The 3D movie Ruades vers l’Or: a crazy, comic story!
News . 06 Mar. 2025
Featuring colorful characters and absurd situations, Ruades vers l’or is a gem full of twists and turns. With humor and inventiveness, this short film revisits the codes of the heist movie, plunging viewers into a surprising and fast-paced adventure. Halfway between a western and a cartoon, it is the fruit of the talent of students in their final year of 3D Animation and Special Effects at ESMA.
A train robbery under a scorching sun
Somewhere in the American desert, Ruades vers l’or plunges us into a slapstick western where not everything goes according to plan. An endearing Mexican bandit, accompanied by his inseparable donkey, spots a convoy transporting gold. His plan? To pull off a legendary heist. But nothing goes as planned: a charismatic American outlaw and his proud stallion cause trouble. To make matters worse, the donkey develops an unbridled admiration for the rival horse, turning the operation into a series of wild misunderstandings. Part clumsiness and part visual comedy, this improbable robbery promises to be as absurd as it is hilarious.
Meticulous writing at the service of comedy
With its unabashedly fun and cartoonish tone, this zany western is the result of a long process of script development. Each stage of production was influenced by this desire to combine action and humor, a challenge taken up by ESMA students. From the first versions, the story was refined, gradually evolving to adapt to the constraints of 3D animation without ever losing its essence. Behind this avalanche of visual gags, the robbery serves as a common thread, shaped with precision to guarantee a sustained rhythm and effective comedy.
The design of the 3D sets was a real technical challenge.
Reproducing the atmosphere of the Far West while retaining a cartoon style was no easy task. Between the scorching heat of the desert, the dust floating in the air and the tracks stretching as far as the eye could see, each element had to recreate the very special atmosphere of the western. Not to mention the imposing silhouette of the train, the centerpiece of the set. While the animation and the script required a great deal of creativity, it was the creation of the environments that represented the greatest challenge. To achieve this, the students conducted extensive visual research, refining every detail to bring this universe to life in 3D.
In order to achieve the perfect balance between realism and stylization, a large number of models and 3D tests were carried out. Each element, from the rock to the cactus, including the dust clouds, was designed to reinforce the atmosphere of the film while optimizing the impact of the visual gags.
An enriching collective experience
Ruades vers l’or was just the culmination of a group adventure, like any final-year project at ESMA. Over the course of several months, the students combined their talents, faced with technical and narrative unforeseen events, while developing essential professional skills. The challenges they tackled together included project management, communication between the various disciplines (animation, modeling, FX, etc.) and, above all, the ability to defend a common artistic vision while integrating everyone’s ideas.
A big congratulations to the whole film crew
With originality and technical mastery, Xime BOURDEAU-HERBIN, Léa BROSSE, Maël CHARUEL, Juliette COUZI, Ophélie DUPERE, Aurore DUPONT, Carla FAYET and Océane SEAPHANH have created a work that is as technically accomplished as it is full of humor. Their creativity, perseverance and sense of humor have brought this offbeat comedy to life. Congratulations to these talented individuals!
