kicks off our annual Award
2 years. Changes, renewals, cancellations,
view AI as a great tool for augmenting, enhancing and Season coverage. You’ll definitely want to order this questons or comments: [email protected]
supplementing our current operations.” special collector’s issue which is also distributed at
Of course, many people in our creative community our annual World Animation Summit coming to The SUBSCRIPTION CUSTOMER SERVICE
aren’t too happy about this latest development: Runway Garland in N. Hollywood Nov. 3-6. Make sure you put Animation Magazine
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content don’t do so at the expense of creative talent ANIMATION MAGAZINE
and hiring new talent that is trying to get their first (USPS 015-877/ISSN 1041-617X)
jobs in the industry. The Animation Guild is certainly Published monthly except for combined issues of
fighting to place more protections against AI and job June/July and September/October, by Animation
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of images featured herein are the property of
work he has done since then developing this powerful story … their respective owners. Animation Magazine
Thank you again for everything; you’re all worth melting for.” acknowledges the creators and copyright holders
Jennifer Lee in a note to staff after stepping down as Walt Disney of the materials mentioned herein, and does not
Animation Studios CCO to work on upcoming Frozen sequels. seek to infringe on those rights.
Moana writer Jared Bush replaces Lee.
Animation Magazine ©2024 Animation Magazine

2 • Animation Magazine • November 2024

Pushing the limits
of creativity
Toon Boom proudly presents Storyboard Pro
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toonboom.com
 FRAME-BY-FRAME

Animation Planner/ October 2024

Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft Piece by Piece

The Legend of Vox Machina Curses!
Gremlins: The Wild Batch

Memoir of a Snail Kiki’s Delivery Service

Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance Mobile Suit Gundam III
The Patrick Star Show

2 17
More giant robots invade theaters this month, The newest look for the classic mech anime OCTOBER
as AX Cinema Nights blasts screens with property goes gritty in Gundam: Requiem for
three of the classic Mobile Suit Gundam Vengeance, animated in Unreal-powered CG FESTIVALS
movies throughout the month, presented by Sunrise and SAFEHOUSE for Netflix. The
Animest
by Iconic Releasing. streamer also launches the next season of
Bucharest, Romania
Jurassic World: Chaos Theory today.
3 animest.ro
On Prime Video, the third chapter of Critical 18
Role’s The Legend of Vox Machina begins the The Animation Is Film festival returns to BIAF
rogue crew’s journey to hell and back to Los Angeles with a lineup of artistic and Bucheon, S. Korea
save Exandria. Meanwhile, Gizmo & co. narrative stand-outs from around the world. biaf.or.kr
journey to San Francisco in Gremlins: The Wild [animationisfilm.com]
Batch on Apple TV+! Cinekid
21 Amsterdam,
4 Toons take to the Croisette as MIPJunior The Netherlands
Today, Apple TV+ keeps the thrills coming (Oct. 18-20) and MIPCOM (Oct. 21-24) gather cinekid.nl
with Curses! Season 2, continuing the content creators and buyers from around the
adventures of the Vanderhouven family on world in Cannes. [mipcom.com] DOK Liepzig
their quest to de-curse. Liepzig, Germany
25
10 Oscar-winning animator Adam Elliot’s stop- dok-leipzig.de
Terror stalks the deep in Nickelodeon/ motion feature Memoir of a Snail brings a
Paramount+’s new Halloween specials Fredrikstad
delightful indie option to theaters through IFC.
SpongeBob SquarePants - “Kreepaway Kamp” Animation Festival
and The Patrick Star Show - “Something
26 Fredrikstad, Norway
Hayao Miyazaki’s adorable witch flies back animationfestival.no
Stupid This Way Comes” (Oct. 14).
into theaters as Studio Ghibli Fest presents
Another video game icon gets an adult
Kiki’s Delivery Service 35th Anniversary, Kilkenny Animated
animation makeover in Tomb Raider: The
screening thru Oct. 30 with Fathom Events. Kilkenny, Ireland
Legend of Lara Croft, on Netflix today.
kilkennyanimated.com
11 27
Meet your favorite artists and fuel your own
Music lovers will click with Pharell’s LEGO- ReAnimania
animated ambitions at LightBox Expo, taking
animated biopic Piece By Piece, in theaters Yerevan, Armenia
place over three days in Pasadena, Calif.
today through Focus Features. reanimania.com
[lightboxexpo.com]
VIEW Conference
To get your company’s events and products listed in this monthly Turin, Italy
calendar, please email [email protected] viewconference.it

4 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

 FRAME-BY-FRAME

The Must-Have List By Mercedes Milligan

BOOKS DVD/BLU-RAY
Inside Out 2
Pixar’s mega-hit sequel arrives in style with a
Hanna-Barbera, the Recorded SteelBook featuring beautiful box art and Blu-ray
History: From Modern Stone bonus features including two new featurettes
Age to Meddling Kids with the cast & crew discussing the new
Entertainment chronicler Greg emotions and an exploration of Riley’s repressed
memories, plus deleted scenes.
Ehrbar pens this comprehensive,
[Disney | $80 SB | $40 BD | $35 DVD]
344-page review of one of
the world’s most influential Macross Plus Ultimate Edition
entertainment companies. Setting Anime Ltd. has prepared a reverent treatment
this particular history apart is the for the 1980s mech anime. The set collects
first extensive Hanna-Barbera the sci-fi drama series and four-part OVA with
discography ever published, on-disc extras including interviews, plus a 180-
plus more than 140 photos and page art book, Sharon Apple poster and nine art
cards. [Crunchyroll Exclusive | Oct. 31 | $190]
illustrations bringing the studio’s
story to life. [Univ. Press of Arcane Season One
Mississippi | $110 HC / $30 PB] Bridging the Rift: The Making of Arcane; Making
Mel featurette; scene breakdowns: “Happy
Walt Disney Treasures: Personal Progress Day!” / “When These Walls Come
Art and Artifacts from The Walt Tumbling Down” / “Ekko vs. Jinx” / “The Monster
Disney Family Museum You Created” [GKIDS/Shout! | Oct. 8 | $60 4K /
Historical research, firsthand $45 BD]
accounts and Walt’s own words Robot Dreams
come together with 250 images Pablo Berger interview; featurettes: From Reality to
from the Museum’s vast collection Animation / A Once-in-a-Lifetime Friendship /
in this book to illustrate the The Sound of 1980s New York / The Art Direction /
incomparable storyteller’s life and The Animation / Soundtrack / A Love Letter to New
career. Compiled by Walt’s grandson, York / A Film without Words
Walter E. D. Miller, with Executive [Neon | Oct. 8 | $27 BD | $20 DVD]
Director Kirsten Komoroske and
museum staff, the assemblage of
artifacts from the Museum archives MERCH
and exhibits each tell their own
tale. [Walt Disney Family Museum |
Oct. 1 | $50]

The Art of Marvel Studios’

What If…?
Peer into all the possibilities of
the MCU with an animated lens
in this image-packed hardcover.
Authored by Marvel games scholar
Paul Davies and bookended by exec
producers Bryan Andrews and Brad
Winderbaum, the book explores
the toon transformation of your BoxLunch’s Tasty Toon Collabs
A perennial must-browse option for our annual Holiday
favorite Marvel characters through
Gift Guide (coming soon!), BoxLunch is already making
interviews with the show-makers
a play for your pocketbook with new, extensive collabs.
and a universe of production art.
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of One Piece, the e-tailer
[Abrams | $50]
has a legendary treasure trove of cool figures, street-chic
Futurama Presents: Bender’s Guide apparel, home goods and so much more. Impossible to
to Life — By Me, Bender! choose “one piece,” but the exclusive Chopper Cotton Candy
The worst-best advice for human cropped knit tank is one seaworthy option. And it’s pure
puppy love with the Bluey collection — for kids and adults!
meatbags from the galaxy’s best-
Apparel, accessories, plush pillows and more, like the fuzzy
worst robot — fully illustrated!
Our Universe figural mini backpack [$75], are waiting to
[Rizzoli Universe | $22]
come home with you. [boxlunch.com]

animationmagazine.net
 The World
JUST-
ANNOUNCED
PROGRAM!

Summit
AWARD SEASON STUDIO FEATURE PANEL

Vicky Jenson Mike Mitchell Simon Otto Shannon Tindle

With the Spellbound Kung Fu Panda 4 That Christmas Ultraman Rising
directors of the Kelsey Mann David Derrick Jr. Josh Cooley Merlin
year’s biggest Inside Out 2 Jason Hand, Transformers One Crossingham
animated movies! Dana Ledoux Miller Wallace & Gromit:
Moana 2 Chris Sanders Vengeance Most Fowl
The Wild Robot

KEYNOTES AND PANELS

Studio Head Roundtable with Kristine Belson (Sony Pictures Making Toons for Tots: How to make in-demand
Animation), Margie Cohn (DreamWorks Animation) and preschool shows in a tough climate, with Rich Magallanes
Ramsey Naito (Paramount Animation/Nickelodeon Animation) (Dora), Stephanie Simpson (Mighty Monsterwheelies),
Lynne Southerland (Disney Jr.’s Ariel).
Independents’ Day: Featuring the directors of Memoir of a
Snail (Adam Elliot), Piece By Piece (Morgan Neville) and Creative Keynote: Natasha Kline, creator of Disney TV’s new hit
The Glassworker (Usman Riaz). series, Primos.

Games Without Frontiers: A look at the new shows based Balancing Artistic Vision and Commercial Survival: How to
on popular game-inspired titles including Arcane Season 2 make both your muse and your bank account happy, with
and Secret Level, with Tim Miller, Arnaud-Loris Baudry and Jorge R. Gutierrez (Maya and the Three), Mike Hollingsworth
Curtis Lelash. (BoJack Horseman) and others.

Adult Animation: The Next Generation, with Dean Lorey (Creature Crafting Magic in the Emerald Isle: Exploring new frontiers of
Commandos), Mark Levin (Big Mouth) and Sung Jin Ahn (The Legend animation in Ireland.
of Vox Machina).
Artificial Knowledge: Learn about the latest tools, dangers
Survive in ’25: Everything you need to know to thrive in animation and advantages of using AI in the animation pipeline.
during an absolutely trying period.
Secrets of Making Prize-winning, Oscar-Qualifying Animated
Closing Night’s Conversation: Directors Chris Sanders (The Wild Shorts: Class of ’24
Robot) and Joel Crawford (Puss in Boots: The Last Wish) get real!

Four days of Gala Events, Timely Panels,

Inspiring Keynotes and Fun Networking Parties!
NOVEMBER 3-6, 2024
Purchase your discounted tickets today!
Visit animationmagazine.net/summit.

8 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

 ANIMATION MAGAZINE’S

2024 HALL OF FAME AWARD HONOREES

Pete Docter Lisa Henson Claudia Katz

Chief Creative Officer CEO Executive Producer
Pixar The Jim Henson Company Futurama

Nick Park Kevin Michael Richardson Kay Wilson Stallings

Creator-Director Voice Actor, Invincible, The Simpsons, Exec. VP, Chief Creative Development
Wallace and Gromit The Super Mario Bros. Movie and others Sesame Workshop

This year’s distinguished

Hall of Fame Award winners
will be honored at a
special gala event on the
opening night of the
World Animation Summit
Sunday, Nov. 3 at the
Garland Hotel in
North Hollywood
Raymond Zibach Bento Box Entertainment
Production Designer Joel Kuwahara
The Wild Robot Studio of the Year

Hosted by Eric Bauza

Emmy-winning voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and many other favorite animated stars.

animationmagazine.net November 2024 • Animation Magazine • 9

 FEATURES

IN DISGUISE
T H E ORIGIN S
DIRECTOR JOSH COOLEY AND PRODUCER
LORENZO DI BONAVENTURA GIVE US THE SCOOP ON
THEIR BIG FALL MOVIE฀TRANSFORMERS ONE฀ BY JEFF SPRY

entient robots in disguise are stomping into theaters this fall with Transformers One. Billed

S as the first all-CG-animated Transformers movie, the Paramount release tells the backstory
of how two bestie worker bots, Orion Pax and D-16, became future mortal enemies named
Optimus Prime and Megatron billions of years before the live-action franchise took off.
Directed by the Academy Award winner Josh Cooley (Toy Story 4) and shepherded to the big
screen by Transformers super producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Transformers One takes place ages
ago on the machine planet of Cybertron, revealing the turbulent events that took Orion Pax and
D-16 from friends to foes and spawned the rise of the deadly Decepticons.
Cooley (The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille, Brave, Inside Out) is a former Pixar story artist and
director who answered the call to helm this heroic origin story for Hasbro and Paramount, and the
impressive results enter that rarefied air of instant sci-fi classics.
“When I read the first draft of the script, the tone was a little different,” Cooley tells Animation
Magazine. “It was a bit lighter and more cartoony. The thing that was there always was this idea
of going from best friends to antagonists. I always love villains that are more complex. With
Transformers, it’s always been, ‘I’m the good guy. I’m the bad guy. Let’s beat it out.’”

