Gofmaniada website goes live!
The official website for Soyuzmultfilm's upcoming stop-motion-animated feature film "Gofmaniada" just went up today. For those who're hearing about it for the first time, the film is being directed by Stanislav Sokolov and its main artist is Mikhail Shemyakin (both relatively famous people...). It is based on the life and stories of E.T.A. Hoffman.
The website's in Russian, but it's interesting even if you don't read the language just for the new screenshots that they put up.
The google translation actually isn't too bad (though it does have some rather odd translations).
Their words about who the film will appeal to and what exactly it will be about make me quite interested in the project. For example, under the section "Who is the film adressed to?":
"The film is multi-layered and designed for a broad audience. It may be of interest both schoolchildren and adults alike. Each will extract from it that which his intellect will allow him. Some will be attracted by its "eye candy", its fantastic world, unusual characters, and basically its eventful progression. Others will notice the deep philosophical meaning, feel the modern undertones, note the unconventionality and originality of the visual and dramatic decision."
There's definitely a lot of talent behind it. A few new things emerge - they now seem to be planning on having a mix of puppet and drawn animation, as well as some computer use for special effects (it had originally been the plan to have no computers in it at all, and I hadn't heard anything about drawn animation).
Here's a translated quote from the end of the description:
"The project is intended as a widescreen movie of 78 minutes.
The wealth of characters (over one hundred), a combination of puppet and drawn animation, the use of modern digital technologies to create virtual special effects, transformations, metamorphoses, the application of new materials for the heads of the characters, extensive decorations, unusual fantastic interiors (a crystal city, Atlantis, mysterious palaces, temples) - all of this will require substantial financial investments, beyond the frame of the usual government financing of standard films.
It is indispensible to have the corresponding technical equipment, the quality record sound system Dolby Stereo, and attracting the top creative forces of Russian animation: artist-animators, artist-constructors [maybe this means stop-motion animators?], sculptors, painters, decorators, masters of computer graphics, animation and special effects.
Currently work is completed on a 20-minute pilot film whose mission is to test the characters and style of the movie, to allow the project's members to visually imagine the quality and creative direction.
We are confident that the distinctive design of the "Gofmaniada" film will attract to itself demanding aesthetes, who after investing money in the project, will receive pleasure from being involved in the creation of a highly artistic work."
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Impressive, no? Their financing plan depends on aesthetes. They're clearly not taking the easy path, if nothing else. This will likely be something very special if it actually gets made, though.
The website's in Russian, but it's interesting even if you don't read the language just for the new screenshots that they put up.
The google translation actually isn't too bad (though it does have some rather odd translations).
Their words about who the film will appeal to and what exactly it will be about make me quite interested in the project. For example, under the section "Who is the film adressed to?":
"The film is multi-layered and designed for a broad audience. It may be of interest both schoolchildren and adults alike. Each will extract from it that which his intellect will allow him. Some will be attracted by its "eye candy", its fantastic world, unusual characters, and basically its eventful progression. Others will notice the deep philosophical meaning, feel the modern undertones, note the unconventionality and originality of the visual and dramatic decision."
There's definitely a lot of talent behind it. A few new things emerge - they now seem to be planning on having a mix of puppet and drawn animation, as well as some computer use for special effects (it had originally been the plan to have no computers in it at all, and I hadn't heard anything about drawn animation).
Here's a translated quote from the end of the description:
"The project is intended as a widescreen movie of 78 minutes.
The wealth of characters (over one hundred), a combination of puppet and drawn animation, the use of modern digital technologies to create virtual special effects, transformations, metamorphoses, the application of new materials for the heads of the characters, extensive decorations, unusual fantastic interiors (a crystal city, Atlantis, mysterious palaces, temples) - all of this will require substantial financial investments, beyond the frame of the usual government financing of standard films.
It is indispensible to have the corresponding technical equipment, the quality record sound system Dolby Stereo, and attracting the top creative forces of Russian animation: artist-animators, artist-constructors [maybe this means stop-motion animators?], sculptors, painters, decorators, masters of computer graphics, animation and special effects.
Currently work is completed on a 20-minute pilot film whose mission is to test the characters and style of the movie, to allow the project's members to visually imagine the quality and creative direction.
We are confident that the distinctive design of the "Gofmaniada" film will attract to itself demanding aesthetes, who after investing money in the project, will receive pleasure from being involved in the creation of a highly artistic work."
---
Impressive, no? Their financing plan depends on aesthetes. They're clearly not taking the easy path, if nothing else. This will likely be something very special if it actually gets made, though.