Weekly behind the scenes

Pirate Fair: the offbeat comedy by ESMA students

gabrielle

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3 minutes of reading time

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15 January 2025

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When three pirates wake up at the bottom of the ocean to confront a modern and absurd world, the adventure promises to be as hilarious as it is eventful. Here’s a look back at Pirate Fair, a remarkable short film made by talented ESMA students.

Under the ocean, in the deepest abyss, three sleeping pirates have been guarding a treasure for centuries. But their tranquillity is suddenly disturbed when a small diving robot, sent by the Bay Museum, tries to steal their precious possession. Forced to wake up, the three privateers are stunned to discover a modern world that is totally foreign to them. To recover their treasure, they will have to brave a world they don’t understand, as they embark on a wild adventure full of surprises.

This is the starting point for Pirate Fair, a short film made by students in their final year of 3D Animation and Special Effects at ESMA. Ambitious and whimsical, this project took up the audacious challenge of making people laugh thanks to an offbeat comedy combining humour, action and colourful characters.

The challenge of making people laugh

Making a comedy is never an easy task, and the makers of Pirate Fair were quick to appreciate the challenge. For this film, writing the script was the most complex stage. The students went through a series of tests and discussions to find the right tone and the best comic punchlines. Making people laugh involves understanding what can provoke a universal emotion, while remaining consistent with the identity of the characters and the spirit of the story. With its wacky humour and energetic staging, Pirate Fair manages to captivate its audience while taking them into a world of fantasy.

A lesson in collaboration

Behind the project’s success also lies a remarkable piece of teamwork. Each member of the team had to learn to adapt to the others, to take account of different points of view and to work together harmoniously. The lively discussions around the script, the necessary adjustments during the production stages and the artistic compromises enabled the team to develop skills that are essential for their future careers.

Well done to the designers

ESMA would like to warmly congratulate the talented team behind Pirate Fair: Ines FLORENS, Justine GALLO GUILBAUD, Eloïse GALTRESS, Fabien MESTRE, Victoire MOINARD, Loïc NAVARRO,Lisa ROBERRINI-NEVEU, Eloyse SCHMITT, Lizzie LAUBIE. Through their creativity, determination and passion, they have brought a unique adventure to life and risen to the challenge of comedy with flying colours.

Pirate Fair is a wonderful illustration of the richness of the teaching provided at ESMA and the ability of our students to produce high-quality work.