Pre-production has begun on Irish animation ‘The Duel’, with acclaimed fantasy writer Terry Pratchett on board as executive producer.
Dublin-based Giant Animation Studios developed the idea and began pre-production after award-winning writer Pratchett approved an initial treatment.
The three-minute short is a project inspired by Pratchett’s Discworld, a world where the English writer has set nearly 40 of his novels. The Discworld, itself a large disc, is situated on the backs of four elephants which in turn are set on the back of a giant turtle.
The project is a collaboration between Giant Animation and the Animation Hub; a collective of animators from Ballyfermot College of Further Education and Trinity College Dublin. The aim of the Animation Hub is to work on high end projects that have an educational/incubation remit, where students get hands-on experience on a full production delivered by a professional studio.
The Hub was initially set up in 2011, and produced the IFTA-nominated animation ‘The Last Train’. This project was crewed by Giant animators and two BCFE animation students and two motion capture TCD students.
Producers of ‘The Duel’ tell IFTN this project is “much more ambitious” than ‘The Last Train’, with a bigger budget courtesy of the Irish Film Board, and a longer production schedule.
Sean Mullen, Alex Sherwood and Ben Harper of Giant Animation wrote the script and will direct the short. Giant’s Daniel Spencer and programme leader of the BA (Hons) Animation Gareth Lee are producing. David Lloyd is the executive producer with Pratchett.
Storyboarding was completed by Patrick Semple, Alex Sherwood, Mark Fisher, Gavin Fullerton, Erin Overmann and Adam Kavanagh. Jenn Kirby and David Collier are in charge of music.
Over 15 students from both BCFE and TCD are working on the project, filling roles such as background and prop design, character design, character sculpting, lighting and sound effects.
Ben Harper will work on VFX and post-production, with Mullen, Sherwood, Harper and Mark Fisher contributing to compositing.
Producers on the project said the future of the Animation Hub is looking “bright”, with all involved “determined to continue the collaboration for a number of years to come”.
‘The Duel’ is due for completion in August 2013.
