Stage Beyond Borders (2023)
Studio DeviceClient Japan FoundationMy role Direction
At Device I landed my first big gig leading ‘Stage Beyond Borders’, and honestly it’s still ranks among my favorites. Teaming up with the Japan Foundation and Louis Wes, we explored all sorts of Japanese performing arts, from the smooth moves of Butoh to the bold drama of Kabuki and the classic vibe of Noh.
Digging Deeper
Started off with a deep dive into each performance style to grasp and respect each traditional and modern art form.
Storyboard
In the storyboarding phase, I focused on making sure the character transitions were seamless, keeping things flowing naturally, like in a dance.
Louis Wes’ sharp geometric styles mixed with the dynamics of performing arts—our challenge was to keep his clean lines but make them move in a way that felt alive.
Animating Louis Wes' Designs
Working on this projects was super exciting, especially when I got to bring movement to Louis Wes' illustrations.
Original Kabuki sketch by Louis Wes
Original Butoh sketch by Louis Wes
Frame-by-frame
Our team employed frame-by-frame animation to achieve the delicate transitions and to break away from the rigidity of the styleframes, giving them much more volume.By exaggerating the key positions of the transitions and emphasizing elements closer to the camera, we were able to bring a dynamic and three-dimensional aspect.
Rough and clean animation
Credits
ProductionBOL
DirectionDevice
Art DirectorLouis Wes
Executive ProducerMarcello Buselli
ProducerTamara Sefcovicova
DirectorEster Dus
Additional IllustrationAlba Prado
Lead AnimationIsrael GiampietroAnimationKarla Cuba, Ester Dus
Clean UpKarla Cuba, Ester Dus
CompositingEster Dus
Music & Sound DesignRaül Peix