AppleTV+ - Wolfwalkers : a great press event on drawing

By Mulder, 21 march 2021

Apple Original Films sent guests keepsake worthy boxes, embossed with Wolfwalkers artwork and complete with a beautiful journal, colored pencils and artisan paper leaves that evoke the spirit of the forest

Apple’s Wolfwalkers” the latest from two-time Academy Award-nominated director Tomm Moore and director Ross Stewart, and co-produced by the award-winning animation studios Cartoon Saloon and Melusine Productions, has won an AFI FEST prize and Critics Choice Super Award.

Wolfwalkers has been named best animated film across multiple critics groups, including by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, New York Film Critics Circle, Dublin Critics Circle, Chicago Film Critics Association, San Diego Film Critics Society, Alliance of Women Film Journalists, and more. A Golden Globe Award-nominated film, “Wolfwalkers” is also up for 10 Annie Awards and was nominated by the Producers Guild of America in the category of Best Animated Feature. This week, Wolfwalkers will be returning to cinemas starting with a New York theatrical run at the Angelika Film Center beginning Friday, March 19. Additional theaters in major North American markets will be added throughout March and April. Wolfwalkers is produced by Paul Young, Nora Twomey, Tomm Moore, and Stéphan Roelants. GKIDS serves as the theatrical distribution partner in North America. WildCard serves as the theatrical distributor for the film in the UK.

This past Sunday, Apple Original Films hosted a Virtual Master Class led by the Cartoon Saloon filmmakers of Wolfwalkers. Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Tatiana Mazzei and Maria Madelaire Forna invited members of the creative community and the press to learn how to draw various characters and elements from the movie. The movie is set in Ireland, and the animators bring an authenticity to the characters and the settings, because they live in Ireland. Tomm said they can look out their window and see the very castle roofs that their characters ran across.

Wolfwalkers is set in a magical time. Young apprentice hunter Robyn Goodfellowe travels with her father to wipe out the last wolf pack. There, Robyn strikes up an unlikely friendship with Mebh, a free-spirited girl who is part of a mysterious tribe rumored to magically transform into wolves at night. Robyn’s journey leads her deeper into the enchanted world of the Wolfwalkers, and further from her father’s vision for their destruction.

The animators led Sunday’s guests through the process of drawing a wolf, Robyn Goodfellow and Mebh. The animators explained how they use basic shapes—not only so they can be easily replicated by the team, but also to convey the personality of the characters. For example, Mebh is drawn with a lot of rounded shapes—her head is a circle, and her body a jellybean. Her hair is big and round and has free flowing lines that convey a freedom of spirit. Conversely, Roby is drawn with a series of squares and diamonds that give her a more controlled and orderly feel; she does not have any free flowing lines. The wolf has plentiful free flowing lines including swirls and spikes of hair. Wolfwalkers was hand drawn, although images were eventually digitized. The backgrounds were drawn and then a layer of water color was overlaid.

The sequel, Wolfwalkers 2 is expected to be released next year and comes from the same talented animation team.

Synopsis :
In a time of superstition and magic, a young apprentice hunter, Robyn Goodfellowe, journeys to Ireland with her father to wipe out the last wolf pack. While exploring the forbidden lands outside the city walls, Robyn befriends a free-spirited girl, Mebh, a member of a mysterious tribe rumored to have the ability to transform into wolves by night. As they search for Mebh's missing mother, Robyn uncovers a secret that draws her further into the enchanted world of the "Wolfwalkers" and risks turning into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy.

Wolfwalkers
Directed by Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart
Produced by Paul Young, Nora Twomey, Tomm Moore, Stéphan Roelants
Screenplay by Will Collins[
Story by Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart
Starring Honor Kneafsey, Eva Whittaker, Sean Bean, Simon McBurney, Tommy Tiernan, Jon Kenny, John Morton, Maria Doyle Kennedy
Music by Bruno Coulais, Kíla
Edited by Richie Cody, Darren Holmes, Darragh Byrne
Production companies : Cartoon Saloon, Mélusine
Distributed by Wildcard (Ireland), Apple Inc./GKIDS (United States), Haut et Court (France)
Release date : 12 September 2020 (TIFF), 2 December 2020 (Ireland), 11 December 2020 (Apple TV+), 16 December 2020 (France)
Running time : 103 minutes
Countries : Ireland, United Kingdom, France

Written by Nicole St John
Photos by Nicole St John