Hasta La Motion!

School’s out at Supinfocom, and the end of year projects keep rolling in. Everything we’ve seen so far is astounding, and “Café Serré” only adds to the school’s already imposing reputation.

Created by Vincent E Sousa, Bertrand Avril, Yann de Préval and Denis Bouyer, the film ticks along with a series of brilliant sight gags that fit together like a finely crafted puzzle—all with just two characters and a single set.

I love the lighting in the establishing shots. Drink in the architectural details of the interior and the soft interplay of light on its various surfaces. Lovely.

The camera work, while mostly stationary, moves the story forward with confidence, using simple two-shots, close-ups and some subtle rack-focus to keep the action tight in the frame.

“Café Serré” was made for the Canal J Contest, created five years ago. Its participants are all from French Animation Schools, so you know the competition is stiff. This year, 7 schools participated, contributing 54 different short films. You can see the other competitors here.

Want more? Check out this selection of work from other Supinfocom students:

• Machu Picchu Post
• From the Hoop
• Gary
• Yankeegal

Posted on Motionographer

For his master thesis at Arts et Technologies de l’Image, Mathieu Gérard created “Steel Life,” a breathtaking tapestry of textures and light that evokes themes of genesis and rebirth.

While there’s no obvious narrative, the film uses abstract realism—lovingly rendered imagery inspired by nature—to build an associative network of ideas. The lush soundtrack, composed by Mathieu Alvado and performed by the Star Pop Orchestra, adds a dramatic arc to the film.

Also check out the breakdowns in Gérard’s making-of film.

“Steel Life” will be screened at F5.

Posted on Motionographer

As a follow up to the smashing TF1 IDs we shared here last month, Paris-based nobrain created Christmas themed versions packed with as much charm and wit as the previous bunch. This group is a bit more comical than the others, but no less detailed. It’s amazing how much time and care nobrain poured into these little 5-second wonders.

Oh, and if you’re as curious as I was, “PUB” is short for “publicité,” or “commericials” in English. In France, many channels announce commercial breaks, which is not only a courteous way to treat your viewers, it also gives networks a chance to brand themselves a bit. Neat.

(Thanks for the explanation, Charles!)

Posted on Motionographer

nobrain: TF1 Holiday IDs