Until the day a new teacher arrived at the school and shook her fragile self-confidence. With the class photo approaching, the young girl decided to prove to her teacher just how adaptable she was by holding her head high.
Part story about bullying and part powerful metaphor for accepting difference, *Reven* uses 3D animation (and, more specifically, stop-motion rendering) to bring to life the colourful world of childhood, set against the rigidity of the adult world. A film that highlights thoroughly contemporary themes, as well as the strength of the group, subtly reflecting the spirit of collaboration that enabled this very project to come to fruition.
This success did not go unnoticed by the jury of the ESMA Graduation Show 2024 (2nd prize), nor by the programmers of international festivals.
With *Reven* having now secured more than a dozen selections – including the Cartoon Club – as well as numerous awards, such as the Children’s First Prize at the Cinema for Change festival and the First Prize at the Kidfestival, we spoke to Hugo Babey, Victor Barreau, Line Bossard, Chloé Hurard, Coralie Monnier, Mathilde Morin, Léna Ripoche and Tanguy Salaün about this moving film, animated with great finesse. Take a look behind the scenes of this production below.
Dealing with disability and difference in an inflexible world
“It was these themes that lay at the heart of the project,” the film’s team tells us. To explore disability and the notion of difference through a character whose head is tilted but who is nonetheless full of life and radiance, in order to convey a convoluted and twisted view of the world around her. ““This approach allowed us to address both physical and mental disability, as well as the difficulties faced by our character in a rigid, grey and inflexible world. The story then evolved as the team came together, with each member bringing new ideas, new anecdotes and fresh energy to the narrative.”
Between credibility and consistency: a multifaceted artistic direction
To define the characters and the world of this project, the Reven team explored various approaches before settling on 3D animation with a stop-motion look, directly inspired by the aesthetic of LAIKA Studios.
“Our aesthetic choices are a blend of the different artistic directions that each of us was drawn to and wanted to explore,” the team explains. “We tried to combine them whilst maintaining a sense of coherence and a style unique to our project, as well as the narrative efficiency required for the short film format.”
This harmony is also achieved through the subtle balance established between the various characters who revolve around Reven, the main protagonist of this simple yet powerful story. Like Paranorman, Coraline and other young heroes from LAIKA Studios, Reven is a stop-motion character who is not without her flaws, with distinctive traits that make her all the more unique and endearing.
This uniqueness is also reflected in the settings in which the young girl finds herself – colourful and intricate – in stark contrast to the strict and austere classroom where Reven feels increasingly out of place.
“This difference in styles has allowed us to show that, in Reven’s world, everything is in its rightful place, even when it’s a bit askew. Each character has their own unique traits and imperfections – an approach that also reflects our shared desire to be able to create films that reflect who we are and that we enjoy.”
It was an approach that was not without its challenges, as the team recalls: “The house and its interiors posed quite a few problems for us, with its lopsided and twisted architecture. It had to blend into the style of the American housing estate, with its large, identical houses, in a way that was both seamless yet distinct. At the same time, the film’s lighting atmosphere was also a real challenge, as in one sequence we shift from warm early-evening lighting to almost eerie night-time lighting in just a few shots.”
These were challenges that the team managed to overcome by working together, achieving a stunning result.
Communication, solidarity and determination: the keys to success
For these students, the decision to use 3D stop-motion was undoubtedly the biggest challenge of the project. “Every stage of the production had to look as though it had been done by hand. What’s more, we created fourteen different children, each with their own unique personality and appearance, which required a great deal of work and thought. Finally, incorporating the split-screen technique demanded a great deal of precision to ensure it remained dynamic and consistent throughout the film.”
To overcome these technical challenges, the team implemented a range of tools and methods to optimise production, using a shared modelling approach followed by the allocation of tasks according to each person’s area of expertise.
“To create our neighbourhood, we used procedural modelling to streamline the process. As for our characters, we used an auto-rig for our 15 characters and created several different hairstyles and outfits to produce unique looks. Despite this, we had many moments of doubt, particularly due to the sheer volume of work involved and the consistent quality standards that had to be maintained throughout the film. Ultimately, it was communication and teamwork that enabled us to see this project through to completion, along with sheer determination.”
Their advice: do something you enjoy and that reflects who you are
As *Reven* continues its festival run, the team is proud to have produced a film that has won over both industry professionals and the general public. “We’ve had the chance to chat with lots of viewers, and their comments touch us every time. Looking back, we naturally have our reservations about the film, but we’ve arrived at an ending that suits us (almost) perfectly.”
Their advice for students currently working on their final-year projects? “You have to accept that you’ll make mistakes and start again to get off on the right foot. We’ve gone back and redone our designs so many times… There’s always room for improvement when it comes to managing production and the time allocated to each task. But in the end, we give it our all, and that’s more than enough.”
The team concluded: “Take a step back from what you’re doing, don’t be too hard on yourself, be genuine and listen carefully to what you want to convey. Do something you enjoy and that reflects who you are; the audience will sense that in your film.”
This advice proved to be well worth it for these students, whose short film continues to move audiences around the world to this day.
Discover *Reven* now, a 2024 graduation film from ESMA, available to watch in full: