In animation cinema, there are no sound recordings taking place in parallel to the shooting. The sound room is like the image room - untouched. Ergo: when sound and animation are linked in a perfect way, the synergy of both elements can be huge. The soundtrack intensifies the animation and vice versa. The result all together is more than the sum of its individual parts.
Therefore, the share of the sound in a short animated film is essential for the success of the film itself, the responsibility for the composition and or the sound design is enormous. This is why both author and producer of the film must be aware of the film sound's effect to create a dialogue between the artists involved in the making.
The films selected in this programme are characterized by a close interaction with the art of animation.
"Muto" by Blu is the first film of this street artist and was devised with the techniques of an animated mural - a very tough and monumental work in its original dimensions. For it, I thought of a soundtrack which - at least in its intention - was inspired by the typical methods of Mickey Mousing stemming from the 1950s practices of Carl Stalling and Scott Bradley. Pierre Hébert's film is the result of an association of a former soundtrack that was recorded live during a performance with the Canadian filmmaker and subsequently realized by Pierre Hébert himself to accompany a later work.
"La Testa tra le Nuvole" allowed for a clear definition of what to do in the sound room and provided a lot of freedom for me regarding the decisions which were only determined in parts through the author's hearing memory. "Recycling" is an ensemble work featuring ten different animation artists and for which I coordinated the soundtrack with colleagues and music friends actively participating.
"Postindustrial" was my first and successful collaborative work with the independent Bulgarian production Compote Collective. Boris Pramatarov is a prominent artist and illustrator who is well-known all over Europe.
"Mr Sand" was inspired by a story connected to the first film projections in the early 20th century.
"Abend" is the short film completing the trilogy which could be titled "A Couple's Day" by Izabela Plucinska. The soundtrack for
"Lo Spirito della Notte" was created during a stay at the author Manfredo Manfredi's house and studio in the Umbrian landscape.
"Imbued Life" is the remarkable stop motion piece of the talented Croatian-British animation duo Bosnia Johnson. (Andrea Martignoni)