An Epic Bots Tale

“There’s a real arc to this relationship where you see them really working together and you
like them together. Then it would be a real heartbreak once that relationship falls apart. To me,
this could be kind of like those huge epics I love watching like Spartacus or Ben-Hur or The Ten
Commandments — these massive epic stories with a real personal relationship at the core.”
In addition to the striking, color-splashed CG animation provided by Industrial Light & Magic,
Transformers One is blessed with a superstar vocal cast that includes Chris Hemsworth (Orion Pax,
a.k.a. Optimus Prime), Brian Tyree Henry (D-16, a.k.a. Megatron), Keegan-Michael Key (B-127, a.k.a.
Bumblebee), Scarlett Johansson (Elita-1), Laurence Fishburne (Alpha Trion), Jon Hamm (Sentinel
Prime) and Steve Buscemi (Starscream).
Di Bonaventura is a seasoned warrior in the Hollywood trenches who was associated with a
multitude of blockbuster franchises, such as Harry Potter and The Matrix, during his time as an
elite Warner Bros. executive, before setting up shop at Paramount to lead the Transformers charge.
“This origin story is so damn compelling,” he says. “In our business, so often we claim that these
action pictures are character-based. But this story is utterly character-based. The plot is two best
friends who become mortal enemies and change the destiny of Cybertron. It’s a classic plot, and

animationmagazine.net November 2024 • Animation Magazine • 11

 FEATURES

what you quickly realized was we’ve been

limited in live action because every time a
‘You can turn the sound
CG character talks it costs a lot of money. So off on this movie and
we’ve always had to be conscious of how much clearly read what they’re
robot time there is. Here, we had absolutely thinking. Going back to
no restriction. What’s great about it is that we the original G1 designs,
were able to really get in and explore robot which are pretty much
characters in a way we’ve never been able to. just a flat metal face, it
“I loved Toy Story 4, and trying to make the was important that things
were believable.”
fourth movie was a hell of a challenge and
Josh crushed it,” says the producer. “When I DIRECTOR JOSH COOLEY
met with him, he was a die-hard Transformers
fan, and he got what we were trying to do.
And he also had a personal story with his Orion Pax/Optimus Prime for this prequel set become Optimus a bit more, I could see in
brother that had relevance to what we were thousands of centuries in Cybertron’s past. his physical performance he was standing
doing. They grew up best friends, and now “Peter Cullen is the Optimus Prime of my up straighter and started getting the tempo
Josh is in the entertainment world doing childhood that I grew up with,” says Cooley. of Cullen’s performance to the point where
art, and his brother is a cop who has a very “From Day One, it was something that kept me I got goosebumps in the booth. It was really
different worldview. The high bar we had up at night. How do we do a younger version fun working with him on that, and I’m still
here was I wanted us to feel bad for both that feels right? I think it was Lorenzo that blown away.”
characters. It’s really over their philosophies brought up Chris, and I took a listen to his
that they become apart. Essentially, Megatron voice and could hear he had the depth and Calling All Autobots
is a pro-authoritarian character and Optimus the timbre. So we talked about him doing an Acting as a dynamic introduction to the
is pro-democracy.” American accent so it felt like the character Transformers universe for virgin fans, but also
One minor controversy surrounding that would become Optimus. Chris is really intent on satiating the desires of legions
Transformers One was replacing the deep, funny and charming, and he brought that into of Autobot and Decepticon faithful, Cooley
mellifluous pipes of Peter Cullen with Chris the voice from the very beginning. As he got walked a tricky tightrope to balance those
Hemsworth, the MCU’s God of Thunder, to voice toward the end of the script and started to two vital components.
Engaging music elevates Transformers One
far beyond just a simple animated iteration
from the multibillion-dollar transmedia fran-
chise, and Cooley was determined to fortify
the film with an appropriate soundtrack, even
choosing the perfect end-credits tune.
“The score was written by Brian Tyler, who
I absolutely adore. He’s a mad genius. He’s a

Fantastic Planet: Paramount’s Transformers

One takes audiences to the faraway planet of
Cybertron, where we learns about the origin
story of Optimus Prime and Megatron.

12 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

great DJ and musician, and he can play every want to go to that land in a theme park as Eighties Pop: Director Josh Cooley and his team of
instrument. I just knew he was going to be an audience member?’ So it was about not artists pay homage to the Generation One designs
of the original Transformers toys and animated
the only one who can create a song that has making it just a grey or silver ball of stuff. I
series, first introduced in 1984.
the soul of the movie in it. He wrote and looked at a lot of natural metals on Earth,
performed in that song and uses elements and they’re not all just silver. Like onyx is time. So it has an interesting aesthetic because
of the score, so it’s a song that can only come super black and reflective. We used all that you can never be exactly sure if something’s
from this movie, which I absolutely love. I as inspiration to make this world feel alive about to change. At the same time, we wanted
love it and listen to it constantly in the car and really rich.” it to be a colorful world, not because it’s an
and can’t wait for it to get out there.” ILM’s animated movie, but because why wouldn’t
pageantry of pixels on display for this $147 Metallic Magic Cybertron be a colorful world and have a
million production is something audiences Echoing those sentiments, di Bonaventura unique landscape and a unique palette?
have never quite witnessed before, with its was attuned to Cooley’s love of Transformers Too often planets are like desertscapes. We
palpable metallic texturing, modulated facial G1, and that had a huge impact on the movie’s wanted to do the opposite.”
expressions, fantastic world-building and overall design concept. Cooley’s experience on this ambitious cre-
eye-pleasing color palette. “At the same time, the complexity that ative enterprise left him transformed as well.
“The faces are very complicated in the Michael Bay brought to the world of “I loved working with Lorenzo on this film,”
live-action movies, and you can see every Transformers — you can’t just jettison that he says. “I learned so much from him. He’s
nut and bolt moving around and plates because then they become boring,” di done over 100 movies, and they’re amazing
moving over each other,” Cooley explains. Bonaventura adds. “So it’s sort of a combi- films that he’s been a part of. He had such a
“I wanted to make sure it was clear and nation of the two. The look of the picture is great outlook and not just from a filmmaker or
simple in terms of their expressions. You utterly gorgeous, and ILM did a phenomenal storytelling perspective but also as somebody
can turn the sound off on this movie and job right from the get-go, in part because who’s been part of every single Transformers
clearly read what they’re thinking. Going all the artists we were working with are film. That was extremely helpful, and it was
back to the original G1 [Generation One] die-hard Transformers fans, so they put their great to have him as a partner.” n
designs, which are pretty much just a flat souls into this.
metal face, it was important that things were “Our objective was that this is a vibrant Paramount released Transformers One in
believable. It’s not super realistic, it’s not super planet that actually transforms itself all the theaters on Sep. 20.
artsy. The lighting is real. The physics are real.
The reflections are real. It was finding that
balance. I wanted to make sure that things
didn’t get pushed too far or too cartoony.“The
color theme came out of knowing that
we’ve only ever seen Cybertron where it
was dying and falling apart,” the director
explains. “This is Cybertron when things
were going fine. And for me, that’s a huge
thing, because when they start fighting
each other they’re fighting over the planet.
The planet is the thing. It’s like a character;
it needs to be beautiful. I always say, ‘Do I

animationmagazine.net November 2024 • Animation Magazine • 13

 FEATURES

MAGNIFICENT

MISFITS

Writer-director Adam Elliot details the making of reflective of the people around you. Who
inspired Memoir?
his acclaimed stop-motion feature, Memoir of a Snail. Yes. So Mary and Max is based on my real
pen pal. He’s dying at the moment, and I’m
By Kambole Campbell we made Mary and Max, LED lights hadn’t going to try and get to America before he
really evolved, digital cameras have certainly passes. Memoir is based on two people: My
mother, she’s not an extreme hoarder, but

A
lmost 15 years after Mary and Max, improved dramatically. So there was a lot
Australian stop-motion artist Adam for me to quickly learn. I remember years she certainly collects a lot of stuff; and also
Elliot has made a striking return ago, Nick Park talked about making his first a friend of mine who was born with a severe
to feature film directing with Memoir of a feature film, Chicken Run, and that it was cleft palate, and I wanted to combine their
Snail. He hasn’t missed a step. Memoir is a like being creative with a gun at your head, two stories together.
tactile and touching study of loneliness. and you do feel that pressure constantly. So, I did a lot of research on the psychol-
The talented artist, who won an Oscar in And there’s a lot of money at stake, so you ogy of hoarding, and I realized that extreme
2004 for his short Harvie Krumpet, picked have this enormous sense of responsibility hoarders have suffered a lot of trauma in
up Annecy Festival’s Cristal for Best Feature to produce something that works, and yet their life. And also, when does a collec-
for his latest effort, with more accolades every day you fear that that’s not going to tion become a hoard? And often it’s when
sure to follow. We recently spoke to Elliot happen. You’re doing that for 18 months to shame kicks in and that these collections
about working traditionally in the digital two years, with this constant fear of failure are very shameful to them and they don’t
age and finding creativity out of limitation. that keeps you going. But we’re lucky. I really like people coming into their homes, but it
feel a huge sense of relief that this new is often triggered by the loss of a child or
Photo: Arenamedia Pty Ltd

How did it feel to return to feature work film is working. It is certainly challenging a sibling or a twin. Since everything that
after some time away? to some sectors of the viewership, but that’s they accumulate has a sentimental value
I certainly had forgotten a lot of things. I felt good. I want people to be challenged; the and they just can’t bear to let go of them,
like I was almost back to square one, and last thing I want is apathy or indifference. it becomes torturous. So they just accumu-
the technology had changed, the software late and make them unhappier and more
had changed. Dragonframe didn’t exist when You’ve said that the old stories are quite dysfunctional.

14 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

 Voices from Down Under: Sarah Snook, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jacki Weaver, Eric Bana and Nick Cave
provide the voices of the lead characters in Adam Elliot’s Memoir of a Snail.

I think someone did the math. There’s 200 tears. We could have done those visual effects
characters — that includes animals and insects elements digitally, but we thought, “We’ll do
— 200 sets or locations, and we are guessing it the old-fashioned way.”
somewhere between five and 7,000 props. It But also, with AI on the horizon ... I feel
was very ambitious, considering our budget like the pendulum has swung back to hand-
was very low: 7 million Australian dollars. craft a lot more, I think that’s just a sort of
There was a real challenge to work out how reaction to the amount of digital imagery
to make all this stuff but still have high that we’re all exposed to. So, I think stop
production values. So we abandoned a lot motion’s in a very healthy state, maybe even
of things [like] air brushes, so everything a renaissance. You just see directors like
is hand-brushed, hand-painted. There’s no Guillermo del Toro and Wes Anderson —
fabric; all the characters clothes are either they’re all dabbling in stop motion because
painted on or sculpted on. there’s an appreciation for it.

