'What We Do In The Shadows' Gets An Animated Send-Off
All good things must come to an end. And FX's live-action comedy What We Do In The Shadows is definitely a Good Thing. This season the vampire comedy is coming to an end after six seasons. But why are we talking about it on AFA? Animation studio Awesome Inc was hired by FX to create an animated promotional and package campaign to give the series an extra special send-off.
What We Do In The Shadows follows the exploits of four vampires in a spoof of fly-on-the-wall documentaries. It is based on the New Zealand film of the same name, directed by Taika Waititi.
The promo heavily features bats, with swarms of the little critters flying around. The bats were animated using hand-drawn cel animation, as they flood New York's streets and skies. Awesome Inc even incorporated bat versions of the main characters Nadja, Laszlo and Nandor, in blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameos.
Development begun with a series of style-frames, exploring different concepts, techniques and moods for the packaging. The concept leaned into Laszlo's mad scientist persona, mixed in with the energy of New York city. "Jagged bolts of energy connect eerie bats and iconic city landmarks, creating a frenzied experiment gone awry. The bold, high-contrast visuals tap into both Laszlo’s chaotic nature and the vibrant, offbeat spirit of the show, making for a perfectly twisted take on world domination."
They also created images highlighting each of the main cast. The images use morphing silhouettes to reflect the fluid nature of the vampire's powers. Each is set against a dark, moody backdrop that compliments the show's gothic humour. "The use of bold lighting and minimalist shapes creates a sense of mystery and intrigue, while highlighting the unique personalities of the ensemble cast."
Awesome Inc envisioned a swarm of bats sweeping across New York, culminating in the form of two giant spectral hands. FX suggested combining the idea with an earlier concept that had been put forward featuring the subway.
"To bring the vision of colossal bat swarms to life, we innovatively combined 3D modeling with traditional 2D animation techniques. Our process began with extensive 3D testing to explore how the swarm could organically move and eventually coalesce into the giant, spectral hands above the city skyline. These 3D simulations served as a crucial previsualization tool, guiding our animators as they meticulously hand-drew each frame. This blend of modern and classic methods allowed us to capture the fluid, eerie essence of the swarm with a dynamic sense of depth and motion."
You can see the complete video here, and read more about the production here. What We Do In The Shadows is now streaming on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK.
