Video: Bermudian Creating Animation Film
[Written by Stephen Wright]
A Bermudian filmmaker is raising funds to produce an Afro-futuristic animated short film inspired by his childhood on the island.
Alex-André Bassett began developing The Kazi: Village Rescue about ten years ago, shortly before leaving Bermuda to move to Vancouver, Canada.
Since then, he has collaborated with animators and illustrators to bring his lead character, Andreas, to life while building the world the character inhabits.
“Growing up on the small island of Bermuda, I dreamed of seeing characters on screen who looked like us, sounded like us, moved through worlds inspired by our rhythms, our humour, our courage, and our culture,” Mr Bassett said.
“But those stories rarely existed. So, I decided to build one.”
Village Rescue follows Andreas, a fearless young hero who must save a village from a mysterious threat using wit, determination, heart, and the help of an unexpected sidekick.
A description on the film’s website says: “The Kazi: Village Rescue is a wildly adventurous, heart-pounding animated short film created by Bermudian Alex-André Bassett to celebrate island bravery, community spirit, and the magic that happens when ordinary kids become unexpected heroes.”
Mr Bassett said the project began with character design before expanding into full world-building.
“I picked an animation style I liked and worked out what kind of world Andreas lived in,” he told Bernews.
“I worked with illustrators to design the character, then had to decide whether the story took place on Earth or in a different universe.
“From there came the world-building, the script, and decisions like whether it would be 2D or 3D animation.”
The project has already received funding from the Bermuda Arts Council’s Bermuda Onion Bulb grant.
Mr Bassett is now seeking additional support through crowdfunding to help cover the estimated $25,000 production cost.
“The initial goal is $10,000 to get the project moving,” said Mr Bassett, who now lives in Panama.
“If we’re overfunded, we can move closer to covering full production.”
He hopes to submit the finished film to international film festivals and make it available online.
“I’d love to show it in Bermuda and host a screening so people back home can see it too,” he added.
For more details, visit the film’s website.
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