Directors break down Filipino-inspired animation in 'Forgotten Island'
MANILA, Philippines — The directors of "Forgotten Island" had a lot fun of incorporating animation styles to better present its Filipino themes and icons.
DreamWorks Animation's newest movie helmed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, the latter a Filipino-American, is heavily inspired by Filipino culture, mythology, and folklore.
It follows best friends Raissa and Jo (Liza Soberano and Gabrielle Sarmiento Wilson or H.E.R., respectively) who are stranded in the mystical world of the forgotten island of Nakali, where the only way home may mean losing a lifetime of memories and emotions.
The directors and actresses were in Manila last August 25 promoting their film ahead of its wide release next month, and in a Taguig session with members of the media including Philstar.com, they talked about the movie's animation.
Crawford began by sharing how he and Mercado started by searching for a look they can utilitize to tell the story.
He cited their previous Oscar-nominated film, "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish," inspired by fairy tales as an example; hence, their decision to bring favorite childhood stories to life.
"Forgotten Island," on the other hand, is set in the Philippines during the '90s. The creative team went for a vibrance of color and anime-like style that inspired the two directors during their formative years as artists during that era.
Related: Liza Soberano compares 'Forgotten Island' voice work to past dramas
"We found this look that blends traditional, hand-drawn animation with CG (computer graphic) animation," Crawford continued. "The most fun was being able to play, in a story about memories, we could change the look depending on who's remembering differently."
Crawford also shouted out Snipple Animation Studios based in Quezon City for working on the film's 2D animation.
Mercado, meanwhile, shared his favorite scene to animate was Raissa's goodbye party or despedida, "This is the whole movie for me right here, just to see how close our culture is and how we celebrate."
Filipino food was a primary focus of the directors, with Mercado humorously recounting how they told the art department studied and ate the delicacies they were drawing, as well as ensure lechon skin looked crispy and glossy to make viewers hungry.
Representation
It was a big deal for Mercado to present what Filipino community and hospitality looks like, in particular to H.E.R.'s Jo who can be seen as an outcast.
"You look at the [despedida's] details and there's some chismis and titas talking about her but still very much like, 'Jo, you go eat. You're here, you're part of the family. We'll talk gossip but we'll also feed you and make you feel welcome,'" the director ended.
"Forgotten Island" also features the voices of Lea Salonga, Dolly de Leon, Filipino-American comedian Jo Koy, Filipino-Canadian actor Manny Jacinto, Filipino-American actress Amielynn Abellera, Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, and Ronny Chieng. It hits Philippine theaters on September 23.
RELATED: Liza Soberano credits Lea Salonga, Dolly de Leon for paving path for Filipino actors
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