Students from the Méliès School present the short film La Bande à Bonnot, a 2D animation reinterpretation of the adventures of this French anarchist group from the early 20th century. The project, developed near the original locations, has a dual objective: to rescue a fragment of local historical heritage and to dialogue with previous audiovisual adaptations. Its visual proposal evokes the work of Studio La Cachette and the film Ernest et Célestine.
A Traditional 2D Pipeline with Digital Tools 🛠️
The team opted for a workflow based on traditional 2D animation, but using digital software to streamline the process. The backgrounds were painted in Photoshop, seeking a watercolor and organic texture. Character animation was done with Toon Boom Harmony, prioritizing clear lines and expressive movements that recall contemporary French animation. Post-production integrated the elements and gave cohesion to the overall graphic style.
Lessons in Anarchy (and Project Management) 💥
Undoubtedly, the greatest achievement of these students was coordinating a collective project without an actual internal revolt breaking out. While the original gang challenged the system, they had to face deadlines, endless renders, and the search for a coherent visual style. Perhaps true anarchy is not in robbing banks, but in getting everyone on the team to agree on the final design of a character.
