The animated short The Diplomacy of the Eclipse (La Diplomatie de l’Eclipse) was the winner of SIGGRAPH’s Best of Show award this year. The CG-animated project was made by students at France’s MoPA school of CG animation in Arles, and directed by César Luton, along with Achille Pasquier, Selim Lallaoui, Clémence Bailly and Axel Mechin.
The short explores what happens after a top negotiator from the World Council tries to stop the end of the world after a disastrous eclipse. We had the chance to chat with the talented director ahead of the screening of his short at SIGGRAPH’s Electronic Theater this upcoming week. Here is what he told us:
Animation Magazine: Congratulations on your prestigious SIGGRAPH prize, which automatically qualifies you for the Best Animated Short Oscar list this year. Can you tell us a bit about the origins of the short which was done in Blender?
César Luton: The short is our graduation film. This meant that we had a lot of freedom in the style of film we could make, and an opportunity to make something that may have been harder to produce in a professional studio. The film had to be poetic, mysterious, yet preserving a sense of show with cool dynamic visuals and with a hint of philosophy — be adult at its core, but still enjoyable to younger audiences. We all wished for a film like this, so that’s how our team got together.
What was the inspiration behind it?
We wanted the film to feel like a fairy tale or a myth, but with a modern twist. Something reminiscent of old legends that come up in different mythology of the world. Where prophetic fate has already decided the outcome, and the hero must face challenges to accomplish that fate, sometimes as tragic as it may be.
How long did it take to make and how many people worked on it?
From the first idea to the final render, the film took a bit less than a year to make, with a team of five.
Can you tell us about the tools you used to create it?
What were your biggest challenges?
Although there were many challenges, the most technical of them all was the narrative. We quickly had a good idea of what we wanted to have in the film, but linking them in a nice coherent storyline that kept the original intention was harder than we had imagined. We had so many re-writes!
What are you proudest of?
I personally really like how the astral children turn out. The design, the way they act and their role in the film, I think we really succeed in giving them a unique and mysterious charm. I hope the audience will like them, too!
Can you tell us a bit about the overall visuals of the short?
We wanted to create something close to live-action cinema in rendering, but also make the most of the great freedom animation offers to directors. The results are realistic background, stylized character, and a staging that is eclectic and always suited to the moment, almost like a little illustrated book, where each page shows something new.
Who are some of your animation heroes?
There are many! But for this film in particular, Ian Hubert (Project London, Dynamo Dream) definitely comes to mind. The ability to create something from almost nothing, the resourcefulness, the outside the box approach to animation filmmaking, all without sacrificing the artistry and the emotions, is truly inspiring. The gold standard independent creatives all strive to achieve, and a great influence in our way of working on this film.
What are your future career plans?
Making more films, of course! Some might even be in the works right now…
What do you hope audiences will get out of your short?
The film is about remembering to see the beauty of the world, big and small, as well as enjoying the cool parts of life! So even though the story of the short is somewhat dark, I hope the audience will get a positive new appreciation for their own personal life stories!
You can watch the trailer below:
