Info about Animated River Journey

The animation specialists and long time friends at againstallodds provided us with a script, a storyboard and a bunch of concept paintings which set the starting point for a close and intense collaboration that lasted for well over four months. The final product is what you get when you throw all kind of mediums into the melting pot to tell a nice and detailed short story. Techniques ranging from traditional cell animation and photography to cutting edge 3D and fluid simulations – it’s all there.

A big set of model trees and a miniature shoreline were shot against bluescreen in different lighting conditions to make up the river bank. While we built the raft and created the river in 3D, againstallodds created the hand drawn 2D characters and matte paintings which we put in our 3D world along with the trees on cards.

It was a challenge bringing all the elements together in technical terms, but finding the right overall look wasn’t that hard since Derek Picken, creative director at againstallodds, had a clear vision of what he was aiming for.

These are againstallodds words describing the story:

“The story, which is set on the Mississippi River, is sort of a cross between Huck Finn and The Wizard of Oz. It starts in a stressful, chaotic city and in ends in a bright, beautiful rural setting. Along the way our two protagonists pick up folks who are attracted by the music emanating from the raft; and as more and more people start to bring their own unique musical styles to the raft, the music culminates in an awesome cacophony of sound.”

Don’t miss the “making of movie” if you’re curious of how this was done!