The asymmetrical designs of the

characters in Memoir of a Snail
are captivating. Can you talk me
through them a little?
I find it funny because my whole
life I’ve been trying to draw a
straight line and never been able
to. At the age of 52, it’s like, “Oh,
whatever. It’s a wobbly line, just
embrace your imperfections,” which is what The other thing we did was just go back You mentioned Mary and Max. Was there
I’m trying to say in all my films. And I’ve got to very four basic elements to the film, which any overlap with whom you were working
to practice what I preach, and I think I’m were clay, wire, paper and paint. We used other with on Memoir?
slowly learning to not be embarrassed by materials, but they were the four primary We had the same cinematographer, Gerald
my animation. Certain scenes I think, “Oh, I ingredients to the film, and that’s what kept Thompson, who’s a genius. He’s just got this
wish we could have redone that one.” But it at that sort of very rough around the edges. incredible brain when it comes to technology
you’ve got to learn to let go. I mean, even I was also a bit worried, too. Mary and Max and also lighting, and he’s a huge film buff
the best portrait painters know that there’s started to get a bit too refined for my own himself. Two of the animators, a couple of the
always something that’s not quite right, a liking, and I didn’t like the way certain scenes art department. There was a bit of a crossover.
brush stroke that is a bit wrong. I think age were heading with it, so this time I really A lot of them have retired or moved overseas.
makes you learn that you can try your best, wanted to return to the aesthetic of my short So it’s continually a challenge to find good
and that’s as good as you can hope for. films, just that sort of more grungy, textured animators. And here in Australia, because my
look, really celebrate the brush strokes and films are funded by the government, there’s
There’s a lot of props in this film, even just in the lumpiness, just to say to the audience a mandate to employ local talent. So we
the opening title sequence alone. How many right from the get-go, “This is not CGI.” Again, weren’t allowed to import any; we had to
did you make for the film? What materials which is why we use cellophane for fire and find them all locally. Luckily, we did. So cer-
were you using? cotton wool for smoke and glycerin for the tainly they don’t have the experience of, say,

animationmagazine.net November 2024 • Animation Magazine • 15

 FEATURES

Aardman animators, but it didn’t matter too moments where the character’s ear might the characters are sort of — when they walk,
much because, again, my style is very clunky drop off halfway through his shot, so the they’re like the Muppets. And that’s because
anyway. One of the animators, Nelson, he’d animator has to quickly turn the character’s we didn’t have the time or the money to
only graduated from film school a year or head and keep animating. And sometimes do proper walking and seeing their legs.
two years earlier. He suddenly got dropped the result is something funnier or weirder. I just look at budgets Laika and Aardman
in the deep end and had to animate for his have and I think, “Oh, God, if I could only
life. But he was wonderful. That feels appropriate for a film so invested have half of their budgets, I’d be thrilled.”
in exploring anxiety and body image. [Laughs] Maybe on the next one!
I’m recalling that Nick Park line about having Oh yeah. We experimented with magnets on
a gun to your head. the film. There’s a lot of magnets and the Now I’m wondering what your third feature
Constant pressure. But some people work pupils are magnets and a lot of the arms is going to look like!
brilliantly under pressure and you get some are floating magnets. But that was in many I want to do a road film. I want to get away
incredible results. I think there’s a tendency cases a disaster. There was no going back. from people stuck in their houses. I want
in animation to spend too much time in We just had to stick with these techniques a character who goes on a long journey. I
preproduction. We don’t have that luxury; that we developed. Again, a lot of them were mean, easier said than done. I’ve now got
we have to get it right the first time. And just invented as we were animating. Look, to try and raise millions and millions of
that pressure sometimes doesn’t work — would I like more money and more time to dollars, but hopefully this film, Memoir, will
sometimes it’s a disaster. But more often make my films? Absolutely. Every film I’ve hopefully open doors to more investment,
than not, you do get some great results. made, I feel like there’s been compromises and we’ll see. n
And you get animation that’s a little bit and things I think, “Oh, if only we’d had a
more spontaneous and improvised. We proper camera or a proper light or if only Memoir of a Snail will be released by IFC Films
love happy accidents and serendipitous the characters had legs,” because in this film, in the U.S. on Oct. 25.

UNFORGETTABLE
CHARACTERS

Australian auteur Adam

Elliot shared some of this
early character sketches
for Memoir of a Snail with
Animation Magazine. The
acclaimed director is
best known for his 2003
Oscar-winning short
Harvie Krumpet and 2009
Annecy Cristal-winning
feature Mary and Max.

16 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

 FEATURES

HOW TO BUILD
A MINI-FIGURE
MUSICAL BIO
Director Morgan Neville and animation director Howard E. Baker share
the secrets of their acclaimed new Pharrell biopic, Piece By Piece.

18 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

 BY RYAN GAUR
To its core, Piece By Piece is totally ambitious. The acclaimed new biopic-documentary hybrid
interprets the life story of hip-hop legend Pharrell Williams through Lego animation, diving
into blocky depictions of synesthesia, famous music videos and the intricacies of Pharrell’s
imagination. Piece By Piece is set to be the first Lego feature released under Universal (via
its boutique indie distribution arm, Focus Features) since it picked up the license in 2020.

H
elming the project is Morgan Neville, a live-action Studios, the animation house responsible for a wealth of Lego-
documentarian known for Best of Enemies, Won’t animated projects, including 2010’s The Adventures of Clutch
You Be My Neighbor? and 20 Feet from Stardom, Powers, which Baker directed four years before Phil Lord and
which won the Oscar for Best Documentary Christopher Miller’s The Lego Movie. Coming onto Piece By Piece
Feature. Neville’s return to musical storytelling after the footage had been shot, Baker felt less like he was simply
shows his fascination with genius. “Pharrell is full of magical remaking a live-action documentary.
thinking, the idea of, ‘If everybody’s going this way, I’m going off “I always felt like we were making a movie for the first time,”
that way,’” Neville tells Animation Magazine. “I responded to that Baker explains. “Morgan’s version of the film was, for me, my crew
and thought, ‘Why can’t we do a film like this? Why not?’ I think and my board artists, like a script. Morgan allowed us to take a
this is reflective of his whole career.” lot of the ideas that were in the first version of the film.” Some
Neville quickly realized that Lego wasn’t just a gimmick to of Baker’s team had to learn to go against their instincts. “As
Pharrell. “It’s central to how his creative process works, this idea artists who had come from a traditional animation background,
of constructing your own realities and having agency over your they wanted to restructure it more like an animated film. I think
destiny,” he adds. “This whole film is about how we listen to Morgan did have to, at one point, say, ‘No, let’s keep the structure.’”
our creative voices, how we lose touch with them and how the
world wants us to remain stagnant. All those questions are very Shifting Gears
interesting to me.” This conflict was borne from the way the film flows between
different styles. “There are three storytelling gears,” Neville
Footage Feast explains. “There’s a documentary gear, where we’ve got a music
Animators are used to working with reference footage, but video or footage we shot that we’re translating into animation.
Pharrell asked Neville to take that to the extreme. “The first Then there’s a cinematic gear, which is when somebody’s telling
time I met Pharrell, his pitch to me was, ‘I want you to make a a story and it’s like a regular movie. And finally the music gear,
documentary about my life, and when you finish it, I want you to which is when the music comes in, the real world disappears and
throw out all the footage and do it again in Lego,’” Neville recalls. the rules go out the window.” For Neville, this could only work in
“So I feel like we made the film twice. We made a version of the a fully animated film. “I’ve made documentaries before where we
film where we did the interviews, the archive footage, the movie
clips and some rough storyboards. Then we came to Howard and Building a Lego-cy: After a hugely successful debut at the Telluride
started again from the beginning, re-storyboarding the whole film.” Film Festival in August, Piece By Piece has emerged as one of the
The Howard in question is Howard E. Baker of Pure Imagination big award season contenders in several major categories.

animationmagazine.net November 2024 • Animation Magazine • 19

 FEATURES

have animated sequences, but when you a documentary!’ because he might have doing synesthesia.’ I said, ‘Yeah, but have
go to an animated sequence, that’s a huge tried to make things too perfect. Finding you done it out of Lego?’ At one point, I was
leap for a viewer. When you’re in the Lego that balance was difficult.” very convinced the film was really about
world and suddenly your character takes off synesthesia. That faded away just because it
and is floating in space, you just go with it.” Seeing Sounds became overwrought. There were times when
That didn’t stop the two mediums from By taking on an animated project, Neville storyboards had synesthesia everywhere.”
clashing. “The documentary impulse and had a steep learning curve, but he clung What you can make from Lego is only
the animation impulse are diametrically onto the specific ideas he was interested in inhibited by the blocks available. However,
opposed,” says Neville. “In animation, you exploring. Pharrell’s synesthesia, a condition adapting a real-life story forced Lego to
have a great deal of control. You can world- that lets him see sounds taking the form of think more about diversity. “Hair and skin
tone were things that Pharrell knew were
going to be really important,” Neville says.
“The documentary impulse and the animation impulse
“We discussed that from the get-go with
are diametrically opposed. There was a healthy debate
Lego. We wanted to be able to do more to
we constantly had about how we keep all the rawness
represent the varieties of African American
and imperfections of documentary in animation.”
skin tones and hair representation. I think I’m
DIRECTOR MORGAN NEVILLE
really proud of how many different things we
were able to pioneer in the film, in terms of
build, you get to decide every detail of colors, was one of those ideas. “It’s a kind of pushing Lego into new directions.”
every item. In a documentary, you have superpower, it certainly stands in for that. Baker echoes Neville’s point with an anec-
no control. You walk into a room and you When Pharrell [in the film] is at his most cre- dote.“When we were showing Pharrell designs
don’t get to decide what it looks like, you ative, this synesthesia is at its most saturated of characters using the Lego hair that was
don’t always get to decide where to put and prevalent. That was something we had available, I remember at one point he said, ‘I
the camera. There was a healthy debate we a lot of discussions about, how synesthesia really don’t feel represented,’” Baker recalls.
constantly had about how we keep all the could be a storytelling device which we “It was wildly eye-opening for me. From
rawness and imperfections of documentary could show in animation and never show in that day on, I remember trying to be more
in animation.” a regular documentary.” open to the idea that these things do need
Baker backs up that need for balance. Baker brought in an industry legend to to change and that we had the power to do
“Because animation is so pragmatic, we tackle Piece By Piece’s depiction of synes- that. I’m really proud of that, too.” n
have this instinct of trying to make every- thesia. “I called Michel Gagné, who’s famous
thing perfect. There are art directors and for doing synesthesia animation in films Focus Features releases Piece By Piece in U.S.
people in animation who are so snobbish like Ratatouille. He was like, ‘I think I’m done theaters on Oct. 11.
about how everything needs to be perfect
all the time, but we had to try and keep
‘When we were showing Pharrell designs of
things casual and natural. A lot of the time,
characters using the Lego hair that was available,
we would do things and ask Morgan, ‘Do
I remember at one point he said, ‘I really don’t feel
you think this is OK?’ And he’d be like,
represented.’ It was wildly eye-opening for me.”
‘Well, yeah. It’s a documentary, that’s what
it looks like.’ There were even times where ANIMATION DIRECTOR HOWARD E. BAKER
we had to say to Morgan, ‘But, Morgan, it’s

20 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

 AND VFX
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 ANIME

CONSUMING
CREATURES

The Customer’s Always Right!

A young girl learns how to deal
with the demanding animal
clients of a luxury department
store in Yoshimi Itazu’s whimsical
feature, The Concierge.

Director Yoshimi Itazu unwraps the magic of his charming feature, The Concierge.
By Charles Solomon — and a commitment to customer service in September.
that’s all but vanished. Its luxe settings envelop Itazu talked about the film with Animation

Y
oshimi Itazu’s The Concierge (2023) the viewer like a cashmere wrap, but it’s an Magazine in a recent Zoom interview from the
blends seemingly incompatible exercise in minimal design that looks doubly Melbourne International Film Festival, with
elements into a gentle, touching striking at a time when many animated films Rika Shimo translating. He began by explaining
story. It’s a light comedy about a are rendered in intricate detail. that he wanted to communicate as much as
young woman growing into her dream job, but Based on the manga The Concierge at he could about the main character through
it carries a powerful, if understated, ecological the Hokkyoku Department Store by Tsuchika movement alone. On her first day as a con-
message. It’s set in the 21st century and the Nishimura that ran in Big Comic Zokan (2017- cierge at the high-end Hokkyoku Department
characters use cellphones, but it evokes the 18), the film was released theatrically as The Store, Akino is eager to do her very best, but
palatial retail emporia of the 19th century Concierge in the U.S. by Crunchyroll and Sony she’s more than a little maladroit.

