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showcase: BLA BLA – Vincent Morisset, 2011

By sir warren b leonhardt on May 17, 2011

I don’t know how long this will be up, but you should check out Vincent Morisset’s crew over at the NFB site dedicated to their new project “BLA BLA”. Fans of the Arcade Fire might recognize Morisset’s name – he came up with their famous interactive video “be oNline B” . My impression  is that Bla Bla Bla is just as intriguing…with the upward trend of interactive narrative going on, this is a thoughtful step forward in aesthetic and execution.

Some excerpts from the press kit:

“Vincent Morisset’s BLA BLA is an interactive tale that explores the fundamental principles of human communication. The viewer makes the story possible: without him or her, the characters remain inert, waiting for the next interaction. The spectator clicks, plays and searches through the simple, uncluttered scenes, truly driving the experience.

Each of the six chapters in the story depicts a different aspect of communication: learning a language, making small talk, expressing emotions, etc. Rich in opportunities for discovery, BLA BLA illustrates these concepts through endearing yet perplexing characters. The figures were designed by Caroline Robert using a variety of techniques, both traditional and hi-tech.

“BLA BLA uses xerography, drawing on paper, ActionScript-generated animations, puppet stop-motion combined with real-time 3D mapping, etc.,” Morisset explains. “I am inspired by projects that feel free aesthetically. I wanted BLA BLA to feel hand-made, imperfect, fragile, so we forget about the technology.”

CREDITS

Design and development: AATOAA
Production: National Film Board of Canada

Hugues Sweeney (production), Édouard Lanctôt-Benoit(programming), Vincent Morisset (direction), Caroline Robert (visual), Philippe Lambert (sound). © Minelly Kamemura
AATOAA CREW

Direction, Animation and Compositing
Vincent Morisset

Sound, Music and Voice
Philippe Lambert

Programming and Technology
Édouard Lanctôt-Benoit

Visual Design and Animation
Caroline Robert

Puppet Armature Design
Jean-François Lévesque

Rotoscopy
Vincent Lambert

Photography
Minelly Kamemura

Additional Prototype Programming
Mathieu Campagna

Prototype 3D Modelling and Animation
Joshua Sherrett
Jonathan Fleming-Bock

Published in showcase

sir warren b leonhardt
sir warren b leonhardt

Warren Leonhardt spent too much time watching tv, reading comics, or doodling in his math textbooks to really pay attention, but he thinks he was raised the Kootenays of British Columbia by two grownups and a sister. After realizing that cartoons and animated films don’t make themselves but were actually made by people, he decided to become one of those people. Over time he’s managed to fool companies like House of Cool, Disney Canada, Spümcø, Sony Pictures Animation, Blue Sky Studios and Corus into actually paying him money to draw funny pictures and generally goof around as a storyboard artist for animated features and television. He currently lives in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada with his long-suffering wife and toddler. In between drawing till his hand falls off and fending off the wildlife invading his property, he interviews people more interesting than himself for CAR.CA.

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