Behind the Idea: That time Blue Zoo embraced all Shapes

The word 'puberty' can evoke quite a varied range of bad memories in the minds of us all. It is a time of change and self-realisation. It is a time in which we become aware of our own selves, bodies and sexual identities.

It is also the most challenging time for our self-esteem, when even a few hairs on your ankles can cause giggles and mocking. Of course, it shouldn't be like that. And that's what Blue Zoo Animation's film, In Shapes, is all about.

With only one word to get inspired, director Zoé Risser brought the film to life entirely from remote and it is easily one of the most adorable and compelling works made during lockdown. Today we are getting Behind the Idea of Blue Zoo's film, born from an in-house opportunity and grown into a chance for Zoé herself to tell a story she deeply cares about.

What was the brief?

To inspire us, we had one word: “puberty”. The aim was to create the first Blue Zoo short movie mixing 2D and 3D, with one character in 2D and another one in 3D. To limit scope, we were only allowed one environment, but it could contain several locations within it. The dialogue had to be non-verbal, and the total duration around 60 seconds.

How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?

Everybody at Blue Zoo is welcome to pitch for the short film. Anyone pitching had to present a maximum of 8 story points to the entire studio, and everyone voted on different criteria such as respect of the brief or interest in seeing the idea come to life. Some people presented it in the form of a video, animatic, storyboard, sketches, or script. I did the latter. When the results were revealed, I wasn't checking my emails and actually learned my idea had been chosen because my coworkers and friends sent me congratulations! This was a surrealist feeling, but so exciting. After that, I started working on the story in more depths and developed the concept and visuals in a moodboard.

Tell us more about the concept. Why was it the right choice?

When I heard the word “puberty”, the first memory that came to mind was of two boys making fun of my hairy ankles in gym class. I didn't notice before nor was I worried about it, but it was one of many moments that made me grow self aware of what I looked like. The idea struck me: I would be telling the story of a teenage girl, Joanne, in 3D, and her reflection in the mirror, Jo, in 2D. Jo would morph into different shapes, as Joanne's perception of herself would be challenged by her peers' judgement. It made even more sense as a mirror is a flat surface, embracing the choice of the reflection as 2D. Moreover, 2D allows shape flexibility, and as 3D would be an anchor in the real word, 2D would be the domain of the mind. It fell into places simply and it became an evidence I needed to present that idea.

What was the production process like? What was the biggest challenge?

The main challenge we had to face was that the production was entirely remote! Luckily everybody had been working from home for a few months when production started, so we already had adapted to this new setting. At the same time, I had to learn the role of director on spot. This was challenging but very exciting! Working remotely does come with its inconveniences, communication is scattered a bit through emails and chats and calls, information needs to be carefully transferred, and repeated. There's this distance that makes checking with artists and mentoring interns less organic. But on the other hand, remote have allowed us to be able to work with artists from all across the world.

What’s the main message of the campaign and why does it matter?

I really hope this movie inspires confidence and self acceptance to young people, and everybody else, really. Society, trends, other people, call it what you want, will always have expectations on how one should be (and especially, on how one should look like, or shouldn't look like!). Ideally, everyone would show kindness and empathy and would receive the same in return, but we tend to look at others through our own prism, and it creates a bad circle of judgment.

This is even more true during adolescence, when everybody tries to find their place and fit in. I wish I could tell my young self, you can't please everybody, and there will always be people who won't approve of what you do/look like/like. Who you are going to live your whole life with is yourself, so first and foremost, it is you you should please, whatever that means (Full make-up on? Bald? Tall? Ultra muscular? Wearing a tutu on Fridays? Covering some part of your body others don't? Not caring about your weight? Had a surgery? Following the trend?). In any case, everyone comes in different shapes (see what I did there) and can't be squeezed in already-made boxes. Spreading body positivity, mainly among youth, is essential to help fight against dysmorphia, eating disorders, depression, loneliness, to name just a few. Acceptance is a peace you make with yourself, but also with others!

What is one unique aspect of the campaign?

The mix of 2D and 3D is a unique aspect at least for our company as it was a challenge we wanted to tackle. For this project, I decided to not blend the two mediums, but actually play with their strengths. I wanted to reproduce a collage with the 2D composed on top of the 3D. To create the illusion of both mediums living together, we worked with Jovan, the art director, so that the 2D design of the main character would recall features of the main character in 3D (as it is her reflection), and same colours, even when deformed into the cow or the teddy bear. For the last shot where Joanne interacts with the 2D teddy bear, we created a proportioned 3D proxy of the teddy so that the 2D animators could match it. At the beginning, when Joanne checks herself in the mirror, we first animated the 2D reflection and then followed it in 3D. For elements like the puddle, the reflection was made slightly transparent to see the 3D environment through, as if the puddle was physically thin.

How long did the campaign take from inception to delivery?

3 months! See? I can do short answers too.

What do you mean I'm talkative?

What is one thing you learned from this project?

If you want to tell a story, tell one that matters to you. If you work on something you care about, you won't give up when it gets tough. If you are losing interest or motivation, remember why and who you are doing this for. As I work for children TV series, if I'm uninspired or insecure, I always remind myself that I'm animating for the kids, not to prove anything or compare to others. Then I focus back on what would be really fun for the children to see on their favourite tv show! If you lack confidence in yourself, get confidence in what you are trying to say. Remember that feedback you'll receive is not about you personally, there's a bigger picture, be receptive, and open minded. Share and exchange ideas with fellow artists and never stop learning and getting out of your comfort zone!

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