22 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

Revealing Movements “The subject of the film isn’t actually emphasize the action. There might
“From the beginning, I wanted to express just the animals. I wanted to be very vigorous movement in a scene, and
interesting aspects of the characters by using think about how difficult it is then it suddenly stops. When it stops, it really
movement,” said Itazu. “I thought if Akino was to understand each other — emphasizes that frame and gives it a lot of
a little bit clumsy because she’s a newbie and whether it’s communications importance. I was really aware of that effect.”
she’s a little bit uninformed in many ways, it between animals and Although The Concierge was animated by
would make her movements quite funny. As animals or between animals Production I.G, Itazu has worked at other stu-
the movie progresses, you can actually see and humans.” dios: He did key animation for Satoshi Kon’s
that the clumsiness of her movements is DIRECTOR YOSHIMI ITAZU Paprika and Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the
diminishing. You can see her development Heron and The Wind Rises. “I think Kon-san
through the evolution of her movements.” has been an influence on my own work as a
Akino grows into the job, although her director — how to handle the structure of the
progress is neither easy nor linear. One of her entire film and how to think about the story,”
first clients is a glamorous sea mink who need he reflected. “I never tried to mimic him, but
a present for her old-fashioned father. Akino he has influenced me profoundly.”
suggests a fountain pen. But when an older
sea mink in a traditional kimono comes to buy Ring Them Up!
a present for his daughter, Akino realizes that The entire film takes place within the
it’s her customer’s father and what he really Hokkyoku Department Store, which offers
needs is a pocket watch: His thick fur makes everything a customer could want. The min-
his wristwatch hard to read. Akino dashes imal but luxurious merchandise counters and
back and forth between counters, switching displays recall the elegant stores of a bygone
merchandise and making frantic explanations era. “The department store itself is actually
to both customers. one of the characters,” Itazu commented.
She demonstrates her increasing assurance “While I visited the Bon Marché and Galeries
and competence when she rallies the staff of Lafayette in Paris, it’s also based on some of
the store’s restaurant to help a shy Japanese the more traditional department stores in
wolf propose to his girlfriend in a memorably continued. “Audiences can understand Akino’s Japan. I tried to focus on the nostalgic aspect
romantic way. She enlists fellow staffers and character through their laughter. Many people of the movie — the good old days.”
grateful customers to shoot a video of the who watch the movie will have experienced Although the Hokkyoku Department Store is
store’s holiday decorations for a parakeet starting a job and eventually getting better staffed by humans, its customers are animals,
whose daughter is too ill to come shopping, at it. The audience can relate to her and feel and its most valued customers— the VIAs
things Akino could never have managed at close to her. I thought laughter would be a (Very Important Animals) — are endangered
the start of the film. good way to get people involved in her story.” or extinct species. Among Akino’s clients, the
“I think it’s important for a story to have a Itazu preserved the look of Nishimura’s sea mink and the Japanese wolf were exter-
funny element because that makes people original manga (available in English in two minated in the early 20th century.
relax and relate more to the movie,” Itazu volumes from Seven Seas Entertainment). The “I’ve always been interested in ecology, and
character designs are simple and sketchy, with I’ve done some research on the subject,” Itazu
a few lines suggesting a pose or an expression. said. “But the subject of the film isn’t just the
“Because the characters are quite simple, animals. I wanted to think about how difficult
you really have to be careful about how you it is to understand each other — whether it’s
place them in each scene,” he explained. “We communications between animals and animals
had to be very aware of the backgrounds. But or between animals and humans. That was an
because the character designs are simple, it idea I wanted the audience to think about.”
was much easier to move them than realistic “In this movie, I really emphasized Japanese
characters would have been. We could depict culture,” he concluded. “As I was aware of that,
their movements in a much more natural way. I made sure that it would be easy for not just
I looked to the older Toei studio animation Japanese viewers but for other people to
as a guide.” understand. I think laughter is a really good
As a director, Itazu will often pause the medium for people to share their sentiments.
action, using a dynamic still frame to under- When I brought The Concierge overseas, it
score a story point or an emotional moment. seemed to strike a chord with foreign audi-
“I used it like a rhythm, so I was very careful ences as well.” n
in how I used it,” he said thoughtfully. “If
I wanted to focus or strengthen a certain The Concierge was released by Crunchyroll
still frame, then I would use action around in September. It will debut on the streamer
it and vice versa. I might use a still frame to later this year.

animationmagazine.net November 2024 • Animation Magazine • 23

 TV/ STREAMING

like Tomb Raider? Come on in, I want to tell

WHAT
you about this secret thing that we’re going
to be doing.’ It was someone that I knew, and
we really enjoyed working together before
so of course I was incredibly stoked.”

MAKES Understanding the Adventuress

Video games and television are such vastly
different mediums that when adapting an IP
from the former to the latter, it’s important
to find the essence of the game’s identity

LARA and infuse it into your adaptation. For Huo,

that essence was Lara Croft’s distinctive per-
sonality. “I always wanted my version to be
very character driven,” she states. “We know

TICK?
the action and the adventure of the video
games, but if we’re doing a TV show, how do
you make that different? I wanted to explore
her psychology and who she is behind that
superhero we play as. What’s cool about the
canon that we’ve been given is that we have
Showrunner Tasha Huo discusses the thrills of bringing ‘Survivor Lara’ and her origin story, who is a
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft to animated life. very different woman than the woman she
eventually becomes in the classic [‘90s] era. I
By Ryan Gaur of Lara Croft. The 2D series will act as a direct was really excited to explore what must have
continuation of the 2018 game Shadow of gone on in her life to create that completely
etflix’s train of animated video game

N
the Tomb Raider, requiring a showrunner different person.”
adaptations is moving full speed with a deep knowledge and appreciation Expressing character and action through
ahead. Coming off acclaimed inter- for the series. animation was new to Huo, having not worked
pretations of the Cyberpunk and Castlevania “The producer, while in the process of in the medium previously. “It was all very
franchises and as they gear up for the second getting the rights, saw that I was posting daunting,” says Huo. “Luckily, it’s something
season of League of Legends adaptation Arcane, all of my updates of playing Shadow on I love so much and am so passionate about,
Netflix claims more territory in the video Facebook,” showrunner Tasha Huo tells because I think the vision was always there
game space through Tomb Raider: The Legend Animation Magazine. “He was like, ‘Oh, so you and I just needed to learn these new tools.

a Croft
g e n d of Lar
The L e rylines
Raider: adult sto
1996.
: To m b t s a n d
sigh
duced in
n
me Is O gical in r o
The Ga s ych olo
r fir s t in t
eeper p haracte
brings d la r game c
o p u
to the p
 Landing
scheduled...

F R O M 8 TH T O 1 4 TH J U N E 2 0 2 5

www.annecyfestival.com
 TV/ STREAMING

“What’s cool about the canon is that we have ‘Survivor Lara’

and her origin story, who is a very different woman than the
woman she eventually becomes in the classic [‘90s] era.”
SHOWRUNNER TASHA HUO

forth about her look and design, everyone is in our extensive post production. Our
just got it.” Just as important as Lara’s design artists will place a lot of additional work on
was the design of the world, “The history the drawings, timing, and composting for
and the locations and the globe-trotting is each shot, to ensure a ‘Powerhouse Style’
I asked the team a lot of questions at the so important to the video game series that that sets us apart from other studios. We
beginning and just absorbed everything. it had to be absolutely incredible in the have a very hands-on approach throughout
Now I feel like an expert. I’m doing another animation. The paintings had to tell that the entire pipeline, which allows for a
animated show over at Amazon and it’s such story, and I think they knocked it more polished final result. Our
a fun medium to get into. I’ve always wanted out of the park.” goal is to be as efficient as
to do animation, but for a long time you had Locations were top possible, while achieving
to be a comedy writer to even be noticed. of mind for the show’s the highest quality show
Now we’re entering this new space with supervising director, we can make.”
things like Arcane and Tomb Raider and Blue Powerhouse’s Julie Olson echoed Huo’s
Eye Samurai and Mighty Nein, the other show Olson, who saw them importance placed on
that I’m working on, where it’s actually very as the unique challenge fidelity to the source
adult, and they’re looking for dramatic writers of The Legend of Lara material. “The games
to tell those elevated stories.” Croft.“Like any adventure were our first inspira-
Huo was also keen to take full advantage story, it involves travelling tion,” she states. “Early in
of the medium’s ability to play on a big scale. to complex environments production we sat down
“It’s the animation that I wish I’d seen earlier,” that are both ‘never before seen’ with stills and screenshots and
explains Huo. “We get to have the violence but also adhere to cultural and his- worked to make those our goal in
and the action and the adventure, and we toric reality,” Olson tells Animation Magazine. creating moody, atmospheric sequences.
don’t shy away from big adult themes and “Each location had an element of game-level Adventure in an ancient tomb is often coupled
set pieces. Animation has always created complexity to it to match the sort of moving with the supernatural and horrific. One studio
this huge sense of epicness and fantastical, action and puzzle solving of an adventure that always manages to blend those elements
whimsical brightness. There’s something genre show. Lara is hardly someone to sit so well is Studio Ghibli. We were excited
cool about being able to set Lara through still, and building the world to film her in to create unique but slightly off-putting
a larger-than-life world made from what was a unique task for our crew.” monsters into the show. The original games
we can do with paintings and had so many small horror moments that we
backgrounds, the cool stuff Powerhouse Style love inserting those visuals when we can.”
that you get in animation, Powerhouse’s rela- When an IP builds as big a following
specifically.” tionship with Netflix is as Tomb Raider has over multiple decades,
As with a good chunk a boon in an industry crafting an adaptation requires a form of
of Netflix animated where consistent work fan service. The definition of fan service is
series, The Legend of is never guaranteed. nebulous, but for Huo, it came naturally to
Lara Croft was brought Powerhouse’s pipe- the show. “It requires that you come to the
to life by Powerhouse line for producing project with a passion for it and a fandom
Animation Studios. 2D, anime-style shows for it already,” she claims. “For me, I found
Previously helming ensures a high quality that if I was pleasing myself and making
such series as Castlevania, product, greatly enhanc- the show that I wanted as a fan, then fans
Masters of the Universe and ing the chances of working will also love it because I am one of them.
Skull Island, Powerhouse has with a studio again. “We provide As long as I’m seeing the things that I wish I
gained a reputation for handling beloved a strong marriage between our own internal had when playing the games, or what I wish
IP. Huo’s experience with the studio was production preparation and our outsourcing,” this TV show would be, I feel like I’m serving
seamless. “One of the main things that I love explains Olson. “Our crew goes above and the fans.” n
about them is that they are true fans of the beyond to send extra animation and designs
game, so there was a shorthand,” Huo recalls. to help our partner production companies Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft
“There wasn’t a ton of conversation back and where we can. Where we shine even more premieres on Netflix on Oct. 10.

26 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

 TV/ STREAMING

David Skelly and

Sharon Flynn take
us along on the
creative journey of
making Nickelodeon’s
hot new property
Max & the Midknights.

A Knight to Remember
By Ramin Zahed producer/co-showrunner) came on board to front of them. Figuring out how to achieve
figure out how to adapt the first of Lincoln’s that on a television budget and schedule
ans of Lincoln Peirce’s popular book books into 20 half-hour episodes!” was the next challenge.”

F series Max & the Midknights will

be glued to their TV screens this
month as a charming animated adaptation
Flynn says she also fell in love with
the stories and heroine Max. “I was so
excited about telling her story, and I knew
Skelly says there didn’t seem to be a clear
way to achieve his goals using conventional
methodologies. So, he opted to create a
premieres on Nickelodeon. The distinctly right away that to do Max’s story justice
animated series chronicles the adventures of and build a satisfying arc — it needed to be
a determined 10-year-old girl who pursues a serialized show,” she says. “So, I pitched
her dream of becoming a knight by leading the broad strokes of what I was thinking
her friends on an epic adventure in the to Nickelodeon, and then I was brought
fantastical medieval kingdom of Byjovia. on, joining the amazing, Emmy-nominated
Series showrunners David Skelly and Sharon David Skelly!”
Flynn recently discussed their colorful
project with Animation Magazine via email. A Cinematic Quest
The origins of the project go back four As Flynn worked on the story bible for the
years ago, when Skelly was art directing show, Skelly was defining the special look of
Peirce’s previous series, Big Nate. The show’s the project. “I felt a wide, feature film screen
exec in charge, Nathan Schram, asked Skelly format (2.39:1) would seem quite cinematic
to read Peirce’s second series of books, and he and complement our action-adventure story
fell in love with the property. “We gathered nicely,” he explains. “But with a feature
a small crew, and on nights and weekends, format comes a promise to the audience that
I directed a one-minute animated proof- the filmmaking will also be like a feature:
of-concept teaser (which later evolved into dynamic, rich and compelling. I wanted the
our title sequence),” recalls Skelly. “Shortly camera to be lively, to have a feeling of
thereafter, the incredibly talented, Emmy improvisation, as though the camera operator David Skelly
Award-winning Sharon Flynn (co-executive were reacting to the situation unfolding in

