Rob Munday

Out to present, what the team behind The Soloists describes as “a lighthearted story while delivering a heavy message”, this Gobelins short tackles social injustice with a gentle touch and playful style. Based in a fictitious world, the eight-minute short follows three sisters as they battle against the ridiculous rules put in place by the government, but despite the fantasy element here, the message is very much grounded in reality.

“There are still real places that exist with these kinds of ridiculous laws”

“We are young directors who really want to make meaningful films and tell important stories”, the team behind The Soloists explain as we discuss their graduation film. Revealing that their short was inspired by the true stories of the many people living under strict regimes, the five animators hope that their story reveals that “there are still real places that exist with these kinds of ridiculous laws and dogma”.

If you’re yet to watch the film and reading this accompanying article is putting you off as it sounds a little too heavy, don’t fret, that certainly isn’t the case. As already mentioned in the intro, this is lighthearted storytelling (although things do get a little “Pixar dark” in places) and the team deliver their serious message with a heavy side of comedy. Though much of it is provided from one of life’s most successful comedians – the dog – the young filmmakers also manage to get laughs out of the oppressive system in which their trio of protagonists exist and the recurring theme of death. No easy task!

“Reducing cuts between shots or scenes and using flipping animation techniques for the environment, we aimed to increase the storytelling mood by developing a popup book style” – The Soloists team.

Alongside the comedic elements of the film, they also manage to inject a sense of lightness into their heavy topic through their spirited aesthetic. Placing traditional 3D character design within a 2D “pop-up” world not only serves to drive the story forward and ensure a solid pacing, it also works to heighten the storytelling feel here. It also helps focus the viewers’ attention on the characters and their story, giving the short a theatrical feel and once again making sure their message of hope and perseverance is heard loud and clear.

Currently in the process of releasing the class of ’21 films online, The Soloists is the fourth (of 12) short available from the graduating class of the GOBELINS, l’école de l’image in Paris. With its five creators now in the process of leaving, what was probably a testing time in education, we wish them all the best for future and will keep an eye out for their names in future shorts, tv shows and movies – wherever they decide to apply their ample talents.