Star Wars: Visions Memories 10

The core of the production of Screecher’s Reach went really well, mostly because we had such an incredible team. Not a huge team, which meant communication could be quick and clear. Just the right amount of people who are the best at what they do. But just as boarding can sometimes lose a story or it can elevate it and make it sing, every part of the production process can add… or take away.

For me, I go back to the improv analogy. It’s coming to something with a “yes, and” attitude instead of “no, it needs to be different” or “they want this but I know better” or, maybe most common, “sure, I’ll just give them exactly what they asked for and not think too much about it”. Every stage and the input of every person on the team is an opportunity to make it better.

Over my own directing career, people were very used to me asking that they give me what I want but also… surprise me. My favourite moments in shows I’ve made are moments that I didn’t write, or didn’t board, or never planned for. They’re the little touches of life that someone else has brought to a moment.

You see, if I’m being honest, part of me has always envied live-action and puppetry. Yes, I love animation but shooting something in the moment brings something that animation struggles with: spontaneity. The little accidents of life. The unplanned version of the performance. Often life is in the mistakes. With animation being so meticulously planned, broken down into so many stages and taking so long to make, a sense of spontaneity is so difficult. But the animation team in Cartoon Saloon know life and they know how to bring it to screen. 

And sure enough, one of my favourite moments from Screecher’s Reach is something I didn’t write and I didn’t know was coming. It is when Daal, Quinn, Baython and Keena are standing outside the dark cave. Keena says “this is a bad place” as she reaches out to Daal for comfort… but she misses. She has to try again to reach Daal. It’s such a tiny moment but it makes Keena real right then. She lives. That was such a lovely surprise for me and I still adore that shot. It’s gorgeous. Paul tells me he asked for that action and what a great call. That’s spontaneity. One of life’s little mistakes in a medium that rarely allows for them.

That’s only one example. So much of the life of this story comes from the different hands that touched it. The designers and artists, the animators, the clean up artists, effects artists, compositors. And that’s even before talking about what Leo Pearson brought to the score - music changes everything and the score of Screecher’s Reach is something that was noted again and again in reactions and reviews.

Each one of these was a "yes, and” approach. All going in the same direction and each making it better, and bringing a piece of themselves to it in the process. It’s beautiful to see it and a reminder that, even in a medium built on precision, the heart is found in the people. 

Next post - those final touches and a visit to the Ranch!