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By TREVOR HOGGImages courtesy of Arcadia Motion Pictures, Lokiz Films, Noodles Production and Les Films du Worso.It was a pleasant surprise when the Spanish-French co-production Robot Dreams, which deals with themes of loneliness, companionship and people growing apart without a word of dialogue was nominated for Best Animated Feature at this years Academy Awards. Masterminding the adaptation of the graphic novel by Sara Varon was live-action filmmaker Pablo Berger (Blancanieves), who decided to try the world of animation, and in the process of doing so came up with some imaginative dream transitions. One transition in particular occurs when the Coney Island-stranded Robot is covered by snow, falls out of the frame, gathers himself and turns the image around to reveal a Hollywood set that resembles something out of The Wizard of Oz.A background of Coney Island where a major narrative turning point occurs.That is also one of my favorite scenes, Berger laughs. Jean-Claude Carrire, my favorite writer of all time, once said, Theres only one rule in cinema. You have to surprise the audience. I like the idea that whenever I write the script its almost like a Weeha! and I let myself go. In Robot Dreams, I brought a lot of references and inspirations from The Wizard of Oz to Buster Keaton and Busby Berkeley. I mix it all together. One of my favorite animators, Osamu Tezuka, is the king of breaking the fourth wall, and its also a homage to him. The aspect ratio had to be taken in consideration to effectively accomplish the visual gag. We were thinking about the previous shot so we could trick the audience. It should feel like a surprise, so we had to reduce the aspect ratio to be able to do that surprising effect, Berger remarks.I love the idea in animation that with just two circles and one dot you have an eye and with a single line you have a mouth, and how many things you can express with just one line. And how, with the mouth, Robot can teach the bird to fly; we worked a lot on that one. In the first storyboard, he did it with the eyelids going up and down, but then we realized it wasnt so clear. Suddenly, we decided to do it with the mouth.Pablo Berger, DirectorStoryboards are a major part of the filmmaking process. Even for my live-action films, I spend a year doing the storyboards. Especially when you make an animated film, the storyboard is the treasure map, Berger explains. Every single shot, the angle, size and duration are already planned. In a way, before the animation started, we had the film already finished. We made it with a small team five people working for a year and a half to make a rough animation. Every shot is clear. Of course, then you can do small changes when you begin to do the animation. The source material broke the fourth wall in way that worked within the confines of a comic book panel. Notes Berger, In the graphic novel you just see Robot getting out of the square, but it gave me an idea that I wrote in the script. When I started doing the storyboards, I had to decide where to put the camera for every single shot. Once you get animators and animation directors, they can bring you things. Animators are like actors and can propose certain actions.Research went into depicting areas of New York City during the 1980s such as Chinatown.Grunts and groans replaced actual lines of dialogue by the characters. I had great support from the voice director, who was also the voice of Dog, Ivan Labanda, Berger explains. All of the big Hollywood films that have young characters are dubbed by him. For us, it was important to have a little giggle or laugh. It was a different kind of acting, but in our case it was pleasurable. I was not alone doing this. Ivan cast a group of his friends to do it, which became a little ensemble. With six actors, we created all of the voices, grunts, laughs, screams and little noises. For example, during the sledge race in snow, the Anteaters had to make specific noises. It was definitely hard work, but we also had a fun time doing it.Nuances, such as cheese from the macaroni splattering against the glass window of the microwave, had to be meticulously orchestrated yet feel accidental. You have to realize, Im a live-action director, Berger notes. If directors have one superpower, we can close our eyes and see our film finished. However, in live-action, there are so many accidents that the film changes completely from what you were thinking about. In animation, the final film comes close to the dream, so I can feel my fingerprints in every single frame. Of course, Im working with a big team of artists, but I was involved with every single detail that happens because what you have to realize is, first you do the storyboard followed by layout, rough animation and then final animation; there are so many steps that you can make small adjustments.There are dream sequences in the film, with this being the background for the Flowerland, which resembles something out of The Wizard of Oz.An interesting creative choice was not to give Robot mechanical actions. The trending topic nowadays is AI and robots, but we started this film over five years ago, Berger observes. This robot is a metaphor for a friend, lover or companion. It doesnt have any chip inside. There is no software. Its like gears, wheels, bolts and springs. We wanted to do an old-style robot from the 1950s. It was also inspired by Hayao Miyazakis Laputa: Castle in the Sky. Introducing motion meant that some of the character designs had to be altered. Daniel Fernandez designed the characters, but then it was important when Animation Director Benot Froumon got involved. Initially, Robot was much rounder in the character design, but then early on Benot said, We need more rough edges so we can make it more 360. The designs at the end had to be approved by the animation director