To open their doc about three modern pioneers experiencing challenges in their home state of West Virginia, the crew at design/animation studio Coat of Arms crafts a tactile and symbolic sequence built from maps of Appalachia.

CD/co-founders Clara Lehmann and Jonathan Lacocque: “An anthem for the past and a love letter to the future, O Pioneer poetically reckons with and redefines the American pioneer as it follows a blacksmith, seamstress, and hospital chaplain as they navigate immense hardship.

“Our intention with the opening titles was to capture the visual style and romance of western classics through a dusty, sepia palette and textures that take inspiration from old maps.

“Finding ways to include regional features in the 3D terrain was an early challenge. There were limited pre-built assets so we began building the terrain based on references and map data. We also brought real maps from the Appalachian region into illustrator to create stylized accents and textures.
 

“Our intention with the opening titles was to capture the visual style and romance of western classics through a dusty, sepia palette and textures that take inspiration from old maps.”

 
“Additionally, we had the creative challenge of determining how to represent each of the film’s main participants without muddying the tone and vibe of the titles. Ultimately, we built 3D models of important elements or tools each character uses or holds a deeper connection to in the film.

“Moving into animation, our team wanted to keep the integrity of the design as realistic as possible, and we worked to make the visuals feel cinematic by pairing grand vistas with macro shots and slow camera movements.

“Our hope is that we inspire a sense of adventure while disrupting traditional, extractive and often narrow definitions of who can be a pioneer. In fact, we believe the stories in this film redefine the modern day pioneer, giving us all more confidence to see our significance.”

Watch the trailer for O Pioneer

 
 

 
Production: Coat of Arms
CD/producer: Clara Lehmann, Jonathan Lacocque
Associate Producer: Grace Lawson
Design Director: Ryan Butterworth
AD/Senior Motion Designer: Chris Moberg
Original Design Exploration: Pedro Fleming
Designer/Animator: Peiqing Lu

Music: Polo & Pan “Ani Kuni”