Reversible Stop Motion
about: LOUP THÉVENIN
I am 18 years old, I’m French, I’m still a student and I also wear a moustache. I’m currently working on a short movie for SciencesPo (the french political science school), a series of prints for a collective exhibition and a few school projects including a short movie.
If you have a bachelor degree/education background; what is it?
I got the “baccalauréat” with science option and entered the “Estienne” school of art two years ago. I’m now in the printed image, copper engraving section.
Where are you located?
My home and shool are in Paris.
Tell us about this movie you made, titled “Reversible”. What was the idea behind it originally?
“Reversible” was the title of a school project : in that kind of projects we are given a simple subject and then are supposed to develop a personnal project about it, using whichever technique we want. I knew I wanted to make an animated film, an began to think about reversible structures I could build and animate. Finally I focused on triangular or pyramidal paper shapes reversing themselves: I wanted to develop a stop-motion animation method I had’nt already seen.
Reversible from Loup Thévenin on Vimeo.
Would you explain a bit about the process of creating the movie? What were the challenges and how you went around it?
The animation requires to use one paper model per image, so I had to go through many measurings and calculations to draw maps of successive objects that would be coherent. One of the difficulties was to sync image an sound perfectly: for this I analysed the music to extract the main loops and then I worked on each loop, trying to find a reversible structure and a movement that would fit to it. I wrote everything down in order not to lose myself in the hundreds of models. There also was the paper deformation problem, which blurred the animation a little with unnecessary vibrations. Oh, and of course, no money at all.
Describe how you feel at the starting of a new project?
I’m unable to sleep.
How do you see yourself 5 years from now?
I don’t know, maybe in an office doing a job I don’t care about and then going back home making movies on my own. Or an art teacher.
Could you share any insight for people just entering the field?
Since I’m just entering the field, I’m the one needing advices!
Who is the person you look up to in this industry? Why so?
Ryan Larkin, because he’s an absolute genius that created unique pieces of art. I also love the work of Chris Landreth.
How do you overcome creative block?
I usually overcome creative blocks late at night, when I’d prefer to sleep…
What’s one thing you wish you knew when beginning this passion?
I wish I knew I really would’nt have time enough to do all I want to do.
If you have online portfolio (website/awards/credits/client’s showcase), what is the URL?
http://www.vimeo.com/loupthevenin
Sound/Paper from Loup Thévenin on Vimeo.
Mechanical Pastry (Subtitled Version) from Loup Thévenin on Vimeo.
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