Coraline (2009), pioneer in animated 3D films

This film is an adaptation (from reviews, the film seems to have taken as much liberty as possible with the novel)of Neil Gaiman's 2002 novel of the same name published by Harper Collins and Bloomsbury. To get a background of the novel that becomes the inspiration for this film, watch the clip of the interview with Gaiman



I was first acquainted with the production of this film at Siggraph 2009 in New Orleans last August, when one of the people working on the 3D design team talked about the process in which they had to go through, as well as a lot of painstaking manual hand-painting (I kid you not!\) which they had to do just to make sure that the details look right. The puppets, which are made in many different ways and thus have individualized qualities, had most of their minutest expressions created with a 3D printer, thus creating an almost invisible montage between CGI technology and good old-fashioned puppetry design. However, despite the emphasis on technology, much attention is paid to the way in which the story is told and the director, Henry Selick, made sure that vivid story-telling remains the focus of the film, and that the multiplicity of eye-candies found in the film only enhance the affectivity of the story. As the film is animated, there are many usages of transitions, though subtle, such as wipes, cuts, fades, and dissolves. The mise-en-scenes you will see throughout this film were constructed out of real solid objects before they were superimposed with CGI effects.

Website of the Film: http://www.coraline.com/
IMDB site: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327597/

I have chosen two short clips. Unfortunately, as it is a bit too difficult to rip out the 3D version of the film, you'll have to contend with the 2D version. But do try the 3D version, watching through a pair of good 3D glasses, when you get the chance, if you haven't already done so.

1. To show the opening sequence as well as its relation to the overall film (this clip goes from the opening credits up to the point where Coraline is trying to dowse)


2. The next 5-6 minutes here will give you a better lead into the film :)