Lucky Strike Film

2006-12-11T08:25:00.000-08:00

And here's the final poster, also concived by the talented Andreas Monty Freddie:

2006-12-11T03:16:00.000-08:00

Okay. So now, after about six months of hard work, the film is done. It's an actual object now, printed celluoid, not just a bunch of bytes on a server. It's a strange and awe-inspiring feeling.

I really can't thank the team that worked on the film enough. Everybody on the production really poured their hearts into it, and I honestly feel that this is OUR film, and not just mine. Everybody has contributed with great ideas and inspiration, and my heart goes out to you all.

(I always thought these kind of speeches were a little corny, but now I realize for sure that film-making truly is a collaborative effort and I just have to lay down my thank yous to everybody).

But enough with the softness, let's get some images on the table. Here are some actual frames from the film, enjoy:

2006-10-13T07:27:00.000-07:00

So, we're about half way through the production, and luckily we're about half way done with the film. Everything is on schedule, and everything looks much better than expected. Our compositing-artist, Christen Bach, has rigger us up with an awesome, handheld camera look and lots of gritty textures. The animators keep pouring out cool scenes and the backgrounds are shaping up pretty nicely as well.
We've delivered our first 250 frames to celluloid testing, and will get our first glimpse at the film on the silver screen sometimes next week. I can hardly wait!

I hope to upload a small clip sometimes next week as well. In the meantime, take a look at some of the finished backgrounds:

2006-09-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

Yeah! The last few days have been busy, but boy am I a happy camper. The production have taken off but goood! The animators have already laid down the first couple of scenes, and all of them have a real nice take on the characters. I am super pleased with the fantastic start of production and walk around with a wide smile on my face most of the time. I look so forward to spending the next couple a weeks with the team, and will try to keep the blog updated with some stills once the scenes start to move towards the finished look. I hope to post some finished backgrounds soon as well, but first: Here's a little promise of awesomeness to come ->

2006-09-06T02:22:00.000-07:00

Yeah! Everything is starting to come together now. Yesterday the animation-team was confirmed. We will be working with 5 talented students from the Animation Workshop on the film. They are: Henric Wallmark, Line Windfeldt Pind, Benjamin Brokop, Mads Herman Johansen and Lærke Enemark.
A 6'th, and so far unconfirmed animator, also from Viborg, might also join the team for a scene or two.

I can hardly wait to see the film take of for real!

2006-08-30T07:05:00.000-07:00

So, tomorrow I'll be going to The Animation Workshop in Viborg to pitch the movie to the students who'll come work with us on the film. I'm spending the last few hours fleshing out parts of the animatic, while Andreas is working on the design bible. Here's some more stuff to look at, both a poster-type image for a booklet cover, and some of the work which will go in the bible. Enjoy!

2006-08-25T06:01:00.000-07:00

Hi All! Here are the final turnarounds on Zako and Van Gogh from KuntzKoppel animation. Those guys got some skills! Both Andreas and I are super pleased with the result. I hope the animators will have a fun ol' time breathing life into these guys.
Check out KuntzKoppel's page here: http://www.kuntzkoppel.dk/

2006-08-24T07:19:00.000-07:00

Here's another mockup for your viewing pleasure. That Andreas sure can draw!

2006-08-24T03:41:00.000-07:00

Hi all!
So, yesterday Frank and I recorded the voices. Great fun was had by all. Janus, Ali and Peter all did a fantastic job, so my hat is off to them! Thank you guys! :)

They all laid down som great, dynamic perfomances, with lots of dramatic dialogue that I'm sure the animators will have great fun translating to the screen!

The film is moving forward smoothly! Andreas is working on more mockups and fleshing out the design-bible. He continues to amaze me with his gorgeous drawings, the film is gonna look so freaking cool! I can hardly wait 'till the animators will be here, and seeing the film take off for real!

2006-08-23T01:41:00.000-07:00

Hi All! Here is KuntzKoppel's first pass on a turnaround for Van Gogh. I think it looks awesome! You can almost make out his personality just by looking at his default pose! KuntzKoppel has taken all the coolness from Andreas' designs and translated it perfectly to the turnaround. I'm really pleased with the reslut and can hardly wait to see more. Also, it'll be freaking awesome to see him move once the animators finally get their hands on him! Yeah!

2006-08-22T06:38:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody! Here's our first mockups. This is how we imagine the finished film will look. Imagine the pencil-lines in the background smouldering, and the outlines on the characters boiling a bit, and you will have a good idea of how it'll look in motion.
We are working on more mockups, and will hopefully upload some tomorrow.

Tomorrow I will record the dialogue for the film as well. It'll be great fun for sure!

2006-08-22T03:19:00.000-07:00

Hi all!
During the last few days the voice-talents have been confirmed. The film will star Ali Kazim as Zako, Janus Nabil as Van Gogh and Peter Pilegaard as Cav.
The animators will propably only get to do scenes with Ali and Janus, as it is the plan to fully animate a sequnce in the last half of the film. But if we find the time and somehow get ahead of schedule it's my plan to do some scenes in the opening sequence as well.

2006-08-21T07:23:00.000-07:00

Here are some more gorgeus designs:

2006-08-21T06:37:00.000-07:00

Hi! Thanks for stopping by! This blog will feature updates and news from the production of "Lucky Strike", a Mid Term Movie from The Danish Film School. An animated shortfilm, with 2 min. of fully fleshed animation and 5 min. of animatic.

The film is a documentary inspired war-movie about two guys who risk their lives for an american Lucky Strike filter cigarette. It is based on a joke told by the inhabitants of Sarajevo during the occupation of the city in the 1990'es.

It is written by Tobias Lindholm, designed by Andreas Monty Freddie, animated by the talented students from The Animation Workshop in Viborg and produced by Rasmus Kastberg and Claudia Siesbye. Sound design will be handled by Frank Mølgaard Knudsen and it will be directed by Cav Bøgelund. Kuntzkoppel animation will be in charge of modelsheets and turn-arounds based on Andreas' wonderful designs.

The production of the film is moving forward smoothly. The storyboards are nearly done, and preliminary design is final. Everything looks gorgeus. Please have a look: