Advent Animation 2014 – Dec 1: Berlin Runners (Martin Rhys Davies)
The holidays are upon us, but don’t worry, there are still a few days before Christmas. Each year, I see more animators using the holiday season as an opportunity to work on special projects, either for clients or their own personal enjoyment. It’s a chance to show off some new skills, try an unusual technique and send a personal, visual greeting to the world at large. Sometimes sweet, sometimes sour and sometimes simply silly, I hope this year’s #AdventAnimation Showcase will bring you a bit of daily holiday cheer.
Quite appropriately, we’ll start our advent countdown with an animated countdown. Berlin Runners by Martin Rhys Davies takes us on a pixilated tour of Berlin during the Advent season. Using the numbers from the famous 24 hour clock in Alexanderplatz as a structure, we follow a cut out running figure above and below the bustle of the city.
Director Martin Rhys Davies was kind enough to illuminate a few points from the film.
Interesting moment, fact or point of inspiration from your production:
Somehow managing to hypnotise the man guarding the Brandenberg Gate Christmas tree to turn on the lights 3 days before he was supposed to. Ten minutes later, as tourists gathered round to take photos, he had a panic attack and turned them off again. (And we went back again another day).
What’s the story with all the signatures on the running figure?
Those are the signatures of the visiting lecturers who go to the Berlin School, do their thing and then sign the wall. If you watch it to the end, you’ll see that’s where the runner ends up.
There’s some awesome street art in the background. How did you choose to include the ones you did?
Simply because I like them and they looked good. Sadly, the huge iconic painting in Curvystrasse by Blu (which appears at the beginning with a fire-runner crossing in front of it) looks set to be removed by the so called “developers”. The community that had established itself in the vacant lot in front of the Blu building has already been forced out and pretty soon yet another piece of Berlin culture will be bulldozed, neutralised and filled with bland boxes. Money, money, money…
What’s one thing you are looking forward to in the new year?
The whole Twittersphere falling silent (nice dream). Oh, and world peace.
#AdventAnimation is a daily showcase of holiday themed animation. If you are working on something with a touch of holiday cheer that will be released sometime between 1 December and Christmas Eve, drop me a note and I will put it into consideration.