Artist Documentation
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©2024 Thinh Nguyen
The Boy
The Boy was directed by Johnathan Gibney, and let me tell you, working on this project was like navigating through a stormy sea—we were constantly tossed between deadlines and creative decisions, but somehow we always found our way back to shore. Set in a fishing village trapped in the icy grip of winter, the film centers on a young boy facing the harsh reality of his mother’s illness. The kid’s got a lot on his plate, but instead of moping around, he embarks on a journey that will change him forever (because apparently, winter isn’t enough of a challenge).
Our crew was an incredibly talented and, let’s be honest, hilariously dysfunctional group of artists who somehow managed to pull everything together despite the chaos. We had animators, designers, and storytellers, each contributing their unique flair to bring this cold, misty world to life. I’m not sure what was tougher: keeping up with the constant revisions or trying to stay warm while mentally living in a frozen fishing village for months on end.
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The film is filled with heart and grit, much like the team that made it. I mean, we spent hours on end making sure every scene looked just right, and even when things went sideways (and they often did), we found humor in the madness. In the end, the boy’s journey of growth and resilience is a reflection of our own struggles and victories during production. It’s a story of survival, responsibility, and the discovery that, sometimes, getting through the winter is half the battle—both in life and in animation.
Ah, the glory days of post-production—where two Vietnamese guys, Van Vu Dat Nguyen and I, took on the Herculean task of carrying the weight of post-production like it was a sack of rice. We joked that if animation ever needed a “Do-It-All” award, we’d have won it just by surviving the endless edits and renders. After all, what’s a little post-production pressure when you’ve got coffee and a shared sense of humor to keep you going?
Early production was a bit of a nightmare, primarily because the boy’s model wasn’t finalized. We were essentially animating a work-in-progress, which meant countless revisions and adjustments as the model evolved. It felt like we were trying to dress a mannequin that kept changing sizes mid-fitting! Every time we thought we had a handle on things, the model would morph and we'd have to redo animations, leading to a cycle of constant tweaking and rework. But hey, nothing like a little chaos to keep things interesting, right?
I’m particularly proud of the proof of concept because it was a real labor of love. I spent countless nights cobbling together assets and integrating Heidi Husband’s animation to bring it to life. It felt like assembling a jigsaw puzzle with pieces that kept changing shape—late nights, a lot of coffee, and a few moments of sheer panic. But seeing everything come together and finally having a tangible representation of our vision made it all worth it.
In conclusion, I could talk about this project all day—the challenges, the late nights, and the triumphs. However, I’d rather channel that energy into something new and exciting. So, with that said, I hope you enjoy the movie and see the result of all the hard work and dedication that went into it. Thank you for your time and interest!