The Lost Thing: A Short Animated Film
Currently I am working as part of a small team on a short animated film adaptation of THE LOST THING, which is being produced by Passion Pictures Australia with financing from both Screen Australia and Passion Pictures. The film will be 15 minutes long, using CGI (computer generated imagery) with 2D handpainted elements, and is scheduled to be completed in March, 2009.
My role in this project is principally as a director, designer and writer, with a production based in Melbourne (one reason for a recent relocation to this city). It has been a long running project involving lot of hard work, though a great opportunity to learn about the differences between book illustration and animated film. My background as a painter means that I’m more accustomed to working with still, silent pictures that allow a viewer plenty of time to think and examine. Animation is a very different medium, where questions of time and pace are much more critical.
It's a welcome opportunity to elaborate on some aspects of the 'Lost thing universe' which could not be entirely expressed within the confines of the original 32-page book. In fact, I always saw the story in my imagination as a short film or theatrical piece, where the book presents us with a set of stills from some larger production. The creature itself, has in inherently animated personality, which a painting struggles to convey - it's little bells and eyes, and lumbering mass - and of course animation represents a great opportunity for an interesting soundscape.
Much of the work involves careful building, texturing and lighting of digitial elements to emulate the original paintings, and avoid the artificiality of CG objects; most surfaces are taken from new paintings created by hand, using my familiar materials: acrylic, oils and collage.
For more information and images relating to this project, please visit the Lost Thing website (coming soon), or contact Sophie Bryne at Passion Pictures Australia: sophie@passion-pictures.com.au
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Character sketches for some of the citizens of the city who are part of the landscape; either technicians or office workers. Pencil, A3. |
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A drawing of some non-human characters from 'Utopia', the land of lost things: 'Iron Lung' and 'Incubator', also known as 'Proud Parents'. Pencil, A3 |
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Drawings of 'facial targets' for rigging a digital model of the main character 'The Boy' - how high eyebrows can go, the mouth open and so on. Pencil, A4. |
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Models of some incidental human characters, courtesy of Passion Pictures Australia/PPUK, modelled and textured by Tom Bryant. Textures have been added using high-resolution scans of hand-painted surfaces, fabric and rusted metal. |
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A sketch of the interior of 'Pete's Place'. Coloured pencil on paper, A3. |
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Pete's Place as a textured digital model, an empty stage waiting for characters. The use of bright colour against dull backdrops is a recurring aesthetic of the file, and lighting is a crucial element. |
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Scenes from an animation test, where the boy feeds The Lost Thing in his back shed. |
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How to feed Christmas decorations to a creature that has no mouth. |
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An exterior view of the back shed, illuminated by the Lost Thing's happiness. |
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'Cage Bird and Obstetrician', pencil A4. |
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'Light Chicken' - trying to befriend a post box. Pencil, A4 |
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'Sleeper and Story-rabbit' Pencil, A4 |
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'Best friends - bulb and wingnut' Pencil, A4. |
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Another riveting day at the information office... |
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