because hes the one who is going to have to animate.The interior of a Radio Shack where robot companions are on display.One of the clever moments is when Robot teaches a chick to fly through the motions of his mouth. I love the idea in animation that with just two circles and one dot you have an eye and with a single line you have a mouth, and how many things you can express with just one line, Berger reveals. And how, with the mouth, Robot can teach the bird to fly; we worked a lot on that one. In the first storyboard, he did it with the eyelids going up and down, but then we realized it wasnt so clear. Suddenly, we decided to do it with the mouth. Its a collaboration. The director gets the credit of the film, A Film by Pablo Berger; however, I had Benot Froumont, Sylvain Chomet [French writer and animator], Tom Moore [Co-Founder of Cartoon Saloon] and Art Director Jos Luis greda, who has made amazing films. You feel like you have good players next to you, and they helped me in the making a lot of the decisions.[T]here are so few animators in the world nowadays who know how to draw and create in 2D. Most animated films are using 3D. I also believe that when you want to create something new, you have to look to the past. I dont think you always have to look forward. Hand-drawn animation still has so much to offer to animation. We can talk about Spider-Verse animated movies, which use 3D, but theyre doing an old style so that it looks like 2D. Why not?Pablo Berger, Director2D animation was chosen over a 3D style. As a kid growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, everything was hand-drawn animation, Berger states. Robot Dreams takes place in the 1980s and is based on a graphic novel. For me, it was important that when people watch the film, they have to feel like its a graphic novel that is alive. We did not have any doubts thinking about 2D or 3D. 2D was definitely much more complex to find a team because there are so few animators in the world nowadays who know how to draw and create in 2D. Most animated films are using 3D. I also believe that when you want to create something new, you have to look to the past. I dont think you always have to look forward. Hand-drawn animation still has so much to offer to animation. We can talk about Spider-Verse animated movies, which use 3D, but theyre doing an old style so that it looks like 2D. Why not?A color script for the sequences when Dog receives his robot companion delivery and when he and Robot do a rollerblade dance in Central Park.In the first draft of the script, it was already September [September Song by Earth, Wind & Fire] because I needed a song that Dog and Robot could roller-dance to in Central Park. The producers were not happy in the beginning because music rights are expensive, and if you want one of the most popular songs in pop history it was an expensive song. But it was worth every penny that we spent. Definitely, the music was key. When you dont have dialogue, music becomes the voice of the characters.Pablo Berger, DirectorThe growing popularity of adult animation has led to a hybrid approach to animation. There is this amazing software called Blender, and you can combine with 2D, Berger remarks. You can get the best of both worlds. One of my favorite animated films in recent years is I Lost My Body, which has 2D and 3D, but you dont notice it. Whatever works to tell the story. In order to get the television screen to illuminate the face of Dog, some digital compositing was needed. The good thing about doing a 2D hand-drawn film now is you can use digital compositing software and different ways to provoke color correction. You use visual effects elements in a 2D world because in the end youre doing compositing as well.Exploring the different times of day for street exteriors.Along with making the transition to animation, Berger had to set up a pop-up studio called Lokiz Films, which has 100 animators working in Madrid and Pamplona. We were going to make this film with Cartoon Saloon, and suddenly we are not, Berger recalls. And its my first animated film. We had to make this big decision. I thought I was Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, Lets put a show! Lets make a pop-up animation studio. That was the hardest thing. We looked for animators all over Europe. It was the time of COVID-19. We didnt want to work remotely. It was mandatory that the animators had to come to Madrid or Pamplona. It was absolutely hell!Also, a pipeline was being created from scratch. The first time I heard the word pipeline was in animation because we dont use that term in live-action, Berger reveals. Pipeline? What is a pipeline!? Someone explained to me the animation pipeline, and I went, But this doesnt work for me! It was hard work to create a pipeline that worked for me. For me, the scenes had to be truthful, good acting, and I had to see them in continuity. I couldnt think about a shot; in animation and visual effects we talk about the shot. For me, it had to be beats of 30 seconds or one minute to approve.Examining what the interior of Dogs apartment will look like under various lighting conditions.Not having to convert the methodologies of an established animation studio was beneficial. At the beginning we thought it could be suicidal to create a studio, but after three or four months of fighting we realized, This is working. Were doing things our own way, Berger states. We created our own pipeline. Although I love Cartoon Saloon and have been in Kilkenny, I know if we had done Robot Dreams with them, it would have had a Cartoon Saloon-like style, which is great, but this gave it a unique personality; we created our own style of animation. Benot Froumont worked on The Triplets of Belleville as an animation director, so the spirit of Sylvian Chomet is in the film. And Benot also worked with Tom Moore on The Secret of Kells, so he