“9” by Acker
Conference:
Title:
- 9
Length:
- 10:28
Director(s):
Company / Institution / Agency:
- Independent Artist
Description:
A mechanical beast attacks two rag doll creatures as they scavenge the ruins of their world. After witnessing the death of his mentor, 5, the rag doll, 9, must confront this vile creature. Only through cunning and the use of his primitive technology can 9 hope to destroy the monster and steal the talisman of trapped souls it carries as a trophy.
Inspired by the work of stop-motion animation masters Jan Svankmeyer, The Brothers Quay, and the Lauenstein Brothers, I sought to immerse the audience in a gritty textural world inhabited by creatures composed of fabric scraps and bits of broken machin-ery. The fantasy artwork of Zdzislaw Beksinski and photographs of European cities destroyed in World War II inspired the scenic design. The non-verbal narrative is loosely based on the Old English poem “Beowulf” and relies heavily on pantomime combined with strong composition and staging to tell the story.
Software:
Maya for animation, modeling, and rendering, Adobe After Effects for compositing and editing, Adobe Photoshop for textures and matte painting
Additional Contributors:
Director and Producer: Shane Acker
CONTRIBUTORS
Sound Designer: Dave Steinwedel
Music Composer: Eric Olsen
Additional Images:
