incredibly well executed piece! I dont tend to watch much horror oriented stuff just cause Im not into that and this was a bit too gritty and dark for my tastes, overall leaves me feeling rather sad and a bit like I need to go wash my face and let my mind dwell on brighter things. Maybe thats the reaction you are expecting from some people, I dont know.
Bbox85
Thanks buddy, that's very kind of you. The internship is a mandatory part of our education and I have to say, I enjoy it so far.
I wrote up a little breakdown of the time since the original character, if anyone would be intersted:
Spring 2009:
Via Last.FM I first got introduced to the bands Those Poor Bastards and Sons of Perdition. Being an old fan of bands like 16 Horsepower, Slim Cessna's Auto Club and The Denver Gentlemen I naturally felt drawn to the gritty Western universe.
May 2009:
I liked the song "The Dust Storm" by Those Poor Bastards so much that I began toying around with the idea of making a fan music video for it. I wanted to try something I had had in mind for a while, namely the technique I used for the character above. http://vimeo.com/4913136
Summer 2009:
I felt the result of my experiment had potential and as the time for pitches of bachelor project ideas was coming up at the school, I decided to see if I could make up a story for a film that would utilize the technique. The rough story beats of The Backwater Gospel started to take shape. I contacted Those Poor Bastards and Sons of Perdition and both we're interested. The latter turned out to be a vital part of the production, writing music and doing voice acting, as well as consulting the story.
September 2009:
The project got chosen and the team was assembled.
June 18th, 2010:
Final deadline, the film was handed in.
Fall, 2010:
The sound was designed mainly in this period.
January 28, 2011:
Official premiere of all bachelor films in the cinema Fotorama in Viborg, Denmark (where the school also is located). A couple of weeks later the films were put online.
Thanks guys! A couple of festivals have contacted me and encouraged us to submit the film, so hopefully it will make its way to the big screen eventually. I haven't heard from the school if it's been accepted anywhere but we're crossing fingers.
Really great stuff. Excellent lighting, composition and color. You all did a great job both technically and artistically. Well executed! Rock the festivals!
I think a group of us watched this 3 times in a row yesterday at work. And then I watched it 3 more times during the course of the day. Well done and inspiring.
Hey, awesome short! Loved the art direction, i really like the hand painted style. And although i am not a fan at all of limited animation styles (animation styles similar to anim
Unreal, love how dark it is! The massacre scene reminds me of the style that Hellsing Ultimate uses in it's fight scenes as well Brings back good memories.
M-M-M-M-MMONSTER THANKS! ANKKS! ANKS! I'm really happy that you guys here on Polycount especially are excited about the short!
e-freak
Thanks man, I forgot to reply to your comment. The rainbow is one of the things most people react to, curiously enough. I can understand how people feel that it is out of place but it's actually one of the things I'm most confident with. I love how it implies that what we've just seen is a happy ending and for those in the know it's also a reference to the story of the Flood from Genesis.
conte
Hehe, not really, Withering was made a while after Backwater and is not supposed to take place in the same universe, although they are undeniably similar.
Ged
Yeah, it isn't supposed to be a film for everyone, actually I'm surprised we haven't got more negative criticism based on the sheer brutality of the film. But maybe those voices are just keeping it quiet.
whats_true
I actually feel this thing is exposed way more than I would have hoped! If you do a search on Google it pops up all sorts of weird places. My favorite is a Christian forum where the message is discussed!
HandSandwich
Jesus, you must relish the dark! That's more than I could sit through! Greatly appreciated, of course!
Renaud Galand
Coming from you, that. means. a. lot.
e-freak
The animators have graduated and they did really well, but the final grade is a mix between the film, the making ofs and the individual thesis. The other half of the team, the CG artists, me included, haven't had our exams yet as we started a semester behind the animators. But frankly I have close to no respect for the grading system as it's purely academical and amazing artists have been awarded the same grade as much less talented, much less hard working people. And the industry won't care anyway.
