Galleries Projects Professional |
The CraftA Selection of Paintings by Renée Forrestall
Duration: Approx. 5 min
www.frankforrestall.com
This short film will involve the creative talents of the sibling team of Frank and Renée Forrestall.
Frank and Renee formed the core of the creative team on Fairy Folio: A Field Guide to the Faerie. A 2002 production for CTV that used a dynamic blend of painted Fine Art and Animation technology. You can see a video clip of the show here.
The animation will involve an experimental application of traditional 2D animation, fine-art painting techniques and digital special effects to create a powerful visual spectacle that explores the emotional battlefield that is humanity’s want to create.
The image of a stark human body defined only by the light of his creation represents many struggles internal and external that humanity has faced in its time on earth. “The Craft” endeavors to be mythic in its simplicity; all at once it is a creation myth, a hero cycle, a fable and a hymn.
Frank Forrestall brings to this project his experience in fine art, design, as well as animation direction and animation production for TV.
Renée Forrestall brings to this project her experience in fine art and in particular her specialty in artistic anatomical study.
All is dark.
Then a spark of light pierces the darkness.
For a moment in the burst we see the hard chiseled features of a man’s face.
All is dark again.
Another spark and again we see the man’s face, his jaw and brow are clenched in grim concentration.
Once again… all is dark.
A third spark reveals the face again and as the burst dies a dim low light warms the features of the face and we see the clenched jaw and brow of the man dissolve into a look of satisfaction; the fire is lit.
As the fire grows in intensity more of the man is revealed. His skin is pale and hairless; he wears no clothes on his roughly chiseled body. His brawny frame and hard leathery face reveals a man who’s worked many arduous years; now at the prime of his life he is prepared to undertake a task which will define who he has been in this world.
When the fire is bright enough the man reaches into the air above his head and with both hands clasps an invisible chain - we hear the chain gently rattle. With straining effort he puts all of his weight into pulling the chain down. We hear the rush of air through some great invisible bellow… and the light grows intense.
The man continues to work; stoking an invisible fire and pounding invisible steel with an invisible hammer. With each hammer fall a burst of light carves his form out of the darkness and sends a spray of sparks through the air. The red of the fire reveals many beads of sweat forming on his skin and fills the scene with thick warm air. Hard wrinkles become etched on his face as the sweat begins to stream.
The scene works itself to a crescendo of violent hammering as the invisible craft is pounded into shape. In a moment the searing phantom metalwork slips from the invisible tongs and sears the man’s flesh as it clatters from the imaginary anvil. The man reels back into the darkness dropping his tools and cowering from the light of the inferno.
The sound of raspy desperate breathing fills the suffocating air as the red light slowly fades. The man, on his knees in the dimness of the embers, cradles his scorched hand.
As his breathing slowly comes to balance, the man examines his inflamed wound. He rests for a moment. A look of resolve calmly overcomes his disposition and his gaze turns toward the dim red glow of the phantom furnace.
He stands slowly and with calm resolve grasps the invisible chain once more. As he pulls, the room is bathed with a triumphant golden light and he is immediately lit from head to foot.
Grasping the invisible tools the man once again sets into his task. Although he sweats his face bears no sign of pain, although he struggles his face reveals contentment with the effort. The sound of the falling hammer echoes no violence in its stroke but rather reveals a primal rhythmic chiming that evokes a sense of endless wonder; akin to the glittering of the ocean or the twinkling of the stars.
As he works we move away from him and we see for the first time that he is outdoors. Behind him we see a skyline of tall pine trees standing black against a night sky filled with glittering stars. We continue to move back until he is small in the scene; small yet connected with the world around him. We drift in the serenity of the chiming.
Then all at once the ringing hammer stops.
We are close on the man once again he gazes down at his work glowing golden warm. He lifts it close to his face. We hear the subtle sizzling of hot iron as it comes within inches of his face. The light reveals a greatly satisfied if somewhat sad expression. He pulls the invisible object away from his face and we hear the explosive hiss of hot iron suddenly thrust into cold water. We are left in darkness.
The darkness is cut by a spike of cool white light revealing the man’s features. He lifts the craft from the invisible bucket cradling it tenderly in his cupped hands. It shines in his hands like a fallen star revealing streaming tears of joy on the man’s face. The light continues to grow in intensity bathing everything around in its radiance.
The darkened world gives way to a landscape of pure light.
THE END
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