I had the honor of directing the 2016 Provincetown Film Festival trailer. A love letter to the fine artists that have called Provincetown home, this piece was a collaborative effort by the entire animation team. Artist highlighted include Edward Hopper, Henry Hensche, Marsden Hartley, Hans Hofmann, Helen Frankenthaler, and Jackson Pollock. These are just a few of the artists that gave the town it's rich history and led to Provincetown's title of: America's Oldest Art Colony.
Co-Animators - Brian Thompson, Eric Riggs, & Allison Howle
From Style Frame to Final Frame
The challenge on this project was not only in recreating each of the various artists’ styles, but also creating a world that could move and shift as Pecker journeyed through each of the paintings. This extra level of detail led us to explore a variety of techniques. Cel animation was used to bring Pecker to life, while recreations of the art involved digital painting, matte painting, 3D simulations, and even filming the creative team dripping and flinging paint onto canvas. Don’t worry, we laid down tarps for that last one.
Storyboards
The research we did on the artists and their processes played a big part in how each scene came to life. We took animation inspiration directly from how each of the artists executed their work. Contrast Helen Frankenthaler’s graceful soak stain technique to Jackson Pollock’s chaotic, energetic one. Each scene had its own energy and tone, while Pecker acted as the unifying note throughout, making for an unforgettable journey.