But frankly I have close to no respect for the grading system as it's purely academical and amazing artists have been awarded the same grade as much less talented, much less hard working people. And the industry won't care anyway.
Yes - that's my impression as well (grading in most schools and how much the grades are worth).
The rainbow is one of the things most people react to, curiously enough. I can understand how people feel that it is out of place but it's actually one of the things I'm most confident with. I love how it implies that what we've just seen is a happy ending and for those in the know it's also a reference to the story of the Flood from Genesis.
Actually that makes good sense and I appreciate how much thought seem to have gone into this. For me it stuck out because it broke the color palette, but one might argue that this is actually now the "cleaned land" and therefore can break the palette.
Did you show this at any event/festival yet? would love to see some reactions on it
Replies
Bbox85
Thanks buddy, that's very kind of you. The internship is a mandatory part of our education and I have to say, I enjoy it so far.
I wrote up a little breakdown of the time since the original character, if anyone would be intersted:
Spring 2009:
Via Last.FM I first got introduced to the bands Those Poor Bastards and Sons of Perdition. Being an old fan of bands like 16 Horsepower, Slim Cessna's Auto Club and The Denver Gentlemen I naturally felt drawn to the gritty Western universe.
May 2009:
I liked the song "The Dust Storm" by Those Poor Bastards so much that I began toying around with the idea of making a fan music video for it. I wanted to try something I had had in mind for a while, namely the technique I used for the character above. http://vimeo.com/4913136
Summer 2009:
I felt the result of my experiment had potential and as the time for pitches of bachelor project ideas was coming up at the school, I decided to see if I could make up a story for a film that would utilize the technique. The rough story beats of The Backwater Gospel started to take shape. I contacted Those Poor Bastards and Sons of Perdition and both we're interested. The latter turned out to be a vital part of the production, writing music and doing voice acting, as well as consulting the story.
September 2009:
The project got chosen and the team was assembled.
June 18th, 2010:
Final deadline, the film was handed in.
Fall, 2010:
The sound was designed mainly in this period.
January 28, 2011:
Official premiere of all bachelor films in the cinema Fotorama in Viborg, Denmark (where the school also is located). A couple of weeks later the films were put online.
-T
e-freak
Thanks man, I forgot to reply to your comment. The rainbow is one of the things most people react to, curiously enough. I can understand how people feel that it is out of place but it's actually one of the things I'm most confident with. I love how it implies that what we've just seen is a happy ending and for those in the know it's also a reference to the story of the Flood from Genesis.
conte
Hehe, not really, Withering was made a while after Backwater and is not supposed to take place in the same universe, although they are undeniably similar.
Ged
Yeah, it isn't supposed to be a film for everyone, actually I'm surprised we haven't got more negative criticism based on the sheer brutality of the film. But maybe those voices are just keeping it quiet.
whats_true
I actually feel this thing is exposed way more than I would have hoped! If you do a search on Google it pops up all sorts of weird places. My favorite is a Christian forum where the message is discussed!
HandSandwich
Jesus, you must relish the dark! That's more than I could sit through! Greatly appreciated, of course!
Renaud Galand
Coming from you, that. means. a. lot.
e-freak
The animators have graduated and they did really well, but the final grade is a mix between the film, the making ofs and the individual thesis. The other half of the team, the CG artists, me included, haven't had our exams yet as we started a semester behind the animators. But frankly I have close to no respect for the grading system as it's purely academical and amazing artists have been awarded the same grade as much less talented, much less hard working people. And the industry won't care anyway.
Yes - that's my impression as well (grading in most schools and how much the grades are worth).
Actually that makes good sense and I appreciate how much thought seem to have gone into this. For me it stuck out because it broke the color palette, but one might argue that this is actually now the "cleaned land" and therefore can break the palette.
Did you show this at any event/festival yet? would love to see some reactions on it