Try the pilot right here:
Pixel Zoo has additionally launched a enjoyable behind-the-scenes video that exhibits a little bit of the work that went into placing the pilot collectively.
Pixel Zoo has a powerful historical past of adapting real-world merchandise properties into animated movies and collection. With MGA Leisure, the corporate has labored on movies together with L.O.L. Shock! The Film and L.O.L. Shock! Home of Surprises, in addition to collection together with Rainbow Excessive, Mermaze Mermaidz,, Let’s Go Cozy Coupe, and L.O.L. Shock! Winter Style Present, the latter of which landed on Netflix final October.
The Secrets and techniques of Sunflower Valley is their very own authentic property although, and the corporate is at the moment in search of potential distribution and broadcast companions.
We lately spoke with the collection’ director Jordan Higgins and producer Sebastian Gonzalez concerning the present, its meant viewers, and utilizing Unreal to present the present its polished look.
Cartoon Brew: Do you have already got a platform or community connected? What’s the plan for distribution past the pilot?
Higgins and Gonzalez: Presently, we wouldn’t have any distribution deal for The Secrets and techniques of Sunflower Valley . We plan to maintain creating the present internally and steadily releasing extra episodes on Youtube as they’re accomplished, constructing a group that may watch and revel in it as a lot as we beloved making it. Maintain an eye fixed out for the subsequent episode popping out later this 12 months. Nonetheless, we’re additionally nonetheless actively in search of different platform partnerships and alternatives.
It’s uncommon to see a clip of this high quality, that appears so authentically like a giant community children’ present, however that’s positively not for younger kids. What viewers have been you desirous about whereas engaged on this pilot, and did you face any pushback from companions or distributors when exhibiting them your work?
Higgins and Gonzalez: Properly thanks a lot for the sort phrases, it actually means so much. This pilot is a testomony to the completely loopy gifted staff we now have right here at Pixel Zoo. A lot of the service work we do is for youngsters’s content material, particularly the toy trade.
So, we already had the in depth data and expertise to get that polished feel and look we have been after. As for the viewers, we geared toward across the 8 – 10-year-old demographic. It’s acquired some spooky/horror style components to it, however the motion and violence aren’t any greater than you’d discover in an previous Tom and Jerry or Looney Tunes episode. We noticed there was a little bit of a gap out there for content material like this – for the kid who has outgrown Postman Pat and now desires to see him get maimed. Dad and mom and kids alike can watch collectively in anticipation of how this loopy horror motion goes to show – and will be glad there’ll nonetheless be a healthful ending. It’s someplace in between Pui Pui Molcar and Completely happy Tree Associates.
As for pushback, mainly, there was none. Our personal studio executives beloved the idea and trusted us absolutely to carry it into actuality. Having a undertaking that actually felt prefer it belonged to the staff was an awesome feeling. We initially began exhibiting it round at Kidscreen Summit again in February, and the reception was nice, definitely catching most individuals off guard, however in a great way. We’ve had fairly a number of thrilling conversations since.
What have been a number of the main challenges you encountered whereas engaged on this undertaking, and the way did you overcome them?
Higgins and Gonzalez: In the end, time and price range have been the primary challenges. We got a modest price range, and an finish date, and anybody from the studio engaged on it needed to discover time in between their current service work quotas. Fortuitously, over the six-month schedule, we have been in a position to make It occur simply in time. Some objects we might have beloved to incorporate, and additional story beats needed to be reduce in an effort to get it completed – however general I believe we averted any actual compromises. We’re all extraordinarily pleased with the episode and are already into the manufacturing of the second episode.
How lengthy have you ever been working with Unreal? And what made it the precise engine for rendering this undertaking?
Higgins and Gonzalez: We’ve been utilizing Unreal as a render engine for a number of years now, on a variety of exhibits. Utilizing it for The Secrets and techniques of Sunflower Valley made a number of objects actually easy. Issues like all the fireplace and smoke results are in a short time and simply iterated and adjusted, you may tweak them in real-time. And though the set and characters of the present are very stylized, the shaders and lighting are supposed to imitate an actual stop-motion set and real-world supplies, one thing unreal is actually nice at reaching. Getting that last look simply kinda fell into place. Everybody simply clicked and acquired the precise concept of what we wished it to appear like proper off the bat.