28 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

brand-new production pipeline. “Our primary Bangalore, India, which also collaborated Max’s arc — her journey toward becoming
objective was to honor Lincoln’s wonderful with us on Big Nate. They’re terrific partners, a knight — but every character has an
illustrations, to adapt them as faithfully as and they were willing to take a chance on arc. So, we’re juggling every story thread
we were able,” he says. “We set out to make a new production pipeline with us, so off throughout all of our first 20 episodes.
a beautiful show — one that would stand out we went!” Shout out to our incredible writers: We like
in a veritable ocean of captivating content Skelly’s concept for the new pipeline was to say we’re making a 440-minute movie!”
— and that’s exactly what our incredibly to emulate a live-action production: The She adds, “I also think (and hope!)
talented crew has done! A small group team would design and build everything that audiences will enjoy how we’ve
of writers, artists and technical wizards first — every character, set and prop — and blended humor, heart and action, as well
at Nickelodeon teamed up with Xentrix then “film” the show in real time using Unreal as real stakes. David and I knew very early
Studios, a powerhouse animation studio in Engine. “We would hire visualization artists on that since this story was set in a medieval
who would, in effect, be our camera operators world (with fire-breathing dragons and razor-
and gaffers — and they, with the directors, sharp swords), the kids needed to be in
would go ‘on set’ and shoot the episode live real peril for audiences to be invested and
by moving stand-in CG characters, define the for the story to be exciting and satisfying.”
blocking (like we would with live actors), “And it’s so incredibly cinematic,” Skelly
establish preliminary lighting and then chimes in. “The wide-screen format, the
shoot coverage (multiple angles) of every fluid camerawork and the lighting are
beat of every scene,” says Skelly. positively stunning! We treat lighting as
Both showrunners love the fact that an essential storytelling tool, as opposed
the show tackles some fantastic storylines to simply illuminating the set: It supports
and delivers the goods in such a visually and amplifies the emotional content of every
interesting package. “From a story scene. The textures make you want to touch
standpoint, Max & the Midknights is incredibly your monitor while you’re watching the
complex,” says Flynn.“Not only are we tracking show! And the animation is so wonderfully

“David and I knew very early on that since this story was set in a
medieval world, the kids needed to be in real peril for audiences
to be invested, and for the story to be exciting and satisfying.”
CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-SHOWRUNNER SHARON FLYNN

animationmagazine.net November 2024 • Animation Magazine • 29

 TV/ STREAMING
TV/STREAMING

charming! It’s done on twos to emulate stop Christmas was a huge source of inspiration. has it all: It’s funny, exciting and unabashedly
motion. We use a ‘tilt-shift lens’ technique For the filmmaking, we looked closely at heartfelt. There are laugh-out-loud moments
to make everything look miniature — like Peter Jackson’s trilogy The Lord of the Rings — and moments where the story will bring
they’re tiny stop-motion puppets filmed I asked all of our directors to use the same people to happy tears. Our goal is to
on a real stage. As a result, every scene is lens set as the [director of photography] give audiences a surprisingly satisfying,
imbued with an indescribable feeling of Andrew Lesnie. And for costumes, color and emotionally cathartic experience as they go
warmth and nostalgia — but at the same charm: Michael Curtiz’s 1938 The Adventures on this epic journey with Max and her friends.
time it all looks so fresh, innovative and of Robin Hood!” And thematically, we hope our audiences
exciting!” will be left with a feeling of empowerment.
When asked about their animation Making Medieval Magic Sharon has deftly woven that theme into
influences, Flynn and Skelly offer a The duo hopes audiences will be inspired every episode of the series. I think our title
wide range of classic favorites. “From a and captivated by their show’s memorable sequence song, written by our composers, the
performance standpoint, we wanted to characters and stories. “Early on, we did some immensely talented Leticia Wolf and Matt
evoke a feeling of the classic Rankin/Bass focus testing, and one kid said that Max Mahaffey, really sums up that theme in the
holiday TV specials from the 1960s and ’70s, was brave, and she made them feel brave lyrics: ‘I wanna make my own destiny!’” n
like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” says too,” recalls Flynn. “That always stuck with
Skelly. “And the extraordinary handmade me. In addition to being fun and exciting, Max & the Midknights premieres on Oct. 30
craftsmanship of The Nightmare Before I hope Max & the Midknights makes kids at 7 p.m. on Nickelodeon. The rollout begins
(and anyone who watches) feel brave!” with the first episode, which is currently
There Be Dragons: Based on Lincoln Skelly concludes, “Look, this show truly on YouTube.
Peirce’s popular book series, Max & the
Midknights pushes the visual envelope
by using Unreal technologies in a
wide-screen format.

30 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

Trick or
Theft?

Criminally En
tertaining: Af
a Christmas tr ter delivering
eat last year,
are back for a the Bad Guys
Halloween sp
The producers of DreamWorks’ The Bad Guys: Haunted Heist Netflix this m ecial on
onth.
tell us how to scare up a Halloween special.

By Ramin Zahed Holiday), the half-hour project finds our favorite Nolfi says growing up, she was a big fan
criminals from the studio’s 2022 movie trying of Halloween specials. “I loved seeing how

W
hat would Halloween be with- to pull off the ultimate Halloween heist and beloved characters would react when thrust
out a fun new animated special take home a legendary crook’s pricey stolen into unfamiliar spooky situations,” she recalls.
featuring some of our favorite amulet. Of course, things take a turn when “So it was a joy to get to work with the team on
characters? This year, the folks sat DreamWorks Wolf tries to spook his crew with a few tricks this one and to see the unexpected attitudes
TV are scratching our spooky season itch of his own! Wolf, Webs, Snake, Shark and Piranha have
with the special The Bad Guys: Haunted Heist. “It’s fun to get to see a different side of the about the spooky
Directed by Kevin Peaty and produced by group’s dynamics when Wolf’s love of scary season. Heads up, kids,
Bret Haaland (All Hail King Julien, Monsters pranks pushes the rest of the team over the Shark and Webs like
vs. Aliens) and Katherine Nolfi (Abominable edge — all while they are attempting to get to give out broccoli
and the Invisible City, The Bad Guys: A Very Bad their paws on a (maybe) haunted piece of instead of candy, so
loot,” says Nolfi. Haaland adds, “My favorite you might want to
thing about this Halloween special is the leave the Bad Guys’
combination of humor and scary stuff. It lair off your trick-or-
reminds of the classic monster comedies from Brett Haaland treating route.”
Producer
the early days of film. I also am proud of the “We worked hard
look we achieved. The writing, the sets and to find the right balance of comedy and scares,”
the directing create a good sense of mood. she adds. “Our goal was to tell a satisfying
I feel that we all did excellent work on this story that felt like it had all of the twists and
special. It’s fun and scary and funny.” turns audiences have come to expect from
Their team began work on the project in the Bad Guys. These characters are so lovable
April of 2023, and it took about a year to and have such a lighthearted sense of humor.
wrap up. “We’ve been working with DAVE Their big personalities send them on so many
“It was a joy to get to work with Enterprises in Sydney and 88 Pictures in India,” misadventures, like turning good, and saving
the team on this one and to see the says Haaland.“DAVE has about five people on Christmas last year, or pulling pranks this
unexpected attitudes Wolf, Webs, the story team, including the director Kevin Halloween. It’s universal. What other antics
Snake, Shark and Piranha have Peaty and another five on their production side, could they get up to?” n
about the spooky season.” plus all of the DreamWorks team, and that’s
PRODUCER KATHERINE NOLFI not counting the animators at 88 Pictures. It’s The Bad Guy: Haunted Heist premieres on
close to about 100 people in total.” Netflix on Oct. 3.

animationmagazine.net November 2024 • Animation Magazine • 31

 “Regardless of whether you celebrate Christmas or not, we hope that audiences
will laugh at the family dynamics of the film and identify with the universal truth behind
most traditions: that it’s ultimately not about the rules and expectations we put on these events.
What really matters is that we can be together with our loved ones.”
– Director, Simon Otto
DECEMBER 6
 TV/ STREAMING

Creator/showrunner
Mike McMahan gives us

Final Season in a sneak peek at the fifth

and final season of
Star Trek:

the Final Frontier Lower Decks.

By Tom McLean Exemplifying that is Beckett Mariner (Tawny paramount — no pun intended — that those
Newsome), who in the fourth season overcame were worthy things to go for this season. …

S
tar Trek has always been about going her need to self-sabotage, which leaves her It opened up a lot of comedy and a lot of fun
boldly where no man, or one, has gone free in the fifth to become a good officer while stories that are just driven by seeing people
before. And the evolution of the ani- remaining funny and chaotic, McMahan says. be at their best and loving what they’re doing.”
mated series Star Trek: Lower Decks, as it “You get a season where Mariner isn’t The characters on Lower Decks are, perhaps
enters its fifth and final season, proves that defined by her mistakes of the past,” he says. more than for most shows, informed and
Star Trek is always going somewhere, even “It just felt very Star Trek and very Starfleet to influenced by the actors portraying them.
when it says it’s going nowhere. see her, as a character, get to be unencumbered The physical resemblance made it possible
Starting out as the rare comedy in Trek by the stuff that she had gotten past.” for Newsome and Quaid to play Mariner and
canon, Lower Decks is like a coin with two An early example is the episode “Dos Boimler in a live-action crossover with Star
sides: One has animated comedy and the Cerritos,” which takes the classic Star Trek Trek: Strange New Worlds. McMahan says that
other is pure Star Trek. trope of encountering a doppelgänger crew originated from having cast actors he liked
“We have to be as Star Trek as possible on from another dimension to show how the and wanted to spend time with and allowing
this show — more than any other Star Trek,” says characters have changed and where their them to fully inhabit their roles. He says he’ll
Mike McMahan, creator, showrunner and exec choices might take them. Other early plotlines walk the actors through the big swings he has
producer on the Paramount+ series. “We can’t also follow D’Vana Tendi (Noël Wells), who left for each character to get their thoughts and
really play with the form as much, because we Starfleet in the Season Four finale to return feedback before committing to it.
also have to be funny, and if we’re messing home to Orion. This devastates her best pal One of the challenges of the show’s final
with the formula of Star Trek and being funny, and possible love interest, Sam Rutherford
it might not feel like Star Trek at all.” (Eugene Cordero), while Brad Boimler (Jack
Quaid) tries to grow into a manly Riker- or To Boldly Go … One Last Time:
Growth Opportunities Kirk-style commander role. The final season of Star Trek: Lower
The series has evolved perhaps more than But worry not, Lower Decks fans, there are Decks will feature plotlines that
expected since its debut, as the lowly ensigns still plenty of laughs to be had.“You still get to finds the crew tasked with closing
of the U.S.S. Cerritos have grown from slacker be funny,” McMahan says. “Improving yourself space potholes, as well as dealing
entry-level officers stuck with all the dirty and being happier makes you more of who you with an Orion war, furious Klingons,
and dull jobs to being worthy of promotion are, not less. We’re not defined by the things diplomatic catastrophes, murder
and — most surprising of all — responsibility that burden us. And that felt, in a show where mysteries and career aspirations!
for the ship and its mission. self-discovery and learning about yourself is

34 • Animation Magazine / November 2024

 “We’re all sad to be stopping, but we’re also putting in our
best this season … I really hope people enjoy it.”
SHOWRUNNER/CREATOR MIKE MCMAHAN

season is figuring out which stories to do and going inside shots myself and revising or
how to wrap up the show in a satisfying way. updating certain parts and pieces,” he says. “If
McMahan says he initially had a seven-season you’re a storyboard artist and you need some
plan for the show and has accelerated his designs to go from, let me get you what you
plans to fit into five seasons. For example, the need. If you’re a compositor and you’re just
characters earned promotions from ensign to missing a layer of animation, OK. I’m kind of
lieutenant junior grade in Season Four.“[That] whatever somebody needs me to be.”
allowed me in Season Five to be able to start One of the challenges of animating Lower
telling kind of endgame stories,” he says. Decks is keeping the look similar to that of
As with any show heading into its fifth Star Trek: The Next Generation. That show aired
season, the process for making Lower Decks has from 1987 to 1994, before wide-screen and missing a pip, or the deltas are backward, or
settled into a bit of a groove. McMahan cites, high-definition TVs. The technology of the things like that. We’re like, ‘How is it Season
in particular, the contributions of supervising time affected everything about that show’s Five and we’re still not getting the pips right?’”
director Barry Kelly and art director Nollan look, including the lighting and composition
Obena for their vision and ability to efficiently of shots. Triggering the Sci-Fi Brain
solve problems as they crop up. “We want to still sit in that comfy zone As with the writing, the blend of comedy
“We’re not trying to reinvent what we’re of that Next Generation tech,” Kelly says. He and action plays a significant role in the
doing every episode,” McMahan says.“There’s a loved getting some help from legendary Trek animation stage.
baseline of understanding of what we’re doing, designers and historians Michael and Denise “I’m always asking the story artists and
so that when Nollan’s working on designs Okuda, who helped them get right the look the animators: [Does this scene] trigger your
and when Barry’s working on the directing, of the LCARS computer graphics and came sci-fi drama brain or trigger your comedy
they are lockstep with me on writing, and up with the ship map that’s become an iconic brain?” he says. “Literally, every shot is like
that it’s a balance.” feature of Trek TV. “We didn’t get it made until one or the other. Is this shot serious or is
Kelly joined Lower Decks in its freshman Season Two, but if you find the detailed map, this shot comedic?” For example, an action
season as an episodic director, moving up to it’s an Okuda-approved and -designed map,” sequence that suggests an extensive and
supervising director for Seasons Two-Five. A he says. dynamic cinematic approach may need to be
veteran of the production team at Titmouse, The characters’ promotions not only funny. In such cases, they’ll cut more to the
Kelly says he has used the same process changed the writing but also required con- characters’ reactions. “It might be funnier if
for animation for the past 20 years and is stant vigilance to ensure the characters were we see that Boimler is scared, [rather than]
comfortable overseeing and contributing to animated with the correct number of collar a cool monster coming out to swipe at him
every stage of the pipeline. pips for their new rank. “One of our technical or something with a sword.”
“I know the parts and the pieces that make grievances is a very superficial thing, but it’s a The finale for a Star Trek show is a big deal,
up the show, so sometimes I find myself just pip check,” he says. “Somehow, always, they’re going back to “All Good Things …” on Star Trek:
The Next Generation. McMahan is tight-lipped
about what to expect other than to say it
will be satisfying — and one act longer than
a typical episode. “It’s like three acts for the
story, one act for the series,” he says. “It feels
like one cohesive era of Lower Decks and
that if we did more after this finale, it would
still be Lower Decks, but it would definitely
be Part Two.”
McMahan describes Season Five as one
big, beautifully animated party. “We’re all
sad to be stopping, but we’re also putting in
our best this season,” he says. “I really hope
people enjoy it.” n

The final season of Star Trek: Lower Decks

will premiere on Oct. 24 on Paramount+ with
two episodes.

