1.19.2007

Primal does Sundance


Click image to view a mega-large version in order to take in all the little details. Click HERE to read all the notes on what's going on.

If you're headed to The Sundance Film Festival this year, you'll be able to catch a glimpse of what I've been working on recently. Before each film screening, there's what they call a "screenwash" playing up on screen as the audience files in. Something to look at while you're settling in your seat, silencing your cell phone, chatting with your fellow cinema-goer, etc. We did a screenwash last year, which had a tremendous response. This year we created two: the more serious "Fireplay" (to play off the theme of fire this year), featuring "a rolling wall of flame with a dancing ribbon of blaze," to quote our PR write-up -- I didn't work on that one; I worked on the more fun "Spark City" (see above), an alternate version of what goes on behind the scenes in Park City during the festival. Little workers go about their business scooting back and forth between various buildings, rooms, tubes, machinery, you name it -- holding onto flames that signify a creative spark, as well as flaming film reels (the product of that creative spark). All of it done in the name of creativity and independent filmmaking. It was a load of fun to work on! I had so much fun coming up with actions and "stories" of what these little guys would be doing throughout the entire town. Lots of work, but it was worth it.

I created everything you see here: the layout, buildings, sidewalks, characters. Rick Newcomb did the colors, effects, compositing, etc. He was in charge of the entire project, while I did character and element design and directing of the animation. Animation was done in Flash by Joe Kubesheski, Joanna Davidovich, and Jeremy Seymour. I did some animation, but it wasn't much. I was working on something else by the time the animation was getting ramped up. Once I have some more time, I'll post some sketches of this project. It went through a long, tedious process to get to a point where we were happy with it. Tons of sketches and ideas were scraped, as is usually the case with us. It's invigorating to be able to create an entire town, complete with inhabitants and lots of moving items, and have all of it work perfectly together. When you see this thing moving, it's pretty wild. It's where Bosch meets Biskup.

The piece runs as a 6 minute loop, so there's something new to look at each time you sit down to a new screening. We're hoping that all the audiences attending the Festival this year will get a big kick out of it. If you happen to be there for the Festival, let me know what you think of our Spark City. And be sure to let the Sundance people know as well. We'd love to work with them again for next year.

In addition, Primal created title packages (seen both online at Sundance.org and on iTunes) for Live@Sundance, Meet The Artist, and the Short Film Series. Art director Ben Prisk worked on those elements.

Have a great Sundance-y weekend.

13 comments:

  1. OH fun!!! This might just be my favorite thing you've done! (Well, that loft grafitti mural comes in mighty close!)

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  2. I don't know if they sent you to Sundance, but if they did, you should plan a meet-up with your readers in the area.

    We'd love to meet you in person!

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  3. Sadly, I am not going. I'd love to, but I guess I'll have to wait until next year. There will be three going this year to represent Primal (they're already there actually), passing out postcards that mention Spark City to anyone who'll take one. So if you go, be sure to grab one and tell yer friends.

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  4. Outstanding colors on this. This is definitely my new wallpaper.

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  5. wow - amazing stuff. lots of fun and a visual feast as is par for the course at Primal. Rick is a monster at broadcast desiign. a MONSTER.
    i remember being blown away by his skills years and years ago.

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  6. that's amazing. so much going on with the little sparks + their flaming film reels + the faces in the buildings.
    amazing! i hope i get to see it atleast on youtube someday. that must be incredibly difficult to dream up.

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  7. Neato!
    Kinda reminds me of a grooby
    Hieronymous Bosch

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  8. It's been an amazing week. I just got back from Sundance and the response from the screenwash has been nothing but outstanding. The limited run postcards we distributed were flying off the shelf! I couldn't be more proud of how it turned out. Everyone who was involved in the production of the piece made the process an absolute joy to be a part of. Everyone at Sundance was great to work with and I can't wait to continue making great art with my family at Primal Screen.
    -cheers

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  9. The final product comes out better every year. Can't wait to do it all again for 2008. Everyone busted the rears on this one for sure. Ward and Rick, you two make my job easy.

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  10. Ladies and gentlemen, the mighty Rick Newcomb in the flesh! As well as our trusty producer on the Sundance project, Hunter Matheson. Excellent work, guys! It was a pleasure to work with you two.

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  11. Kick ass job on these, Ward. I hope someday to make something half as good.

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  12. Using Flash was a smart idea: reusable symbols, independent looping, resolution independence. Very nice, and very fun! There's not enough fun in our work these days.

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