Working from designs by US designer/animator Louis Wes, Barcelona animation studio Device spins up a fluid showcase of Japanese performing arts for Stage Beyond Borders, a new initiative from The Japan Foundation.

From the team at Device: “The objective of this piece is to transmit the diversity of contemporary and traditional arts existing in Japan within a 30-second animation.

“Influenced by the performances themselves, we wanted to give Louis’s illustrations a new flare without losing the essence of his minimalist style.

“One of the biggest challenges was combining Louis’s geometric style with the dynamism of performing arts. The movements were a key aspect of the production, so communicating the different performances truthfully required breaking down the scenes and carefully working on the various transitions.

“Working with frame-by-frame animation, we sought to distort the illustrations and provide them with fluid actions to bring them to life. Playing with stretch and squash techniques, transitioning between frames with the help of the character’s own movements.

“We created the key visuals in various formats from horizontal, vertical to square, enabling them to be used on all types of digital platforms or for physical magazine ads.”
 

 
Client: The Japan Foundation

Production: BOL
Director: Device
Art Director: Louis Wes
Executive Producer: Marcello Buselli
Producer: Tamara Sefcovicova
Director: Ester Dus
Additional Illustration: Alba Prado
Lead Animator: Israel Giampietro
Animator: Karla Cuba, Ester Dus
Clean Up: Karla Cuba, Ester Dus
Compositor: Ester Dus

Music/Sound Design: Raül Peix