SOURCE: The Advocate
“We wanted to make a movie that didn’t have talking animals and wasn’t a comedy,” says Marc Adler during a question and answer period following the screening of his animated feature film, “Delgo”. Adler’s partner, Jason Maurer, nods his head in agreement, “We wanted to do something different.”
When the two began working on the screenplay and storyboarding for the film almost fifteen years ago, the idea of being different was one of the most important aspects.
“We only had six people working on “Delgo” from 1996 to 2000,” Maurer said.
“It’s difficult to get animators, because most already work for big studios, so we got guys that worked for video game companies, anthropologists, and people like that,” added Adler.
With inspiration ranging from renowned album cover artist Roger Dean to Jim Henson’s “The Dark Crystal” and even coral reefs, the two were determined to get “Delgo” made, regardless of the exorbitant amount of time needed to produce it.
Fifteen years is a long journey for any film, albeit an animated one like “Delgo”, which began casting in 2001 and features the voices of Freddie Prinze, Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, Burt Reynolds, and the late Anne Bancroft.
The audience for the screening, which was mostly in the pre-teen range, responded very well, asking questions about the world of Nohrins and Lockni. They also asked if any sequels or animated series were in the works.
The screening, thanks to Stacey Simmons and the Red Stick International Animation Festival, was the first ever for “Delgo” and Fathom Studios.
The journey to distribution begins when it’s shown at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France, one of the world’s foremost animation festivals, and the Seoul International Cartoon and Animation Festival, which “Delgo” is one of five animated features competing and the sole entry from North America.
Along with that, Adler and Maurer also have begun work on future projects. They not only have a script written in the event that “Delgo 2” is called upon, but they also have another interesting story in mind.
“We’re working on a short about dancing chameleons, which was actually choreographed by a former LSU student we met in Atlanta. It’s like ‘Stomp’ meets ‘Happy Feet’,” Adler explained.
As the screening audience rushed to get their free “Delgo” posters and chat with the writer/directors. The pair seemed pleased at the turnout and reactions of the audience.
Independent films done completely in CGI are not something you see every day. They are very expensive to produce and take unfathomable amounts of manpower and hours to reach a finished product. The task at hand is a huge risk to take, but the smiles on the faces of Adler and Maurer, and the general interest taken by the audience is an excellent start for “Delgo’s” future.
Publish Date:
04-18-2008
