I’m not usually a Halloween horror type of individual — blame me being ridiculously squeamish — however I’ve run throughout a gem of a spooky cartoon brief that I’ve fallen in love with.
Memento Mori is an award-winning animated brief from Boulder Media, an Irish animation firm that has additionally been concerned with the function movie My Little Pony: A New Generation and the Danger Mouse relaunch.
Set in Victorian Dublin, the story is structured round a letter from Henry Huxley (voiced by Mark Gatiss, actor and co-creator of Sherlock and Dracula), photographer of the lifeless, who’s writing to a possible apprentice. He is explaining how he conducts his career, taking autopsy pictures, however on this explicit night, his topic has a message for him.
Memento Mori is about the perceived battle between science and the religious and the vanity of those that search refuge in expertise over humanity. It’s additionally correctly creepy.
I spoke by way of e-mail with Creative Director Paul O’Flanagan, director and co-writer (with Laura O’Flanagan) of the brief, about what was behind this uncommon story.
Johanna Draper Carlson: What impressed Memento Mori?
Paul O’Flanagan: Years in the past, I learn an article on autopsy images. It sat in my head for some time, and little by little concepts and pictures popped into my head. After some time, there was sufficient there that I made a decision to hold them on a narrative construction and went about filling in the blanks!
JDC: It’s such an attention-grabbing mixture of material and theme, and it goes in a totally surprising (I assumed) path. How and why did the story develop the approach it did?
O’Flanagan: It went in a unique path for me too! My authentic intent was to make a unclean, grotesque horror with not a lot story and no subtext. However, when working with my mentor, Rob Cullen, and editors from Screen Ireland (who funded the movie), I used to be inspired to place a bit extra emotion into it. In horror, scares are at all times complimented by emotion, and vice versa.
JDC: How did you join with Mark Gatiss to voice the character? Was he the first alternative?
O’Flanagan: Mark was my first alternative, as he’s so immersed in horror along with his reveals, documentaries, and audiobook narration. He can also be an amazing actor. To me, he’s actually the voice of horror.
When we have been writing it, I used to be listening to a ebook of E.F. Benson tales that he curated and narrated. I used to be struck with how excellent he can be for the movie. I didn’t fancy my probabilities of getting him concerned in the movie, however knew I’d remorse it if I not less than didn’t attempt!
I’d wish to suppose that he thought the script was value his whereas, however I ponder, did Covid lockdown have one thing to do with it?! Regardless, he was improbable to work with, and it wouldn’t be half the movie it’s with out his involvement.
JDC: I observed you’ve taken it to a quantity of movie festivals. Is that the objective of a brief animated movie like this, to collect consideration and presumably awards?
O’Flanagan: If I used to be a contract artist, then I assume that might be the objective of making the brief. To get your title on the market, meet individuals, discuss future tasks and employment.
However, I do have a full-time job as artistic director in Boulder Media, in order that wasn’t the case for me. For me, making a brief movie is solely only a bit of inventive expression. The need to do it’s like an itch that must be scratched! The story had advanced a lot in my head that I wanted to get it out of there!
JDC: Is there a way in the future for non-festival attendees to see it?
O’Flanagan: Absolutely. Thanks to our post-pandemic world, lots of festivals embody an internet programme as effectively. I maintain updated with all future festivals and embody their web sites in the screenings part of the movie’s web site.
JDC: What does the future maintain for you and Boulder Media?
O’Flanagan: We are engaged on some thrilling new reveals in Boulder (press releases coming quickly!). As for me, I’m engaged on a brand new horror brief with my spouse (and co-writer on Memento Mori) as author.
It’s nonetheless early days, and we’re letting the concepts simmer away till they’re prepared. Animation is a protracted, difficult course of, and the making of Memento Mori wasn’t a stroll in the park, so we’re in no rush with the subsequent one!
Memento Mori is subsequent displaying at the Ojai Film Festival in California in November.
Discussion about this post