Concept Art Video Tutorial

This is a Video Tutorial of the steps I've followed to create the Concept Art for the Anna 3D film.

I hope you enjoy it.

Henk

Introduction to Fairytale

It has been said that fairytales are closely linked in origin to folktales, passed by word-of-mouth down the generations. They are lasting stories with strong hero characters that audiences can identify with, happy endings and occasionally incorporate moral lessons. The word ‘fairytale’ is often linked with monsters, mythical creatures and magical far-away places. However, fairytales were originally set in recognisable locations with everyday characters, from peasants to royalty. Ruth B. Bottigheimer identifies two main types of classic fairytale: the ‘restoration tale’ and the ‘rise tale’. In the former, a prince or princess is somehow exiled, struggles to survive in the outside world but has adventures and is eventually restored to the throne ‘with the help of magic’.  In the latter, a poor hero manages to climb in the world to a higher position, usually through marriage and magic, and becomes wealthy. ‘Rise tales’ are usually shorter and less complex fairytales in comparison to ‘restoration tales’ as the hero only undergoes one major change rather than falling and rising once again.

The story of ‘Anna’ has been inspired by fairytales, holding most similarities with the ‘rise tales’ of the Renaissance period: Henry undergoes a transformation from a ‘lower’ situation as a fish to a ‘higher’ situation as a human, and this comes about because of his love for the young grieving girl, Anna. Mysterious magic also aids Henry’s transformation. It could be said that ‘Anna’ shares similarities with tales such as The Ugly Duckling or The Frog Prince, and that the touch of pain added to the story through Anna’s grief for the loss of her father recalls the pain explored in some of Hans Christian Anderson’s more adult fairytales.

Amanda Seyfried in 'Red Riding Hood'

‘Anna’ is not the only fairytale in production at the moment, although it appears to be the only original 3D animated fairytale. Adaptations of classic fairytales recently released or in production include Little Red Riding Hood (starring Amanda Seyfried), Snow White (with Charlize Theron as the wicked step mother), Beauty and the Beast (a modern-take on the tale starring Vanessa Hutchens), Jack and the Beanstalk (with Bill Nighy as the lead giant) and Hansel and Gretel (which explores the witch-hunting days of the grown-up children). Stay tuned for more news...

Magic Realism!

I remember my first encounters with this genre, back in 1994 with "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel García Márquez and "Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka – I could say that those two stories were big influencers in the way I lived my life afterwards.

Magic realism stories are wonderful; what I most like about them is the world of possibilities that they present. Magic realism tell us that there are other realities that we don't see, places with a different kind of potential - and everything is within the realm of the possible. 

Films like "The Lovers of The Artic Circle" by Julio Medem or the short story "The Third bank of the River" by João Guimarães Rosa are also great example of this genre. If you haven’t watched the film or read the short story yet, I recommend you do!

The short film "Anna" is very special and personal to me. It is been a sweet pleasure to work on this project. Magic realism inspires me greatly, and I hope this little film will be of inspiration to you too!

Ana Corrie

Films & Music LLP

Gunnar Madsen

Hello bloggers and Happy Easter!

We just wanted to tell you a little bit about the composer who has kindly let us use his composition, 'Anna', as inspiration for our short film. Gunnar Madsen is an award-winning, Grammy-nominated composer and filmmaker. He began by studying music at UC Berkeley, before he formed part of an acapella group, ‘The Bobs’. Since then, he has written film scores, been a singer and an actor, and even owned his own record company... He has released several albums during his wide-spanning music career, including ‘New Hand’, his latest albulm, which was nominated for an Independent Music Award. He now writes music for children and is currently writing a musical in New York, called ‘The Shaggs’. He is an unstoppable talent. To find out more about what Gunnar is up to, check out his blog at http://www.gunnarmadsen.com/blog/.

Introduction to contemporary classical music

As with every artistic movement, there is debate about the beginnings of the contemporary classical movement in music. Some say that it began after 1945, others that it began in the 1970s. The movement has manifested itself in various stylistic forms, including a continuation of modern avant-garde music and experimental music.  

Some argue against the term ‘contemporary classical’ as it can be seen as misleading. This is because classical music, by definition, is music that follows the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music but the avant-garde and experimental ideals of the contemporary classical movement aim to move away from this traditional structure. Therefore, the term used to describe the movement is problematic.

To find out more, you can take part in discussions and listen to music at www.contemporary-classical.com/, www.sequenza21.com/forum/.../contemporary-classical-music/ and www.facebook.com/.../Contemporary-classical-music/109713522387790.

Contemporary classical music has been used in several films and television programmes: for example, 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Shining both use Gyorgy Ligeti’s music. Sex in the City uses Gunnar Madsen’s ‘Anna’ in the episode entitled ‘La Douleur Exquise’ at the end of Season 2, and some of Gunnar’s other music features in films such as Breaking the Rules, The Break Up and Just a Kiss.