Gorjuss lives in the land of imagination. Where no words are spoken, no adventures untaken…
As society races faster and louder towards modernity, Gorjuss is a nostalgic reminder of the human psyche; a gentle nod to our childhood courage, hidden insecurities and innermost thoughts.
‘A Gorjuss Anthology’ is a charming series of Bedtime Stories for children and adults alike. Little Luna is the first Gorjuss girl to be brought to life, as big dreams of exploring outer space take her on a secret adventure. Her journey inspires all of us to dream big and defy expectations.
Can you tell us what inspired you to bring this story to life?
Working as the design manager for Santoro, I was very familiar with ‘Gorjuss’ as a known European character brand with a somewhat cult following. My brother had written a poem and I felt so connected with the narrative; the idea that we could use this distinctively a-typical ‘kids’ character without a mouth or real facial expressions and bring her to life to tell a story that resonated and with children and adults simultaneously. Lincoln and I had been looking to collaborate and this project spoke to a lot of our shared interests; namely nostalgia, character animation and Tim Burton!
Which softwares and tools were used to animate ’Little Luna’?
The characters and environments were sculpted in zbrush, textured using Substance and Redshift, rigged and animated in C4d, and compiled in After Effects for the final result. The musical score was recorded using Logic.
How long did it take to animate this, and with how many animators?
It took one wholly obsessed animator about 4 months to create the world from scratch to final product and a few weeks to write the musical score.
What was the most challenging part of putting this project together?
The script sat for about 5 years before we were able to breathe life into it. Determining how to translate 2D characters into 3D and the world around them whilst maintaining the essence of style was tough. We wanted to create something that felt really cinematic but with a ‘familiar’ feel, so the development of Luna herself took quite a while as we were figuring out who she was. I had a vision of how it might look but it was connecting with Lincoln and combining forces that really unlocked the key.
Do you have any tips or advice to offer fellow filmmakers?
Keep going!?
What do you hope people will take away from ‘Little Luna’?
I would like to think there are layers of nuance to the message, depending on who is watching. For kids it is an inspiring story for all to dream big dreams, especially to connect with those who feel they may not ‘fit’ into one of society’s stereotypical boxes. Children are so clever and intuitive; I love the idea of creating intelligent stories to grow with them as they get older. For adults the message is more one of defiance – not allowing outside influences to make you feel like you don’t deserve your shot. Ultimately the hope is to remind people that girls should never be underestimated… especially the quiet ones!
What are your favorite short films?
Umbrella by Stratostorm
“Destiny” – Must Fly by Fabien Weibel
Grump in the Night by Kris Theorin (new favourite!) – Watch on FS!
Which films you can say directly inspired this film?
Coraline and Edward Scissorhands were definite inspirations, particularly in recreating the enchantingly melancholic tone that the original artists works have.
