Ratzia: a daring saga combining humour, unexpected alliances and technical feats.
News . 25 Dec. 2024
Ratzia is a daring short film made by students in their final year of CG Animation and Special Effects at ESMA. The film is both technically impressive and full of humour, with an unexpected alliance between cats and rats. With its wacky twists and its major technical challenge, particularly in the rendering of the fur, it turns codes on their head and demonstrates a real artistic feat.
A nocturnal mission for an unexpected alliance
In this adventure, a clever cat and two clumsy rats work together to pull off a daring coup. Their aim: to rob a grocery shop by night and steal the ham their little group has been coveting. But achieving their goal turns out to be much more complicated than they imagined. The traps set in the shop and the menacing presence of a fearsome grocer will force them to use their ingenuity and courage to succeed.
Through this story full of twists and turns, Ratzia offers an original perspective on animal stories. The book revisits the codes of traditional cartoons by emphasising mutual aid and friendship, even between characters who are supposed to be enemies.
From 2D to 3D and the art of grooming: mastering the technical challenges
To turn this story into reality, students in their final year of CG Animation and Special Effects faced a number of technical challenges. One of the most daunting was modelling the characters in 3D from 2D drawings, a challenge made all the more complex when it came to recreating the animals’ hair.
Grooming, which refers to the creation and rendering of hair in 3D animation, was a major challenge. This delicate process involves meticulously modelling each strand of fur to achieve a result that is both realistic and aesthetically pleasing. It involves several complex stages:
- First, the base is created, defining the distribution of the hair on the characters’ bodies.
- Shaping, adjusting the shape and direction of the hair to match the movements and personality of the characters.
- Finally, shading and texturing add textures and colours to give the fur a natural look.
For Ratzia, choosing the right style of fur was a major challenge. It was essential that the fur remained expressive, while fitting in perfectly with the overall aesthetic of the short film.
A big well done to the team
The final result is a testament to the enormous commitment of the film team, comprising Laurie GARNIER, Nicolas GOUZE, David GUERIN, Timothée MANO, Matéo MARIE, Lara ROULOT, Lorena SAUTRE, Corentin VERGEZ and Emmanuelle ZAMO. Their ingenuity, perseverance and teamwork have resulted in a short film that is both comic and moving, captivating the audience from start to finish.
Above and beyond its technical prowess, Ratzia stands out for its ability to deliver a narrative that is both funny and full of tenderness. With its clever script and memorable characters, this film reflects the expertise and creativity that ESMA students develop throughout their training.
Well done to the whole team for this captivating film and their exceptional work!