Will this key finally set the armour free, or will the young goblin’s wish be granted?
At the helm of this epic and humorous fable are eight ESMA students: Mathieu De Macedo, Elodie Dubos, Lucas Eugène, Mila Jourdan, Adélaïde Langouet, Elisabeth Moreau, Claire Pendelio and Théo Rubin. The team was assisted on music by Matthieu Monot, on sound by Baptiste Leblanc, José Vicente and Yoann Poncet, and with the voices of Emmanuel Curtil ( Jim Carrey‘s double, but also the voice of Kronk in Kuzco and Simba in The Lion King) and Gabriel Bismuth-Beinaime (a well-known double for fans of French-language animation).
A battalion of talents, who play with mischief in this fast-paced tale, full of self-mockery and winks at fantasy.
To find out more about what goes on behind the scenes of this production, we went to meet the team for an in-depth interview about the technical and artistic challenges inherent in this ambitious end-of-study project.
You’re always someone’s weakest link
In L’Armure, narrated by a minstrel who is far more cunning than he appears, we witness the somewhat surprising alliance between a cursed, devious and evil suit of armour and a disarmingly innocent goblin. But the punchline (and that’s the whole point of a successful short film) turns the tables and underlines the team’s point.
“The moral of our film is that in the end there’s always someone bigger than you. There’s no point in picking on other people, because you’ll always end up being taken advantage of by someone stronger than you. And that’s how we built the armour story arc, around which the film was built.”
A moral used to create both the comedy and the evolution of this protagonist who has no words, but whose gestures and angry looks speak volumes.
Cartoon inspirations, between animation and comics
To develop these characters and their world, the team drew on many common references, both for the animation students and for the general public. “Our artistic direction is based mainly on cartoon references, so that we have sufficient freedom both in terms of animation and tone to convey the humour of our film, particularly in its audiovisual aspects. In terms of inspiration, we looked to Asterix and Obelix (notably the recent Asterix and Obelix and the Secret of the Magic Potion, animated by Mikros) as well as Illumination’s Super Mario and Dreamworks’ Kung Fu Panda . These references were very useful in creating our moods, as well as for the film’s lighting.”
In terms of inspiration, we looked to Asterix and Obelix (notably the recent Asterix and Obelix and the Secret of the Magic Potion, animated by Mikros) as well as Illumination’s Super Mario and Dreamworks’ Kung Fu Panda . These references were very useful in creating our moods, as well as for the film’s lighting.”
Quite a challenge, given that the film features not one, but four very distinct atmospheres. The theatre, where we meet the minstrel; the plain, where we meet the armour; the verdant forest, in which the silly goblin evolves; the castle, site of the final confrontation between the protagonists and a bloodthirsty dragon. All very different places, each treated in a different way by the team.
“For the first, our characters are lit in silhouette, and the backgrounds are reminiscent of painted wood. The second uses low-angled lighting, with a dark sky and gloomy backdrop, the idea being to support the character and mood of the armour. The third is similar, but from Eustace’s point of view, much brighter and more colourful. Finally, for the scene in the castle, the light turns red and we use a lot of low angle cameras to accentuate the intimidating size of the dragoness and the epic nature of the ending.
It’s a masterful balancing act that allows L’Armure to offer audiences a show that’s both funny and visually powerful, magical, theatrical and sprinkled with grandeur.
A well-oiled team
Trained in the various aspects of producing a 3D animation project during their training, which combines technical learning and creative stimulation, the team worked hard to bring this short film to fruition.
“We’re really pleased to have been able to work together on this story, which has been with us for over a year. From pre-design to the first stages of rigging, including animation and the addition of FX (fire and explosions play a big part in our film), we were able to work hand in hand. And even if it wasn’t all plain sailing, we’re happy with the result and we hope the film will appeal to as many people as possible.”
It’s an achievement for these now qualified animators, who can now add this experience to their CVs without blushing, as they enter a sector that is constantly evolving and rich in talent.
L’Armure, ESMA’s 2024 graduation film, is now available in full: