Nat Geo’s Stop-Motion Team Animates History | National Geographic

we didn’t want to just take a page from

we didn’t want to just take a page from a history book we wanted to show this in

a history book we wanted to show this in

a history book we wanted to show this in a new way

a new way

a new way yes oh go ahead and remove and turn it

yes oh go ahead and remove and turn it

yes oh go ahead and remove and turn it 90 degrees and so we used animation to

90 degrees and so we used animation to

90 degrees and so we used animation to help tell the story of how the column

help tell the story of how the column

help tell the story of how the column was built I thought that they can build

was built I thought that they can build

was built I thought that they can build the models on talking with hands we

the models on talking with hands we

the models on talking with hands we thought that I can animate it does take

thought that I can animate it does take

thought that I can animate it does take a tremendous amount of time but the

a tremendous amount of time but the

a tremendous amount of time but the reason people still do it is that it

reason people still do it is that it

reason people still do it is that it still creates a certain sense of motion

still creates a certain sense of motion

still creates a certain sense of motion that you can’t get with say computer

that you can’t get with say computer

that you can’t get with say computer animation or hand-drawn animation I know

animation or hand-drawn animation I know

animation or hand-drawn animation I know a little bit about 3d but to have

a little bit about 3d but to have

a little bit about 3d but to have something real in your hands is

something real in your hands is

something real in your hands is something that is different to move just

something that is different to move just

something that is different to move just a frame at a time has a unique look to

a frame at a time has a unique look to

a frame at a time has a unique look to it that is very special we start with

it that is very special we start with

it that is very special we start with motorist a simple idea more elements are

motorist a simple idea more elements are

motorist a simple idea more elements are coming and so in this no yet one part is

coming and so in this no yet one part is

coming and so in this no yet one part is like there are a lot of pieces no

like there are a lot of pieces no

like there are a lot of pieces no Fernando is the art director and the set

Fernando is the art director and the set

Fernando is the art director and the set designer the kind of all-around genius

designer the kind of all-around genius

designer the kind of all-around genius behind building all these miniature

behind building all these miniature

behind building all these miniature pieces it’s character I make like a

pieces it’s character I make like a

pieces it’s character I make like a skate

skate

skate and after that I’m school with a school

and after that I’m school with a school

and after that I’m school with a school P I bake in the oven and after that I

P I bake in the oven and after that I

P I bake in the oven and after that I paint with acrylic and usually the color

paint with acrylic and usually the color

paint with acrylic and usually the color is for me is the part that is little bit

is for me is the part that is little bit

is for me is the part that is little bit a stressful so sometimes you start with

a stressful so sometimes you start with

a stressful so sometimes you start with one kind of color and didn’t work so

one kind of color and didn’t work so

one kind of color and didn’t work so that one for example here I think that

that one for example here I think that

that one for example here I think that there are probably four or five layers

there are probably four or five layers

there are probably four or five layers of painting one of our characters is

of painting one of our characters is

of painting one of our characters is holding a cell phone and if you look

holding a cell phone and if you look

holding a cell phone and if you look carefully added everything down to the

carefully added everything down to the

carefully added everything down to the screen and the metal band around the

screen and the metal band around the

screen and the metal band around the outside is all there if you look at the

outside is all there if you look at the

outside is all there if you look at the pulley system that the ropes connect to

pulley system that the ropes connect to

pulley system that the ropes connect to those are all miniature little pulleys

those are all miniature little pulleys

those are all miniature little pulleys and they all work and they all work in

and they all work and they all work in

and they all work and they all work in the proper way

the proper way

the proper way you need to try to get is that something

you need to try to get is that something

you need to try to get is that something real something that the readers when

real something that the readers when

real something that the readers when they what they feel on this is on what

they what they feel on this is on what

they what they feel on this is on what is this

is this

is this I tell models they may be seen how big

I tell models they may be seen how big

I tell models they may be seen how big can be this modeled the reason we’re

can be this modeled the reason we’re

can be this modeled the reason we’re using two different scales for this film

using two different scales for this film

using two different scales for this film is that on the one hand we need to show

is that on the one hand we need to show

is that on the one hand we need to show the characters actually building the

the characters actually building the

the characters actually building the drums and carving them and pulling on

drums and carving them and pulling on

drums and carving them and pulling on ropes and putting the column together

ropes and putting the column together

ropes and putting the column together and then on the other hand we want to

and then on the other hand we want to

and then on the other hand we want to see the whole thing happening in one

see the whole thing happening in one

see the whole thing happening in one shot and if we tried to use the same

shot and if we tried to use the same

shot and if we tried to use the same scale the tower would be taller than the

scale the tower would be taller than the

scale the tower would be taller than the ceiling of the room that were in so has

ceiling of the room that were in so has

ceiling of the room that were in so has his day a little behind the scenes so

his day a little behind the scenes so

his day a little behind the scenes so over together but he is the director of

over together but he is the director of

over together but he is the director of the of the video so a lot of ideas

the of the video so a lot of ideas

the of the video so a lot of ideas skiing when we talk I’m missing time

skiing when we talk I’m missing time

skiing when we talk I’m missing time with the both the ropes around with this

with the both the ropes around with this

with the both the ropes around with this one but he is the guy behind the camera

one but he is the guy behind the camera

one but he is the guy behind the camera so he always find the best point of view

so he always find the best point of view

so he always find the best point of view you don’t kind of like this and then

you don’t kind of like this and then

you don’t kind of like this and then that way we can see his head he animate

that way we can see his head he animate

that way we can see his head he animate and I held a little bit to animate but

and I held a little bit to animate but

and I held a little bit to animate but he stay the guy that animate and he put

he stay the guy that animate and he put

he stay the guy that animate and he put together on the story no even though

together on the story no even though

together on the story no even though this is an animated film we’re trying to

this is an animated film we’re trying to

this is an animated film we’re trying to be very historically accurate

be very historically accurate

be very historically accurate so we’ve spoken to blame Lancaster who

so we’ve spoken to blame Lancaster who

so we’ve spoken to blame Lancaster who had the theory about how this column was

had the theory about how this column was

had the theory about how this column was built and she told me home I didn’t

built and she told me home I didn’t

built and she told me home I didn’t build a model at that time and the model

build a model at that time and the model

build a model at that time and the model is always very helpful noise well and

is always very helpful noise well and

is always very helpful noise well and this one you can really see they start

this one you can really see they start

this one you can really see they start that work on the stuff that didn’t work

that work on the stuff that didn’t work

that work on the stuff that didn’t work because that was what was hard for me in

because that was what was hard for me in

because that was what was hard for me in the computer model is you have to get

the computer model is you have to get

the computer model is you have to get the rope so that they don’t bump into

the rope so that they don’t bump into

the rope so that they don’t bump into all the different supports in the tower

all the different supports in the tower

all the different supports in the tower and there’s a lot of support so it’s

and there’s a lot of support so it’s

and there’s a lot of support so it’s like you know winding or a rope through

like you know winding or a rope through

like you know winding or a rope through a rain forest and trying to get it not

a rain forest and trying to get it not

a rain forest and trying to get it not to touch any of the trees one of the

to touch any of the trees one of the

to touch any of the trees one of the cool things about building a working

cool things about building a working

cool things about building a working model once you put them together they

model once you put them together they

model once you put them together they have to work so we can film them they

have to work so we can film them they

have to work so we can film them they actually have to function you see some

actually have to function you see some

actually have to function you see some of the challenges that the real builders

of the challenges that the real builders

of the challenges that the real builders must have had like if you pull a rope in

must have had like if you pull a rope in

must have had like if you pull a rope in one direction is it actually going to

one direction is it actually going to

one direction is it actually going to you know turn the pulley the right way

you know turn the pulley the right way

you know turn the pulley the right way how much lifting power do you need to

how much lifting power do you need to

how much lifting power do you need to lift up a 30-ton block of marble and

lift up a 30-ton block of marble and

lift up a 30-ton block of marble and those are all problems that had to be

those are all problems that had to be

those are all problems that had to be figured out back then and there were

figured out back then and there were

figured out back then and there were also problems that we had to figure out

also problems that we had to figure out

also problems that we had to figure out now

now

now one of the things that I took away from

one of the things that I took away from

one of the things that I took away from making this film is a really strong

making this film is a really strong

making this film is a really strong appreciation for how much work went into

appreciation for how much work went into

appreciation for how much work went into building the real column all the

building the real column all the

building the real column all the artisans involved all the craftspeople

artisans involved all the craftspeople

artisans involved all the craftspeople building and filming this thing in

building and filming this thing in

building and filming this thing in miniature really made me appreciate what

miniature really made me appreciate what

miniature really made me appreciate what people must have gone through making the

people must have gone through making the

people must have gone through making the real thing and I hope viewers of the

real thing and I hope viewers of the

real thing and I hope viewers of the film can take that away too