Coming October 19, the film, featuring music and narration by Gavin Friday and artwork based on original illustrations by Bono, transforms and retells the classic fairytale and Sergei Prokofiev’s famed symphony.
Max has just released a trailer for its new Max Original animated short film, Peter & the Wolf, which debuts on the streamer October 19. The 3D film, featuring music and narration by Gavin Friday and artwork based on original illustrations by Bono, transforms and retells the classic fairytale and Sergei Prokofiev’s famed symphony.
According to the streamer, Peter & the Wolf follows grieving 12-year-old Peter, who is now in the care of his grandfather after enduring the loss of a parent. Upon hearing stories of a wolf on the loose, Peter decides to explore the vast meadow and forest nearby to try and find the wolf himself. Along the way he encounters creatures who help him on his quest, while contending with hunters aiming to win a prize for capturing the wolf.
The project is led by musician and composer Friday, with The Friday Seezer Ensemble performing Prokofiev’s score, newly arranged by Friday and Maurice Seezer.
Originally announced this past April, the short juxtaposes traditional hand-drawn 2D animation combined with a physical set-built world. To reflect the project's unique nature, Blink Industries developed a mixed media approach to the production that embraced the 2D roots of Bono’s original designs while creating a tangible, immersive, atmospheric world for Peter and his cohorts. In addition, the monochromatic rendering of the film adds to the timeless quality of the piece.
Working with their extensive team of model makers, directors Stephen McNally and Elliot Dear built and filmed all the environments as miniatures in their studio in London before seamlessly compositing the 2D hand-drawn character animation into the world. The interplay of the 2D drawings with light and shade from the physical world blends the interaction between animated characters and model made environments.
The film is produced by BMG and Blink Industries and executive produced by Alistair Norbury & Stuart Souter for BMG, and Benjamin Lole & James Stevenson Bretton at Blink Industries. Blink Industries’ Elliot Dear and Stephen McNally direct; Adriana Piasek-Wanski produces. BBC Studios is handling global distribution.
Source: Warner Bros. Discovery
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