November 2024 • Animation Magazine • 35

 TV/ STREAMING

Animating the Can you tell us a bit the history of your animation company?
Mindaugas Jokubaitis: We are an innovative new media company focused
on creating, nurturing and building global franchises that delight and

Emotional Life engage. We do that by putting storytelling at the heart of everything

we do, across development, production, distribution, marketing and
merchandising — and then creatively developing the best ways to

of Children tell those stories across platforms. We’re developing everything from
traditional episodic animation, short-form, social, music, features, LBE
and all forms of publishing, as well as unlocking Web 3.0, AI and new
gaming platforms to develop new routes to market and commerce. Our
We catch up with OAK9 new show Stomp! Stomp! Rhinos! gives us the opportunity to embrace
Entertainment President all these new modalities in a kid-appropriate way for the long term.
Mindaugas Jokubaitis
to find out about the How would you describe your animation specialties?
innovative Lithuanian As producers and IP [intellectual property] developers of content for
animation company’s kids, we hold a huge responsibility of influence on young audiences, to
latest projects. engage them through content that encourages not only entertainment
but development as well. At the same time, we try not to forget the
parents’ audience. The content should be useful for both, encourage
co-viewing practices.
We’re creating not only animated TV preschool series but also putting
our focus on the wider audience with films, IPs, various series and fea-
tures. We recently finished a new CG-animated short titled Just Imagine
by Karolis Kveselis. We’re very excited that this short began its journey
in festivals around the world.
Currently we’re adding a lot of focus and resources on our new project

36 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

for preschoolers, which is an animated TV For this purpose, we’re actively working with and even 81% of parents would love to try
series called Stomp! Stomp! Rhinos! We’re child psychologist Rugilė Kazlauskienė and to use the techniques we presented in the
investing a lot of effort to make high-quality creative director Vytautas Tautkevičius, who show through storytelling and entertainment.
animation and that includes lots of research continue sharing great psychological and That’s when we came up with the idea for
and collection of live feedback. For example, creative insights with our team. our second season: Let’s talk about anxiety,
we recently decided to utilize a specialist which is one of the most common emotions
software called Wantent, which features an Can you tell us about any of your other and challenges we’re dealing with in our
AI-powered audience measurement tool. It projects? daily life. We even changed the angle of
tracks the facial expressions of audiences as We have a few TV series and a feature film the show, including not only emotions but
they watch content and offers feedback based in our pipeline. One that we can talk more also including the state of anxiety. It is so
on facial tracking of their emotional responses [about] is a new animated show titled Bloxy, exciting for us to see how it evolves with
such as happiness, sadness, fear, engagement, Box and Ball, [created] along with Carousel each episode. We don’t want to stigmatize
etc. Recently, we received feedback from 60 from Serbia, which got MEDIA funding for the unpleasant emotions. We are trying to
families (parents and children) who watched co-development. This 2.5D-animated show ask the important questions: How do you
several episodes of our new series. (26 x 7) targets preschoolers and brings the live with them? How do you recognize them?
I would say that our expertise is listening adventures of video game hero Bloxy, who In this way, we’re continuing to tell the
to and understanding our target audience. steps out of the screen into the real world, Rhinos’ family story, sharing the experiences
Not only do we use audience measurement
tools, we speak directly to parents and kids
about what they want from stories and employ
developmental experts to help us validate
that. For example, for Stomp! Stomp! Rhinos!
we know that Gen A kids (and soon Gen B
kids) and their parents want stories that are
far more diverse and open-minded about the
world around them, particularly as it relates
to emotional well-being. Part of our specialty
is turning these critical insights into great
stories and characters that connect.

What would you say sets your company apart

from other animation studios around the
world?
I would say that our studio is best repre-
sented by the word “resilience.” Being a smaller in hopes of becoming a real child. His new of our best practices on how to deal with
studio may feel like a disadvantage against friends are a playful ball, a wise box and a anxiety. And we’re hoping those practices
some of the bigger global players, but we pet bottle! This show celebrates kids’ imagi- will inspire many families across the world.
make up for it with speed, passion, creativity nations and games in the real world, outside The main message that we want to send
and attention to detail. As a studio, we set the screen. It boldly reminds us all that our to the world is there are fun ways to overcome
out to prove that franchises can come from best childhood memories come from playing the challenges in our lives. All emotions and
anywhere, regardless of size, because at the with a cardboard box, rather than watching states are part of normal human life. We want
end of the day, great stories win wherever one with a screen. children to learn to recognize their feelings
they are told — and we are great storytell- and know the many ways they can manage
ers! Lithuania has a history of technological How was the first season of Stomp! Stomp! their emotions.
innovation and doing things differently, and Rhinos! received and what are your future
that’s why we’re proud of what we’re building plans for the series? What would you like the animation community
with Stomp! Stomp! Rhinos! We got some very positive feedback from around the world to know about you?
The season of the show should be ready for the industry and, most important, from our Our goal is to show that you can create
the first quarter of 2025. Kids will learn useful focus audiences. As I mentioned before, we something really special with a small company
skills about managing their anxiety, while conducted some analytical research with the with a “startup” vibe in a small country. Here
enjoying the fun and entertaining adventures company Wantent (including AI technology). in Lithuania, we have a lot of great talent
of the show. At first glance, this topic might Following the results, we were inspired to worth exploring and collaborating with. We
look too difficult for kids. But anxiety is a part start the second season as soon as possible, want to lift this talent and show their great
of our lives; it is something we’re encountering so it is almost completed. And also, we already projects to world. We hope these projects
from an early age and living with it our whole started the third season, which now is in the will inspire the world audience as they are
life. It’s important for us to highlight this topic works as well. We can share some of these inspiring us right now. n
and encourage speaking about it with kids great results from kids and parents: 73% of
and understand how they experience anxiety. kids would love to watch the next episode For more info, visit oak9e.com.

animationmagazine.net November 2024 • Animation Magazine • 37

 EVENTS

THE MIPCOM MARKET

MARKET SAVVY! Oct. 21-24
Palais des Festivals
Cannes, France.
MIPCOM regulars mipcom.com

give us their
take on the TV
animation industry
and the fall market.

RICK CLODFELTER KAREN K. MILLER

Executive director, content acquisitions CEO, Hidden Pigeon Company

& partnerships, Disney Branded TV Market agenda: Hidden Pigeon Company is bringing Mo
Market agenda: I’m here to source strategic content Willems’ beloved Pigeon book series to MIPCOM as an
opportunities and participate in third-party partnership animated 2D series.
conversations. On the state of the biz: It’s challenging! Animated
On the state of the biz: I’m encouraged by seeing a need content is getting made but not at the pace we hoped for.
for kids/family content with acquired titles as part of We’re looking for 2025 to offer more opportunities.
the equation. The summer box office has been a good Hot trends: Known IP. But that has always been a trend.
reminder of how successful animated franchises can be Biggest challenges: Hidden Pigeon Company is well
across the board. positioned to continue to grow our business, and we’re
Hot trends: Horror-light themes with mystery at higher looking to gain awareness throughout the world.
stakes. Favorite animated title of the year: Bluey continues to
Biggest challenges: Sifting through the opportunities to capture my heart.
align with content needs and budgets. Worst MIPCOM meeting ever: As a buyer for Warner Bros.,
Favorite animated title of the year: Inside Out 2 NBC and Disney, I’m afraid I have too many stories to share
Worst MIPCOM meeting ever: That’s to be determined! — and I will never tell!
Best pitching advice: Prior to the pitch, get to know Best pitching advice: Know your characters and bring the
Disney’s current inventory to shape your pitch to be passion for your project!
additive to the brand offering. Tell us why this pitch is
important to hear now.

38 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

 but this also opens up opportunities
as there is more of a willingness to
compromise on rights in order to
get projects up and running.
Favorite animated title of the year:
Without a doubt, it has to be the
Bluey extended episode, “The Sign.”
Before I get accused of bias, all I
will say is that I defy anyone to
watch it and not be moved by it,
no matter what age you are, and it
broke viewing records! For balance,
KATHARINA PIETZSCH
I’d also like to say that Inside Out
2 was also a favorite, probably for
VP sales, BBC Studios
similar reasons. I enjoyed it on CARLOS BIERN
Kids & Family
so many levels with its stunning
Market agenda: It’s one of the most
animation, great storytelling and Exec producer, content development, animation/
important kids’ markets for us, and
relatable characters, but what it interactive, DeAPlaneta
we’re really looking forward to
also did so brilliantly was appeal Market agenda: We’re very happy to meet new
meeting our clients and partners
to lots of different demographics. broadcast/platform partners and fresh creators
again as well as some new ones.
Worst MIPCOM meeting ever: It was from outside of Europe.
We are actively looking for co-pro
a really bad pitch from someone who On the state of the biz: TV is not about
and pre-buy partners. We’re bringing
followed me into the restrooms! programming a grid and filling and renewing a
My Friend Maisy, a co-production
I always want to make myself schedule any longer. The key goal is to deliver
between BBC Studios Kids &
accessible, but that was taking unique IP in terms of design/writing, well
Family Productions and Trustbridge
it to a whole new level, though I marketed to work globally and making sense
Entertainment, based on the popular
laugh about it now, of course. I love in all audiovisual and interactive formats the
book series written and illustrated
connecting with partners and clients audience needs. Independent and experienced
by Lucy Cousins. We also have a
and meeting prospective new ones producers are often the ones delivering those
new season of Supertato that we
while at MIPJunior and MIPCOM, big hits as they have faced and understood all
are very excited about. This season
but perhaps just not while taking these changes, working with the same (or less)
promises even more hilarious
a comfort break! budgets than they have had in the past.
slapstick silliness as well as new
Best pitching advice: Don’t follow Hot trends: Building up franchises (including
fruit and veggie characters!
me into the restroom to do it! reboots), creating fan communities locally to
On the state of the biz: Everyone is
Be authentic. Show your love for then resonate globally. Animated shows for
very aware things are tough at the
your project and why you think it’s teens and young adults and developing shows
moment, not just in animation but all
outstanding. Be open to suggestions for binge-watching that audiences want to watch
genres. The decline in commissions
and comments where you feel they again and again!
and budgets being frozen or cut
are fitting and will help improve, Biggest challenges: Hoping aliens don’t come to
continue to be a challenge. There is
but don’t lose sight of what the visit us after facing so many social/environmental
still caution around new intellectual
heart of your idea is just to make challenges during the past few years.
property, with a reliance on known
it right for everybody — that might Favorite animated title of the year: Hero Inside
IP or big brands. But it is a brilliantly
potentially ruin it. Worst MIPCOM meeting ever: My last Croisette
creative, collaborative industry, so we
just need to think outside the box dinner (which was actually the fourth one in
to secure funding and partners and the same evening, at around 11 p.m., and with
be a little more patient in getting Spaniards) because I couldn’t even eat in one
projects off the ground. of the most amazing (and expensive) gourmet
Hot trends: Adult animation restaurants in town.
continues to be a growth area and, Best pitching advice: Showing an amazing front
of course, a focus on known IP, along cover makes 50% of your work! Make your pitch
with co-viewing. short and funny, share a very short animated test,
Biggest challenges: The current avoid referencing characters or situations from
market in general, but also the other shows so your show looks unique. Share
uncertainty in the U.S., will be imaginative ideas for expanding the IP on social
a particular challenge. Funding media … and smile! For follow-up emails, be very
models are much more complicated, Bluey brief and send easy-to-click material!

animationmagazine.net November 2024 • Animation Magazine • 39

 EVENTS

titles to the market. and also sell to the broadcasters.

