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ApplyMaking of - « Emboucanator »
Dive into the animated short film "Emboucanator," from pre-production to post-production. "Emboucanator," a humorous short film, is the result of the hard work of six students from the MoPA animation school.
Previously, we introduced you to the behind-the-scenes creations of the 3D animated films Ceux pour qui la Lune ne brille pas and Space Dan. Today, we invite you to immerse yourself in the world of Emboucanator, a short film imagined and created by David RENOUX, Simon RENOUX, Pauline LISI, Sarah LEVACHER-ROBINET, Hadrien BRENN, and Alessandro LAMIO, all students from MoPA’s Class of 2024.
A thrilling chase
The story follows Emboucanator, a bull-man who decides to flee Culterrine, a feisty sheep-woman, on the day of their wedding. But Culterrine is not one to back down—she chases her runaway groom across the Camargue landscape, armed with a rifle. Along the way, Emboucanator encounters mafia-like flamingos playing pétanque and the legendary Tarasque of Tarascon, a mythical beast from the region.
Emboucanator is far from a strong and courageous bull. Contrary to expectations, he’s cowardly, clumsy, and a little foolish. The team chose a bull as the protagonist because it’s the iconic animal of the Camargue, symbolizing masculinity and strength—qualities that are the exact opposite of Emboucanator. Similarly, Culterrine, his fiancée, defies stereotypes. Beneath her delicate sheep-like appearance lies a determined woman ready to settle the score with her husband.
Throughout the story, mafia-inspired flamingos with Marseille accents playing pétanque make their appearance. They were influenced by the iconic introduction of Jesus in The Big Lebowski. To incorporate as many references to the Camargue as possible, David shared that the team included the Tarasque, a medieval monster associated with the founding of Tarascon. This creature serves as the film’s final boss, a nod to Bowser from Super Mario.
The result is a delightful blend of folklore, cultural references, and eccentric characters, making for a film that is as humorous as it is original.
Bringing the Camargue to life
The making of Emboucanator began with collaborative teamwork, with all six students contributing their ideas to the script. From there, roles were naturally distributed: each team member took responsibility for a character or technical aspect based on their fourth-year specialty, whether Animation or Image. The “Anim” students focused on movement, rigging, and storyboarding, while the “Image” students handled modeling, texturing, and lighting.
In terms of artistic direction, David opted for an original aesthetic, creating the concept arts with a felt-tip pen. This posed a significant challenge for the team, who had to translate this unique style into 3D animation.
From MoPA to new horizons...
Emboucanator isn’t just a graduation project; it encapsulates everything the team has learned during their time at MoPA. For Pauline, her training at the school allowed her to discover and fall in love with the world of 3D animation, even turning it into her vocation. At MoPA, she explored different techniques and tools while developing her artistic vision. Creativity and instinct are essential in the art world, but mastering technique is just as important.
“What I would say to anyone looking to join MoPA is just to be passionate. Spending five years here is about exploring all your passions and finding the spark that keeps you going because you love doing it. Sharing it with others allows you to create something special together. Just be passionate—nothing more, nothing less,”
A big congratulations to David, Simon, Pauline, Sarah, Hadrien, and Alessandro for this remarkable short film! The entire MoPA team wishes them great success in their future endeavors, which will undoubtedly be just as impactful!
