american indigenous mith about creation

[Víctor Paredes]

EDIT
subtitled to english version here
(final version)

here is a short in which i have animated more than eight minutes in three weeks of work. Composition was made in after effects.
it has no sound effects yet.

http://www.vimeo.com/1196858

the short is a Tehuelche's mith about the creation of the world and how human and animals populate the Patagonia. it is based on this book

[slowtiger]

Wow! That's a very nice style! I was waiting for something like this for quite some time! Did you do all those painted elements yourself, or did you take them from the book?

I'm a bit unhappy about the colours, they're very subdued, and often there's not enough contrast between characters and background. And the constantly moving (handheld) camera makes me dizzy.

But overall a nice piece of work, definitely.

[mkelley]

Really fine work. I was immediately struck by how fluid the motion is (and I particularly liked the water and cloud effects). The other thing that was very apparent was how good the voice talent was -- did you use professionals?

I like the colors -- wouldn't change them. And the fluid camera motion not only didn't bother me but enhanced my experience (and I'm an old fart who hates moving cameras in the "new" cinema). The addition of sound effects will help a lot, as would some music. When the rat started the conference with the animals I was bored -- but the language barrier was probably the issue there. As soon as the conference broke up I got my interest back.

Would have liked to know the language enough to understand why the condor seemed so happy to be shot -- but perhaps I might not understand it even then <bg>.

[Víctor Paredes]

Wow! That's a very nice style! I was waiting for something like this for quite some time! Did you do all those painted elements yourself, or did you take them from the book?

I'm glad to hear this. It was very gratifying make this short.
I didn't paint the characters, it were painted by a chilean artist. I'm just a worker in the project, the producers saw my videos and wanted I animate the short. when I went, there was all made, the script, storyboard, character, voices, everything.
at the beginning I should animate just 4 minutes, but when they noted how easy was animate with AS, they give two more minutes, and then two more minutes.

I'm a bit unhappy about the colours, they're very subdued, and often there's not enough contrast between characters and background. And the constantly moving (handheld) camera makes me dizzy.

I agree with that. I think that the people who worked in the final composition (I'm not too familiar with AfterEffects yet) made a great job, but the colors, the blur and the camera are too much sometimes. But that is a decision of the art director.

The other thing that was very apparent was how good the voice talent was -- did you use professionals?

Yes, I never knew them, but are definitively professionals actors.

The addition of sound effects will help a lot, as would some music. When the rat started the conference with the animals I was bored -- but the language barrier was probably the issue there. As soon as the conference broke up I got my interest back.

I think the short is too... long. It's actually not much enjoyable, I have no time to translate the dialogs right now, but I can give you an idea:

At the beginning, Osh (god) felt alone, so he created the world. One day, Noshtex, a darkness' son, fell in love with a cloud and violates her. Of this born Elal.
Osh, angry, damn Noshtex: His son, Elal, will be more powerful than Noshtex, and all the animals will respect him.
AS revenge, Noshtex kill the cloud and her blood will stain the afternoons forever.
Elal is adopted by his grandma, Terr Werr (the rat). He grow up and one day Noshtex is looking for Elal to eat him. All the animals make a reunion and decided that must to take Elal to the far land of Patagonia. They need a big bird to transport him, so call three (swan, rhea and flamingo).
Finally, just in time, swan came first and carry Elal to Patagonia. Flamingo, as he came second, is awarded by Elal with the pink color for his feathers. Rhea, as he didn't use his wings when necessary, is sentenced to not fly anymore.

Some time later, all the animals will go to Patagonia.

(Sorry, my english is not too good)


Thanks for comments.

[chucky]

That was very interesting Selgin.
I love these mythological stories, it's amazing to see where they are similar or differ from stories from other cultures.
The cutouts work very well, it makes the story somehow seem less contemporary than some other styles others might. I wonder though why the drawing weren't in a more indigenous style?

We have a similar series here in Australia- animated too - that retell the dreamtime stories, very educational for all concerned and it's good to see a variety of perspectives of our world.

The addition of sound effects will help a lot, as would some music. When the rat started the conference with the animals I was bored -- but the language barrier was probably the issue there. As soon as the conference broke up I got my interest back.

I am expecting the finished project will have some indigenous music, which will help the flavour of the storytelling and indicate mood where sometimes the colouring doesn't communicate it.

[Víctor Paredes]

subtitled to english version here
(final version)