The time it was about Wolfwalkers

Posted March 21, 2021 by Stacee in Movies, Press | 0 Comments

When I got the invite to take part in a master class on animation from the team that created Wolfwalkers, I was so excited.  I had been meaning to watch the movie (admittedly, I thought it was a series at first) and I was already halfway in love with the look of the artwork.

The day before the event, Apple TV sent this gorgeous mailing that included a leather bound journal, colored pencils, and small leaves that were actually wildflower seeds.

Before we get to the event, let’s check out the movie!

Title: Wolfwalkers
Directors: Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart
Format: Animated, Digital
Time: 103 minutes
Release Date: November 13, 2020
Platform: Apple TV+

Synopsis: In a time of superstition and magic, a young apprentice hunter, Robyn Goodfellowe, journeys to Ireland with her father to wipe out the last wolf pack. While exploring the forbidden lands outside the city walls, Robyn befriends a free-spirited girl, Mebh, a member of a mysterious tribe rumored to have the ability to transform into wolves by night. As they search for Mebh’s missing mother, Robyn uncovers a secret that draws her further into the enchanted world of the Wolfwalkers and risks turning into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy.

Cast: Honor Kneafsey, Eva Whittaker, Sean Bean, Simon McBurney

And now the trailer:

The chat started with a short intro with Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart before it segued into a pre-recorded set up for the animation.  There were two animators in addition to Tomm and Ross and each person did one character (or in Ross’s case, a background for the character).

It was pretty amazing to see how each person started out with a light sketch to a heavier outline to finish off the drawing.

After each animator had their presentation, it went back to a live feed with the four of them and they answered some of the questions that had been asked in the chat while the presentation was going.  Some of the highlights:

  • The script was written and finished well before the animating starts
  • Backgrounds were painted on paper with watercolors and the line drawings were done on different sheets with ink
  • There were about 80 animators and line drawers.  Everyone worked on everything; however, if someone showed at being better at one thing (the forest, the town, the characters), they would mostly work on that
  • The soldiers were drawn to move stiff and structured.  In contrast, everything in the forest was made to move fluidly
  • The movie is a love letter to Kilkenny and Ireland.  The studio has a balcony that looks over a castle and the sort of rooftops Robin ran over when she was a wolf
  • Cartoon Saloon is currently in production on a feature film called My Father’s Dragon as well as a tv series with Apple TV+ that can’t be talked about yet

I really enjoyed this movie: from the look of the animation, to the characters, to the story, and the accents, all of it was a delight.  If you haven’t watched Wolfwalkers yet, I fully recommend it!

Huge thanks to Cartoon Saloon, SAG-AFTRA, and Apple TV for this amazing presentation and super cool mailing.  Wolfwalkers is out now and is streaming on Apple TV+

Have you watched Wolfwalkers? Do you plan to?

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