MONTREAL — E.D. Films (https://edfilms.net) has three projects currently in production, thanks to an Epic MegaGrant. The studio, which pioneers realtime animation workflows, is using new techniques on two shorts and a VR experience that ties interactive animation to changes in music. All are slated for release in 2020.
Epic MegaGrants is a $100 million initiative designed to support game developers, enterprise professionals, media and entertainment creators, students, educators and tool developers working with Unreal Engine or enhancing open-source capabilities. E.D. Films is one of the first animation companies to announce their award.
Hairy Hill is an upcoming short that explores a rural family’s relationship with nature and tragedy through an artful blend of traditional 2D, paper puppetry and performance-driven animation. Through custom tools and game engines, Hairy Hill is creating a new fable from a personal narrative.
Three Trees is a sweet children’s short that shows how trees learn about themselves as seasons change. Written by M.R. Horhager, the piece was created by combining PSD to 3D with Unreal’s aptitude for look development and worldbuilding.
The Garden, directed by David Barlow-Krelina, is an ambitious musical VR project about a strange man with a blossoming mind. The current builds fuse classical cinema, realtime and interactive animation into an experience that is rapidly evolving.
As part of this process, the studio has established a cross-functional team to blend artistry and R&D into the new productions. Experiments in cloth and paper simulations, environments and painterly aesthetics are already being perfected, helping E.D. Films learn more about what’s going to work for realtime animation teams.
"Game engines are a revolution in motion,” says Emily Paige, president of E.D. Films. “Every year, we get better and more ambitious. It’s been exciting to work with the Epic team on this progression, as they see the same future in real-time animation and want to empower creators just like we do. We look forward to seeing where it all goes, and hope to make an impact where we can.”