Weekly behind the scenes

Ratzia: a daring adventure combining humour, unlikely alliances and technical prowess

gabrielle

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3 minutes of reading time

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25 December 2024

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With Ratzia, students in their final year of 3D Animation and Special Effects at ESMA have produced a short film that is both funny and technical. Between an unexpected collaboration between cats and rats, incredible twists and turns and a feat of fur rendering, this film shakes up conventions and highlights a real artistic challenge.

A surprising alliance for a nocturnal mission

The scene is set: a clever cat and two clumsy rats decide to join forces to pull off a daring coup. Their objective? Rob a night-time grocery shop and steal the precious ham that has the gang salivating. But the road to their goal is strewn with pitfalls. Between the traps in the shop and the threat of a terrifying grocer, our heroes will have to show their ingenuity and courage to complete their mission.

This dynamic plot, punctuated by twists and turns, offers a refreshing take on animal stories. Ratzia twists the codes of traditional cartoons to celebrate mutual aid and friendship, even between supposed enemies.

Technical challenges: the transition from 2D to 3D and the art of grooming

To bring this story to life, students in their final year of 3D Animation and Special Effects had to overcome a number of technical challenges. One of the biggest was the transition from 2D character design to 3D modelling, which was particularly demanding for… hairy animals!

Grooming, the term used to describe the creation and rendering of hair in 3D animation, was a real challenge. This painstaking process involves modelling each strand of fur to achieve a rendering that is both aesthetically pleasing and realistic. It involves several complex stages:

Creating the base: a structure that defines the distribution of hair on the characters’ bodies.
Shaping: adjusting the shape and direction of the hair to match the movement and personality of the characters.
Shading and texturing: the application of textures and colours to give the fur a natural look.

For Ratzia, finding the right style of fur was a long-term task. The fur had to remain expressive, while blending harmoniously with the overall aesthetic of the film.

A team to salute

The result is a credit to the colossal effort put in by the film team, comprising Laurie GARNIER, Nicolas GOUZE, David GUERIN, Timothée MANO, Matéo MARIE, Lara ROULOT, Lorena SAUTRE, Corentin VERGEZ and Emmanuelle ZAMO. Their talent, perseverance and teamwork have resulted in a film that is both funny and engaging, and that is sure to captivate audiences.

Beyond its technical prowess , Ratzia stands out for its ability to tell a story that both amuses and moves. With its mischievous script and colourful characters, this short film is a testament to the know-how and creativity that our students develop throughout their time at ESMA.