A slapstick western at the heart of a train robbery
The story of Stampede to the West takes place under a scorching sun, somewhere in the American desert. A friendly Mexican bandit and his faithful donkey spot a train carrying gold. Their objective? To pull off the heist of the century by stealing the precious cargo. But the situation quickly becomes complicated when a charismatic American bandit and his stallion come to disrupt their plans. Add to that a donkey who is completely taken with the elegant opposing horse, and you get a cascade of misunderstandings where clumsiness and equine admiration threaten to derail the robbery. A scenario that relies on visual humor and absurd situations to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat.
A script refined throughout the production
Behind this crazy comedy lies a long process of script development. The ESMA students, who were responsible for the writing, spent a long time refining the story to find the right balance between action and humor. The script evolved over the months, adapting to the technical constraints of 3D animation while retaining its original essence: that of a fun, cartoon western, where the robbery serves as a backdrop for a series of visual gags. This deliberate choice of a light-hearted, zany tone guided every stage of production, from character design to final animation.
A technical challenge: creating the 3D sets
While the script and animation required a great deal of ingenuity, the main difficulty encountered by the team was the design of the sets. It was necessary to recreate the dusty heat of the Wild West, the rails snaking through the desert, the imposing silhouette of the train, while retaining a cartoon aesthetic. This challenge pushed the students to carry out particularly thorough visual research.
Numerous models and 3D tests were necessary to find the right balance between realism and stylization. Each rock, each cactus, each cloud of dust was designed to serve both the atmosphere of the film and the effectiveness of the visual gags.
A formative collective adventure
Like any final-year project at ESMA, the making of “Ruades vers l’or” was a real group adventure. From the initial idea to the final result, the students learned to combine their talents and to face technical or narrative unforeseen events together. This collective work, carried out over several months, enabled them to develop skills that are essential for their professional future: project management, communication between professions (animation, modeling, FX, etc.), and above all the ability to defend a common artistic vision while integrating everyone’s ideas.
A huge congratulations to the team of Ruades vers l’or
ESMA would like to warmly congratulate the talents behind this offbeat comedy: Xime BOURDEAU-HERBIN, Léa BROSSE, Maël CHARUEL, Juliette COUZI, Ophélie DUPERE, Aurore DUPONT, Carla FAYET and Océane SEAPHANH. Thanks to their creativity, perseverance and sense of humor, they have brought to life an original work that is as funny as it is technically masterful.