FINAL CALL - A SHORT FILM BY SARA BARBAS

'Final Call' is an animated short film that’s currently in production. Here the crew will document the development and production processes by sharing artwork, rushes and other beautiful things.

[kostumeklud-deactivated20210108]

A poster I made for the short film “Final Call” which will soon be released.  So proud to have been part of this film and I hope people are going to like it.  Airport BG is from the movie and was made by Ricardo Tercio who did all the BG’s on the film and whom you should definitely check out, he’s an awesome illustrator and designer. 

[makingfinalcall]

Some colour and atmosphere tests by Ricardo Tércio. 

[makingfinalcall]

The film is progressing, and we are over halfway with the animation. Very exciting! Here’s a shot with a conversation between Diogo and Catarina. Animated by Anne Hoberg. 

[makingfinalcall]

Merry Christmas to all of you from Catarina, Diogo and the Final Call team. 

Lovely Christmas card is created by animator Sara Naves. 

[makingfinalcall]

My Danish Art Director and Lead Animator have gone back to Denmark today to finish their degree at The Animation Workshop. From now on it’s not only I who's working remotely but there will be lots of four, five and six-way Skype meetings, briefs and feedback sessions. All the rage. (We have a good laugh too). SB

[makingfinalcall]

The colouring process started in November. Luis Canau is responsible for it and has been using Toon Boom - Harmony. This shot was animated by Anne Birk. The backgrounds are the authorship of Ricardo Tercio, and the colours were the creative output of Anne Hoberg. Its very exciting to see it moving and in colour! SB

[makingfinalcall]

Some examples of final prop designs by the Art Director Anne Hoberg. SB

[makingfinalcall]

Here are character sheets for Diogo, one of the two main characters. 

Designed by Anne Birk

[makingfinalcall]

From left to right: Sara Naves, Anne Brik, Anne Hoberg. This is the animation team that are bringing my characters and ideas to life. They are so talented, hardworking, funny and lovely. I am a very lucky director. SB

[makingfinalcall]

Open Workshop

Watch the video about the artistic residency at The Animation Workshop in Denmark.

Great part of the development was done during the Open Workshop artistic residency in the context of The Animation Workshop in Viborg, Denmark. Here I wrote the first few drafts of the script, did the first character designs with Magnus Møller and the Open Workshop funded the making of the two-minute animatic trailer by Mads Juul. Use this link to watch the video made by Fruszi Gaal and Henrik Malmgrem of what life is like at the Open Workshop. It’s a very special place. Extremely creative and prolific. There I made friends for life. Re-watching the film has made me quite nostalgic. See if you can spot out project in there. If you’re an animator, writer or director with a project you’d like to develop or partly produce I strongly advise you to apply. SB

[makingfinalcall]

A short looped  sequence of final animation from Final Call. 

The animation style is heavily inspired by Ernest and Celestine with crisp timing and snappy animation. We are keeping the cleanup style very loose and full of life.

The sequence was animated by Anne Birk and Sara Naves.

[makingfinalcall]

Part of the colour script done by Anne Hoberg. Don’t worry it gets more colourful towards the end, but to avoid spoilers we’ll only post this little teaser. 

[makingfinalcall]

We also made a look test. Done by Ricardo Tercio - the background designer -and Anne Hoberg - the art director. The characters are drawn by Anne Birk - the lead animator - and taken from an animation she worked on. 

[makingfinalcall]

The final character line up. Designed by Anne Birk and Anne Hoberg. 

[makingfinalcall]

Marie Jorgensen’s early background concepts from 2011. Ricardo Tércio - the background designer - and Anne Hoberg - the art director - have built upon these and developed them further but Marie certainly made a breakthrough and set the path for the style. SB

[makingfinalcall]

I first had the idea for ‘Final Call’ during the ASF 10/11 - Animation Sans Frontières workshop (to whom I’ll dedicate a later post), and after my final pitch in Paris in March 2011, I was invited by the Open Workshop - the artistic residency at The Animation Workshop in Viborg to go to Denmark and develop my project. After so much travelling and living out of suitcases I had promised myself I’d stay put for a bit. Not. In April 2011 I went to Denmark for two months! It was an amazing experience. There I wrote the script, did the character development with Magnus Møller, background development with Marie Jørgensen, and asked Mads Juul if he wanted to storyboard a short trailer. Everyone kept telling me how amazing Mads Juul was and how he would be too busy. I just had to ask! Mads liked the script and found the time to make the animatic trailer for me. Later down the line, and once I’d raised enough funds via a crowdfunding campaign Mads did the whole animatic for the film - and all its alternate endings! I love his work. SB