knew Cartoon Saloon as well. Definitely, Benot brought a lot of knowledge, and his style is in the film.Central throughout is the song September by Earth, Wind & Fire. In the first draft of the script, it was already September because I needed a song that Dog and Robot could roller-dance to in Central Park, Berger explains. Then I realized, what if this song becomes the theme of the film? It was great to have that decision so early on. The producers were not happy in the beginning because music rights are expensive, and if you want one of the most popular songs in pop history it was an expensive song. But it was worth every penny that we spent. My producers spoiled me, and were able to put it into the budget. Definitely, the music was key. Not only the diegetic music like September but also Alfonso de Vilallongas [Composer] created a beautiful, jazzy, original soundtrack with strong melodies of piano. I could say that Robot Dreams is musical. When you dont have dialogue, music becomes the voice of the characters.Conceptualizing the anatomy and shape language for Dog.New York City in the 1980s is a principal cast member. Without a doubt, New York is the third protagonist of the film next to Robot and Dog, Berger remarks. But in the graphic novel, New York is not there. Its just an American city. For me, to make New York a protagonist was key. I did a masters in film at NYU, then continued to live in New York for 10 years. This was my love letter to New York, and you cannot have New York without New Yorkers! What a better metaphor than to have a jungle of animals representing all New Yorkers. Sometimes with animated films, the characters in the background dont move, but for me every single character in the background had to be doing something and dressed in a specific way. They have to have personality. Thats a good thing about animation. You can watch an animated film many times because theyre so rich in details. For people who love Robot Dreams, its worth to see it a second time just looking at the characters in the background!There are some dark moments with Robot getting a leg chopped off and his head severed. I realized early on in the process that although it was an animated film, this was no different from my live-action films, Berger states. Instead of using a camera, I was using artists who were drawing. The tone connects with my previous films. All of my films are tragic comedies; there is humor but also a lot of drama. I love that my films are filled with emotion. I love to think that Robot Dreams is a roller-coaster ride of emotions. Like in real life, there is drama. I hope that Robot Dreams will move people in many deep ways and they can have an emotional connection with the story. Drama is a big part of Robot Dreams.Experimenting with a selection of poses for Robot and Dog for a variety scenarios.Inspiring the visuals was the source material. The graphic novel by Sara Varon has what is called ligne claire in French, which means clear lines, Berger notes. Its an aggregate style from French and Belgium comic books. The colors are solid and the palette is stylized. It was important to get the New York colors, the buildings and streets, and the colors of the cars. It was also inspired by the research to have an 1980s feeling in the film. It had to be like candy. The film had to be very appealing visually, so the color is a big protagonist as well. Close-up shots are part of the visual language. I made a film called Blancanieves, which didnt have dialogue. When you have to tell the story with images, you need numerous close-ups. Robot Dreams is filled with close-ups and dollies, but what you need is a lot of shots to make the film feel alive. Its a combination of how I make films and the needs of a dialogue-free film.Doing a version of a 2D turntable for Robot.A critical component in making the shots feel alive are the New York characters that populate the background.One of the more complex shots is Dog and Robot walking down the street with various New Yorkers going about their daily lives.Without a doubt, New York is the third protagonist of the film next to Robot and Dog, But in the graphic novel, New York is not there. Its just an American city. For me, to make New York a protagonist was key. I did a masters in film at NYU, then continued to live in New York for 10 years. This was my love letter to New York, and you cannot have New York without New Yorkers! What a better metaphor than to have a jungle of animals representing all New Yorkers.Pablo Berger, DirectorOne of the most complex shots is the first time that Robot and Dog walk on the street together, Berger states. There is a long wide shot that is almost 10 seconds of traveling, and you see Robot and Dog, the Boar dancing; there are so many characters at the same time, and we have cars. Also, to find how Robot walks was one of the first things we did. Maybe the next time, if I do a live-action film I would even do an animatic, a moving storyboard.Originally, the animation was going to be done by Cartoon Saloon, but director Pablo Berger had to create a pop-up studio called Lokiz Films.Great attention was paid to the timing of the eye movements to achieve the proper comedic and dramatic tone.Dog takes a break while assembling his newly-acquired robot companion.Robot Dreams was not made for a specific demographic. Its for cinephiles, Berger notes, for people who want to go to the movies every weekend and have a fun time, and for kids. Its a film that does not exclude audience members. Its made of different layers, and every type of audience will get a different layer. That is what made this film unique for me. Being an Academy Award nominee was something to treasure. It was a great adventure. It was fantastic to go to the Oscars and meet other fellow directors. I even got to meet the great Steven Spielberg. I chatted with him. That was my Oscar!