On the state of the biz: These are It’s challenging because we want to
challenging times for everyone. The maximize license fees, but YouTube
big studios have slowed down their placement is paramount to success.
spending, and we need to think Favorite animated title of the
outside of the box to find new ways year: Despicable Me 4
to finance productions. Boat Rocker Worst MIPCOM meeting ever: It was
is fortunate to have a broad slate many years ago when smoking was still
of projects in development and allowed in the Palais. (Yes, I’ve been
production, all with unique business attending for decades!) A client was
partnerships and financial structures. chain smoking, and it was very close
Our animation studio, Jam Filled quarters, so I felt like I was smoking,
GIA DELANEY Entertainment, also continues to too!
be very busy on service animation Best pitching advice: Know your show
SVP, global sales, kids & family, Boat projects, working with leading inside and out. Know your clients’ lineup
Rocker Studios broadcasters and streamers on a so you can suggest content based on
Market agenda: We’re ready to sell! number of high-profile projects. shows that are already working for
We have a brand-new, state-of-the- Hot trends: Fast channels! them. Also, suggest different types
art booth, and we’re bringing a lot of Biggest challenges: We need to find of content that are working on other
exciting “to be announced soon” new a way to place content on YouTube channels, that they may not already

who are strictly slowing their orders, or when we took a meeting with
while the production costs are not a translator present and I had the
decreasing either. However, I remain distinct feeling that the translation
very optimistic as I feel there will was not quite accurate!
always be kids to entertain with Best pitching advice: Get a good prep
new adventures and animation fans session in with the creative team of
to impress with new stories and the show!
techniques.
Hot trends: In the kids’ space, I
would say character-driven
comedies are very popular. On
the teens/adult side, it would be
SAFAA BENAZZOUZ movie or short series adaptations of
books or video games.
EVP distribution, Xilam Animation Biggest challenges: To achieve the
Market agenda: This year, we are presales cycle for our new series, to
gearing up for the launch of our maintain good digital performances
charming new preschool series and, of course, to continue securing
Piggy Builders (52 x 11’), which has fresh sales and renewals across our
been commissioned by BBC, France wide variety of beloved library titles.
Télévisions and ZDF, and offers many Favorite animated title of the
endearing characters and humorous year: Inside Out 2
storylines about teamwork while Worst MIPCOM meeting ever: There
highlighting the importance of family. are definitely a few meetings I won’t
On the state of the biz: I feel forget quickly, like the time when a
the business is narrowing as the client refused to consider any of our
opportunity to greenlight new shows shows, or when someone refused to
are getting limited with the streamers shake hands because I am a woman, Piggy Builders

40 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

 stop. On the bright side, though, there
has been an increase in prime-time
animation — especially drama/genre
prime-time television animation. And
then there’s YouTube, Roblox, TikTok
and other nontraditional screens and
the new opportunities they represent
for our industry. Giving yourself the
flexibility to pivot to different platforms
is key. It’s all about characters and
stories. If you have characters that the My Friend Maisy
BOB HIGGINS audience will love and want to engage
with, then they will — whether it’s via an and anxiety that has permeated the
President, Trustbridge Entertainment 11-minute traditional cartoon, a one- industry. It’s important to hold true
Market agenda: We are excited about minute interlude between game levels to your conviction and passion for
being here this year to present our first or a daily 20-second animated gag on your characters and projects as you
series in production, My Friend Maisy, a an app. navigate a way around the paralysis. For
co-production between BBC Studios and Hot trends: Preexisting IP still seems certain projects, we’ve also begun to
Trustbridge Entertainment. We are also to be a hot commodity. I don’t know if experiment with strategizing a direct-
sharing sneak peeks of a couple new I’d call it “hot,” but it is a trend and one to-consumer approach. The audience
series, specials and features that we will that we’re thankful for. I think now is an will always be there; the challenge is to
be presenting to broadcast and platform ideal time for the rise of the next hot get to them.
partners later this year. trend. It’s been a half-dozen years since Favorite animated title of the year:
On the state of the biz: We all know the the last big global hit was created; it’s Inside Out 2. I thought I was going to
traditional kids’ TV series business has definitely time. escape the theater without crying, but
suffered these last couple of years. Full Biggest challenges: It’s the chaos then the last 15 minutes happened.

greenlit for production by ZDF steamers/broadcast clients it comes to offerings (and

and France TV. The market to make longform animated/ strategies) that can tap into
has been very much in flux for live-action storytelling for a global market.
a while, and spending quality children attractive again. Favorite animated title of
time with our colleagues, as Biggest challenges: We the year: Hands down, it has
well as attending some of the are all still navigating to be Despicable Me 4. It’s
conferences will (hopefully) this changing landscape, hilarious, silly and always
help us keep our fingers on especially when it comes to puts a big smile on my face
the pulse of the industry. financing and commissions. (and laughter wrinkles — the
On the state of the biz: Although it’s challenging, best kind)!
DAVID MICHEL Obviously, some of the I think we are all being Worst MIPCOM meeting
buyers have pulled back cautiously optimistic, but ever: The one where
President, co-founder, on their series pickups, this is also forcing us to torrential rains flooded
Cottonwood Media sometimes substantially. In become more creative when the Croisette and sent us
Market agenda: We’ll be my opinion, this does not packing from our drenched
meeting up with clients to just reflect a contraction of booth to a drier spot to hold
further negotiations regarding the budget spend, it is also our meetings. [Also], the
prefinancing of our upcoming a signal to us — producers famous Eyjafjallajökull
new live-action series and — that our audience’s (just checked the spelling!)
animation flagship series. tastes and preferences volcano eruption in Iceland
One of our key focuses is our are changing. We do share that cut short a meeting so
latest CGI-animated drama responsibility in this down our buyer could run and hop
series 20 Dance Street (26 x market, and our duty is to on one of the last planes
½ hours), which has been work hand in hand with our 20 Dance Street heading back home. n

animationmagazine.net November 2024 • Animation Magazine • 41

 EVENTS

MAKING CINEMATIC MEMORIES

The Animation Is Film Festival
returns to L.A. for three days
of must-see premieres, panels
and special screenings.
2023 — both of which went the state of animation in 2024? What is
on to claim the Oscar for Best the state of filmmaking in 2024? And the
Animated Feature — promises answer is ‘this.’”
to be another glorious trip Kaszanek, who has been at the helm
to Toon Town this year. The of the festival from its inception in 2018,
festival opener is Annecy says he’s always excited to see animated
favorite The Colors Within, features celebrated prominently at the big
the new offering from Naoko festivals around the world. “Flow and Ghost
Yamada, best known for her Cat Anzu screened in Cannes (in Un
2016 movie A Silent Voice. The Certain Regard and Directors Fortnight,
premiere of the new feature respectively). The Colors Within blew the roof
from stop-motion masters off the place in Annecy! Boys Go to Jupiter was
Stephen and Timothy Quay, at Tribeca. Memoir of a Snail and Piece By
Sanatorium Under the Sign of Piece were in Telluride and Toronto. The
the Hourglass, is another major world is embracing these films, and now the
highlight. U.S. will have its chance! I think last year’s
L.A. audiences also get a IMAX premiere of The Boy and the Heron
chance to see the year’s other was a real turning point for the festival.”
festival favorites such as Flow, When asked about the most underrated
Ghost Cat Anzu and Memoir of a titles at the event, Kaszanek responds, “I
Snail this month, as well as the do feel like all animated films tend to be
much-anticipated N. American ‘underrated’ to a degree in that there’s a
premieres of Pete Browngardt’s too large a segment of the population,
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A certainly in this country, that file them in
Looney Tunes Movie, starring a subsection of films. Guillermo del Toro
Porky Pig and Daffy Duck! You calls it ‘the kids’ table.’ But take a film
can also learn more about the like Flow or Adam Elliot’s Memoir of Snail
biggest studio pics of the year ... they swept the top prizes in Annecy and

O
ne of the best parts of being in Los at screenings/panels devoted to The Wild Robot, have been greeted by rave reviews (not
Angeles in the fall is enjoying the Moana 2, Inside Out 2 and Transformers One. positive reviews, bona fide raves) virtually
magic of the annual Animation Is everywhere that they’ve played. It’s hard
Film Festival at the Hollywood TCL Chinese Away from the Kids’ Table to say they’re underrated now. But ask me
Theater. This year is no exception as festival “The goal of each edition of AIF is to again if either doesn’t show up in The New
organizers have handpicked some of the best provide, over the course of a single weekend, York Times’s end of year Best Films list!”
movies of 2024 so that fans can enjoy them a record, a document of the year in animation,”
on the big screen with fellow animation says festival director Matt Kaszanek. “So, Memories of the Master
lovers (Oct. 18-20). in that sense, I’m reluctant to say that the Kaszanek has a clever answer when
The influential event, which premiered program has individual ‘highlights.’ We see it he’s cornered to pick his favorite memory
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio in 2022 and as a single entity, made up of discrete units from previous editions of Animation Is
Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron in in conversation with one another. What is Film. “There’s a scene at the end of the

42 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie Mononoke The Movie: Phantom in the Rain

AIF 2024 LINEUP

AT A GLANCE
Opening Night (Oct. 18) Studio panels & events
The Colors Within Inside Out 2
(N. American premiere) Moana 2
Transformers One
Centerpiece The Wild Robot
The Day the Earth Blew Up: Yoppaman (work in progress)
A Looney Tunes Movie
(N. American premiere) Shorts
Closing Night (Oct. 21) An Almost Christmas Story
Memoir of a Snail Beautiful Men
The Colors Within
(L.A. Premiere) A Crab in the Pool
Nube
Additional Titles in Wonder to Wander
Competition: Yuck!
Boys Go to Jupiter I Died in Irpin
Flow In the Shadow of the Cypress
Ghost Cat Anzu Maybe Elephants
Mononoke The Movie: Percebes
Phantom in the Rain And student showcase screenings
Sultana’s Dream from CalArts, USC, Cal State Long
Special Screenings Beach, Cal State Fullerton.
Miyazaki, Spirit of Nature
(N. American premiere) Lineup is subject to change.
Redline Check website for up-to-
(15th anniversary screening) the-minute schedule.
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass

movie Roman Holiday where a reporter asks of animation with Phil Tippett and they questions for an additional 45-50 minutes.
Audrey Hepburn’s Princess Ann which of the get so into it that they completely lose Eventually, the Academy guy makes his way
cities that she visited on her European tour track of the time. I’m standing in the wings over to me and I think I’m about to be yelled
was her favorite. She starts with a bland waving frantically for them to wrap it up. at for commandeering their lobby. Instead,
response to avoid offending anybody (‘Each Finally, Guillermo sees me (or, more likely, he just goes: ‘This right here. This is what
was special in its own way...’) but then, she stops pretending that he doesn’t see me!) it’s all about.’”
can’t help herself and blurts out ‘Rome!’ I and then says, into the microphone so, Kaszanek concludes, “So ... Each, in its
started to say, ‘I couldn’t possibly choose just like, a thousand people can hear, ‘Hey, let’s own way, was unforgettable. It would be
one memory,’ but screw it! It’s the Guillermo continue this talk in the lobby!’ We, of course, difficult to ... Rome! Rome. I will cherish
del Toro’s Pinocchio screening!” have made zero plans for this. We have no my visit here in memory as long as I live!” n
“It was at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater. stanchions, we have no security, even our
and we had a hard out time because there photographer has gone home! But there’s You can make your own Animation Is Film
was an AMPAS screening scheduled right Guillermo del Toro standing in the middle of memories, Oct. 19-21, at Hollywood’s
after,” he continues. “After the film, GDT has the lobby, surrounded by fans, and the guy’s Chinese Theatre. For an up-to-the-minute
this in-depth conversation about the state just holding court and answering everybody’s schedule, visit animationisfilm.com.

animationmagazine.net November 2024 • Animation Magazine • 43

 VFX & TECH

Tech Reviews
Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve 19
Modes to be inside the color node via
a RMB click. For me, this is really handy
because I like to compare versions
via a difference node — and before I
would bounce back and forth between
Edit and Color.
Fusion, the sorely underrated
compositing tool within Resolve, has
received some love in the form of
some really sophisticated nodes. There
is support for VDB files for rendering
volumetric effects such as clouds and
explosions! The Multipoly Tool brings
all of your roto shapes into a control-
lable list (not gonna lie, this probably
should have arrived much sooner).
There is USD support — because
Fusion does have a full 3D system, it
absolutely makes sense that you can
By Todd Sheridan Perry And speaking of text, you can autogene- bring in USD stages for either rendering in
rate subtitles into the subtitle track on the Fusion through Hydra-based renderers, or if

