Last week, Austin, Texas was taken over yet again by the annual SXSW festival — the convergence of tech, music, and film that leaves people talking for months after. While the interactive and music portions of the event each only run for half of its duration, film is a presence throughout. This year’s SXSW Film Festival included more than 250 features, shorts, and premieres that reflected voices and visions from around the world, with big names and fresh faces all getting screen time. The one thing every screening had in common, however, is the way it began.
Each year, SXSW commissions a filmmaker or studio to create custom “bumpers” for the films at the festival. These short clips roll before each film, setting the vibe, defining the branding, and — always to much applause — thanking the event’s dedicated volunteers. This year, the project went to the team of director Saschka Unseld and producer Kyle Ranson-Walsh of Madly in Love.
Once they developed a unique concept for their films, the pair set about bringing them to life, which led to a collaboration with Shutterstock for music, imagery, and footage. We spoke to Saschka and Kyle about the entire process and how they were able to realize their compelling vision. Read on for the full story, and check out an exclusive first online look at one of the bumpers below.
http://vimeo.com/122776089
How did the partnership with Shutterstock develop for this project?
Kyle first worked with Shutterstock while producing IFP’s Independent Film Week last year. We collaborated on an entire day of documentary programming and a really exciting panel discussing the relationship between documentary filmmakers and their subjects.
When this new project arose, we immediately thought of Shutterstock and its wide library of music and video footage that we could incorporate to maximize our resources while making something great.
Was there a brief for this project? What were you trying to convey?
SXSW approached us late last year to pitch ideas for the bumpers. Their brief was pretty expansive, with the only real requirement being that we make a total of five films, one of which would specially run at Midnight screenings.
We were interested in making these shorts reference the language and history of film, but in a new, fresh way. Saschka is particularly inspired by natural elements, and started to wonder what films would look like if they were directed by the forest itself.
“Silvia’s Nightmare” by Nicola Piovani, featured in the video above
Last year’s film fest featured animated bumpers. How was the concept and process different this time around?
We love the bumpers Ornana did last year! They are an incredibly talented team and left big shoes to fill. And, of course, we’re huge animation fans. We first started working together at Pixar, where Saschka wrote and directed “The Blue Umbrella.”
For us, the story dictates the style, and we enjoy working across a wide range of formats and mediums. Once we had the concept of making films about the forest, it was clear they were going to be live action to make them as realistic-looking as possible.
How did you go about selecting footage and music and putting the bumpers together?
The bumpers are meant to evoke iconic genres, so it was very important to find music that would underscore these themes. Saschka first found compositions to pair with each story and the corresponding footage that we had shot on location. Later in the editorial process, he went back and pulled footage elements to layer in atmosphere and special effects, where needed.
We even used a still image! Toward the end of the process, we were working on the layout of the credits and realized it would be perfect to end with a heart made of sticks and twigs. We didn’t have time to build something like that, but luckily Shutterstock had exactly what we needed.
What distinguishes the five films from each other, and what links them together?
Conceptually, all of the films are stories shot in the forest, by the forest. We spent time exploring how to structure stories so that they would each feel unique, and decided to use iconic film genres as reference points. Four of the bumpers invoke film genres (Romance, Noir, Drama, and Horror). They also celebrate the four seasons in a forest. The fifth film is a special one celebrating the “NatureCam” designed and fabricated by our incredibly talented production designer, Luke Green.
What do you hope the audience takes away from seeing these clips? How much will they feed into the films that follow?
Of course we hope audiences loved them! SXSW has such an eclectic selection of films, brought together by the expert programming team. The atmosphere at the festival is super high-energy, with so much going on. We hope that these films gave everyone a mini-escape to the natural world as they settled into their seats.
Only one film (Horror) was specifically designed to pair with the Midnight screenings. The rest were rotated through the SXSW screening schedule. It was a mystery even to us which one would show before any particular screening.
Snow blizzard by Aroo
Real falling snow by DanielChristelProduction
Clips used in the creation of the “Drama” bumper
What was the biggest challenge with this project, and what surprised you the most about the results?
Our biggest challenge making these was our own creative appetite. We set out to create ambitious films with a very tiny budget and limited time. We’re really proud of how they turned out, and couldn’t have done it without our team and partners. Shutterstock, Digital Bolex, One Thousand Birds, Sutro Studios, and Fire Proof Stages all helped us make these films look and sound incredible.
What did you like most about working with Shutterstock video and music assets?
Working with Shutterstock gave us access to a wealth of visual and sound material to play with. We can’t imagine how we would have been able to create these without the library.
The remaining bumpers will be available to view at sxsw.com in the coming weeks. Check back for updates!