MAKING OF A MOUNTAIN FILM'S CLAYMATION

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ESCRAMBLE (2006), a snowboarding film I co-directed with Billy Anderson. Billy worked closely with the cinematographers getting the snowboarding filmed, while I steered choices/decisions in getting the film's claymation created with Cameron Gray, the head of the stop-motion animation team.
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In preparing for the animation, I came up with the following questions to interview some of the riders with:
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1) How was the Earth Created?
2) How were the mountains formed?
3) Why or for what purpose were the mountains formed?
4) Do you have mountains inside of you?
5) Are you afraid of anything?
6) Will the world ever end?
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The most visual answers to these questions, from different riders, became the backbone for me, along with additional ideas from Cameron, to adapt an animation storyline for the screen.
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Here's Gigi Rüf answering in Austrian to, "HOW WAS THE EARTH CREATED?"
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When asked, Gigi also went on to say that, "Giants made the mountains." Those two answers were then used for the intro/title portion of the overall animation storyline. Note, Gigi's answers were rooted in the mythic tales of his European homeland.
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Here's a storyboard for a portion of Escramble's intro/title animation that I sketched up for Cameron's reference:
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My reference sketch of the Giant building a mountain:
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And the finished intro/title animation by Cameron and team:
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The end of the intro/title animation is Wille Yli-Luoma, answering in Finnish to, "DO YOU HAVE MOUNTAINS INSIDE OF YOU?"
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The creativity of Cameron and his team was never ending. They would always add great tweaks to the script/shot-list I'd write. For example, I may have written something like, "When done building the mountain, the Giant throws himself into it, becoming the snow." Then Cameron and his lead animator, Lisa Yu, embellish upon that with the Giant decapitating itself first, and setting its head on a ledge where it melts... Insane!
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Gigi's answer to, "WHY OR FOR WHAT PURPOSE WERE THE MOUNTAINS FORMED?", was also used for the animation storyline. Here's a sketch I provided to Cameron of a cross-sectioned mountain tomb scene:
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And the finished animation:
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Which brings us to what Billy and I referred to as the "Legends Section" of Terje Håkonsen, Jamie Lynn and Bryan Iguchi.
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This excerpt begins with Jamie answering the questions, "DO YOU HAVE MOUNTAINS INSIDE OF YOU?" and "ARE YOU AFRAID OF ANYTHING?"
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And ends with Terje sharing his thoughts in Norwegian, on the topic of, "WILL THE WORLD EVER END?"
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The excerpt also includes Jamie, Terje and Bryan's riding section— in powder set to music by CAN. Highlights? Terje's run starting at 3min:40secs, and the ending "Meat Rocket" animation:
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The final animation follows man to a barren planet where he has nothing but his memories of the home he took for granted:
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Some pics, by Mary Collins, of the animation set:
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The Dreamer and crater explosion.
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Fabrication of the bursting lava bubbles.
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Applying bubbles and bursts to the crater pool of lava.
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Skeletal wire frame of the Giant.
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Off with the head...
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Partial Film Credits:
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directed by
Ryan Thomas & Billy Anderson
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director of animation
Cameron Gray
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lead animator
Lisa Yu
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additional animation
Warren Rush & Mary Collins
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character fabrication
Mary Collins
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set construction
Warren Rush & Jessica Chan
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compositing and rotoscoping
Saadi Howell
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cinematography
Nathan Yant, Gary Pendygrasse, Jake Raynor & Brian Bleak
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edited by
Ryan Thomas & Billy Anderson
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Inspirational Note: The first thing I said when meeting with Cameron Gray and Lisa Yu for the first time was, "BABY SNAKES!" The Frank Zappa film with claymation by the grandmaster...
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BRUCE BICKFORD:
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