A
f ter a protracted beta phase timeline. The titles appear as clips in the you just need some extra AOV passes rather
(compared to previous releases), timeline, which you can click on and edit. than going back into a 3D DCC or requesting
Blackmagic finally released Resolve Further, on the Cut timeline, you can run it from the lighter. Lastly, in Fusion, there is
19, and as usual, I don’t have space here to Scene Cut Detection, which will identify shot a Multi-Merge Tool that will accept multiple
talk about all the nearly 100 new features it changes in the footage and cut up the clip inputs into a layer system — sort of like a
offers. There are multiple advances in Cloud based on them. hybrid node/layer compositing system.
Collaboration, Cut and Edit, Color, Fusion and OpenTimelineIO is now supported as an We also get a slew of AI-driven tools fueled
Fairlight. I think I’m going to keep it to us importable/exportable timeline format (see by the DaVinci Neural Engine: Person Masking,
mortals with our Resolve workstation in the the Nuke 15.1v2 review for how that works SuperScaling, Smart Refaming (for social media
living room — rather than the bigger facilities together). And, as if that weren’t enough, platforms), NPR Stylizing, Face Refinement (!),
with multiple editors working around the there is an AI-based voice isolation tool and Dead Pixel Fixing, Object Removal and Patch
world on the same project, or the broadcast a Dialogue Leveler. (I suspect these might Replacing. Last but not least, we have the
studios doing live sporting events — not be in Fairlight as well.) Intellitracker for tracking and stabilizing, which
that there aren’t important tools for those On the Color Mode side: Along with many can also be used to track characters or objects
guys too! other AI tools, Resolve has the UltraNR Noise and then drive audio in Fairlight to control
In the Cut and Edit modes, we have a Reduction palette with individual controls for audio panning. Wow! There are so many new
Speech to Text Transcription feature, which spatial noise and temporal noise. Film Look features, and the price is right too! n
will generate editable text from clips with Creator introduces grain, halation, weave,
dialogue in your media bin. In turn, with that flicker, vignetting, etc. I haven’t taken a deep Website: blackmagicdesign.com/products/
information, you can edit your clips based dive like I did with Dehancer, but it’s defi- davinciresolve
on the transcribed text … in the timeline. nitely powerful. They have moved Composite Price: $219

Todd Sheridan Perry is an award-winning VFX supervisor and digital artist whose recent credits
include I’m a Virgo, For All Mankind and Black Panther. He can be reached at [email protected].

44 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

Zbrush for iPad19
By Todd Sheridan Perry

A
fter two years in development, ZBrush has
been ported over to the iPad. Perhaps that
time was spent rebuilding ZBrush from the
ground up, while assessing what could make it better
as a whole, not just on the iPad. Perhaps the hardware
technology needed some time to mature with the M2
and M4 chips to handle what ZBrush needs to do.
Regardless, the new tool has been shipped at the time
of this printing. I have a feeling users are going to love
it … and I say that because beta feedback is positive,
and any new functionality will end up migrating to
the next release of the desktop version.
ZBrush users will be happy to know that many, if not most, of user-created brushes. This accessibility is also true for ZTools and
the desktop features are found in the mobile version. Hundreds ZProjects — both interchangeable between the iPad and desktop
of built-in sculpting brushes as well as the ability to import versions.
The interface has been reconfigured for the device, so there
is some initial searching around for your favorite tools. But rest
assured that most of everything is there (tools that aren’t in the

CALLING ALL
initial release are definitely being worked on). You have to rewire
your brain a little because instead of the modifier keys, you have
a puck on screen with customizable buttons — and moreover, it

ANIMATION can be dragged around the screen so that it’s thumb-accessible

whether you are holding the iPad from the top or bottom, or if you

COLLECTORS!
are a righty or a lefty. The Pencil taps and Pencil Pro squeezes are
also customizable. Combined with multi-finger touch interactions,
these features make for a very natural and intuitive experience.
High-power tools are part of ZBrush for iPad: ZRemesher, Sculptris
Pro, Dynamesh, Live Boolean, Array Meshes, Dynamics and PolyPaint.
All of these are available to the artist, and things stay amazingly
responsive. The M2 iPad handles meshes as dense as 40M polys,
while the M4 can tackle up to 92M. It’s honestly remarkable.
The beta testers have been loving the interaction and customiz-
ability so much so that they are clamoring to have the same features
implemented in the desktop version. For users who are new and
want to dip their toe into digital sculpting, Maxon is offering a free
version of ZBrush for iPad with 28 of the most popular brushes
and ratcheted-down versions of Dynamesh, SculptrisPro, ZSpheres
and ZRemesher. It’s a great opportunity to learn the basics. When
you want to buy, the subscription is part of Maxon One, but you
can also get its own subscription that covers a license for both
the iPad and desktop.
WE BUY ANIMATION This is the result of thousands of hours of dedicated time from
passionate and super smart individuals spending weekends and
PRODUCTION CELS & SKETCHES overtime, filling buckets with sweat and tears, to make sure that they
Top Dollar for Animation Production Cels and Sketches. get this right. I’m happy to report that they’ve achieved their goals!
Fast and Easy Transactions. ZBrush for iPad requires iPadOS 17 or later, and is available on iPad
Any Era or Studio: Disney, Warner Bros., Hanna Barbera, etc. models with A12 Bionic or later. n
Sell Your Collection Today!

CALL GREG: 805-907-1773 Website: zbrushforipad.com

Price: $33.25 per month; $399 per year
animationmagazine.net November 2024 • Animation Magazine • 45
 SHORTS

Three balding brothers travel to Istanbul to get hair transplants in Nicolas Keppens’ award-winning short, Beautiful Men.

Hair Apparent
BALD MOVE: Nicolas Keppens’ stop-motion animated short Beautiful
Men was nominated for a Cristal at Annecy in June and was show-
cased at the Tellluride Film Festival last month.

into lockdown, which gave me the oppor-

tunity to work further on the script and
finish Easter Eggs at the same time, as I
couldn’t do my day job remotely. We
finished the film the spring of 2023
after six months of animation.”
The idea for Beautiful Men
came to him when he was vis-
iting Istanbul a few years ago for
work. “The first morning, while
having breakfast in the hotel, the
room was filled with bald men who
were waiting for their transplant,”
Keppens recalls. “Few of them already
got the treatment, which is quite a gruesome
thing to see. Their heads were all bloody. In a
way, it was quite a tender sight to see: These insecure men eating
their yogurt in silence as they waited for a cure!”
According to the director, the short’s puppets are handcrafted
silicone dolls, and all the backgrounds are made of wood. “On set,
we had three animators, a coordinator, an assistant and the director
elgian director Nicolas Keppens loves the infinite possibilities of photography,” he points out. “And then, of course, all people from

B offered by animation. “You can really dive deep into the world
and create all these details,” he says. “I like making things
by hand, and the short format seems close to me to the stories we
production, sound design, the composer and the company who made
the marionettes. I was so grateful that I could make a stop-motion
film. It was a dream come true, so I tried to see it as a game and
tell each other each day. To me, a good night with friends is a night think of it as playing, day in and day out. This made the time on set
where everybody shares some slices of life, each with the potential really fun. However, the moments in my workshop as I prepared all
of a short story.” the backgrounds were a bit lonesome.”
Keppens’ latest stop-motion animated short Beautiful Men follows While citing Mike Judge and Masaaki Yuasa as two of his animation
three bald brothers who travel to Turkey to get hair transplants. The idols, he also mentions such independent animation artists as Kirsten
artist, who won the Jury Prize at Annecy in 2021 for his short Easter Lepore, Flóra Anna Buda, Hugo Covarrubias and Joseph Bennett as
Eggs, began work on the project in 2019 when he was a resident at sources of inspiration.
l’Abbaye de Fontevraud in France. “A few months later, we had to go Looking back, Keppens describes his first stop-motion experience
as a “very pleasant journey.” “I was very happy with the environment,”
he says. “It’s a whole other way of working than drawing. Our sets
“Our sets would literally would literally come to life by adding light, choosing the right angle
and finally seeing the puppets move.”
come to life by adding
The filmmaker hopes that festival audiences will find the characters
light, choosing the right
featured in Beautiful Men as “human, touching and insecure.” He adds,
angle and finally seeing
“I hope they experience a moment with them, just as we experience
the puppets move. It’s
a moment with our friends as they are sharing these slices of life
a whole other way of with us. I like making films in a way that feels good and playful to me
working than drawing!” and hope our short has small place in the animation landscape.” n
DIRECTOR NICOLAS KEPPENS
For more info, visit nicolaskeppens.com/beautiful-men.

46 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

 IN THE NEXT
ISSUE OF

DEC. 2024/NO. 345

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animationmagazine.net November 2024 • Animation Magazine • 47

 C LOS I NG SHOT
8AM

A DAY IN
THE LIFE
I share an early
Emmanuèle Pétry, veteran animation producer and morning hug
co-founder and head of international productions at Paris- with my friend
Miette as I
based Dandelooo (The Treehouse Stories, Mum Is Pouring check emails.
Rain) gives us a glimpse of her creative world this month.

10AM 11AM 1PM

It’s a 20-minute bike ride through Paris traffic to Time for an inspiring Zoom call with a talented My business partner Jean Baptiste Wéry and I stop for a
work each day. book author. historic photo shoot on our way to France Télévisions.

2PM 3PM 5PM

It’s the world
premiere of
our new show,
Billy the Cowboy
Hamster!

A quiet and tender moment with

Our special talent (right) and I take an- my grandson Aimé as I read him a
other Zoom call with a producer in the book, perhaps the source of a future
Czech Republic. animated show!

7PM 9PM

Our Australian shepherd Pinou insists on At dinner, the Dandelooo team

having picnics with squirrels all the time. makes fun of the way I eat my pizza!

48 • Animation Magazine / November 2024 animationmagazine.net

Bringing
dreams to life
Join an alumni community
of industry award-winners
 WHERE
THE BEST
IN THE
BUSINESS
MEET!
November 3-6, 2024 Register Now and Save!
Garland Hotel animationmagazine.net/summit
North Hollywood, California
 AT
S AT U R DAY S U N DAY

REIMAGINING AN ICON
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 UNWRAPPING THE MAGIC BEHIND
10:30am - PANEL + Q&A NETFLIX’S ‘THAT CHRISTMAS’
Shannon Tindle (Writer/Director), SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27
John Aoshima (Co-Director), 10:30am - PANEL + Q&A
Marcos Mateu-Mestre (Production Simon Otto (Director),
Designer), Sunmin Inn (Art Director) Ash Boddy (Head of Story) ,
Doug Ikeler (VFX Supervisor)
11:45am - SIGNING

WELCOME TO LUMBRIA:
A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT
THE MAKING OF ‘SPELLBOUND’
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27
CRAFTING CLAY & COMEDY
12:00pm - PANEL + Q&A
WITH AARDMAN
Vicky Jenson (Director),
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26
Susan Fitzer (Editor),
12:00pm - PANEL + Q&A
Brian Pimental (Head of Story),
Nick Park (Director),
Brett Nystul (Production Designer)
Merlin Crossingham (Director)

THE ALCHEMY OF ANIMATION

ADI SHANKAR ON CRAFTING SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27
NETFLIX’S ‘DEVIL MAY CRY’ 1:30pm - PANEL + Q&A
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 Arnaud-Loris Baudry (Production
1:30pm - PANEL + Q&A Designer and Senior Concept Artist,
Adi Shankar (Creator, Showrunner, Riot Games), Jason Chan (Principal
Executive Producer), Artist, Riot Games), Amanda Overton
Graham Hughes (Producer) (Screenwriter and Producer)
2:45pm - SIGNING

LOOK FOR
NETFLIX AT
BOOTH 1013
EIGHT SEASONS OF PUBERTY: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25
‘BIG MOUTH’ FROM BEGINNING TO END 3:00pm to 6:00pm - SERIES
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 ANIMATION BOOTH TAKEOVER
3:00pm - PANEL + Q&A SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26
Mark Levin, Jennifer Flackett, 3:00pm to 6:00pm - FEATURE
Andrew Goldberg (Creators, ANIMATION EARLY CAREERS
Executive Producers, Writers) BOOTH TAKEOVER
4:00pm - SIGNING
“For 35 years, audiences have delighted in the exploits of Wallace & Gromit.
Their man and dog familiarity and undying loyalty to one another endure
because of how relatable they are. Returning to them as
storytellers and creators is like meeting up with family and friends.”
– Directors, Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham

DECEMBER 25