Planetarium / ABOARD THE SSE-4801
360° feature length dome film created for the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium in Montréal.
PROJECT DETAILS
ABOARD THE SSE-4801 is a fully animated, feature length planetarium film that takes kids and the young at heart on a thrilling adventure across the Solar System. In this journey, the dome is transformed into the command center of the starship SSE-4801. A celestial navigator is on-board to educate and help the audience steer the ship through the challenges of space travel. Along the way, an interaction with a special comet forces the ship to plot a new course… and that’s when the real fun begins!
I led the animation team, as well as, edited this 45-minute film.
STORyTELLING
Why is the sky blue? Where do stars hide during the day? Are there only stars and the Moon in the sky? To find out, hop on-board the SSE-4801 to discover what hides in our celestial backyard: the Solar System. Guided by a spirited host, you'll soar above planet Earth, leap into hyperspace and embark on a once in a lifetime journey –somewhere between the Sun and Neptune. You'll also meet a very special comet… a talking one at that! Ready for take-off? Let’s go!
COMET DESIGN & ANIMATION
The comet is the star of the show, guiding the audience (mostly children) through a rollercoaster of emotional situations. Let’s not forget, space can be a pretty scary place! Therefore, finding the perfect balance between expression, personality and movement was paramount in creating an instantly likeable character that would be considered as a new friend by the journey’s end. Here’s a sample of what we came up with…
CREDITS
A huge thank you to the entire team of astronomers and space enthusiasts at the Montréal Planetarium for inviting me to collaborate on this project. It’s such an honour to be creating films for the next generation of stargazers. What a treat!
Client: Rio Tinto Alcan Planétarium de Montréal / Espace Pour La Vie
Executive Producer: Étienne Laurence
Direction: Simon A. Bélanger Isabelle, Pruneau-Brunet
Direction Advisor: Maxime Pivin Lapointe
Art Direction & Design: Sarah Ouellet
Lead Motion & Editor: George Simeo
Motion Design: George Simeo, Sarah Ouellet
Traditional Animation: Jonathan Robert
3D Astronomical Simulations (Digital Sky 2): Simon A. Bélanger
Additional 3D Animations: Patrick Geoffroy
Music: Les Petites Tounes
Sound Design & Mix: Simon Gauthier
Advisor to sound design & mix: Benoît Dame
Comet Voice-Over: Annie Bovaird
Scientific Validation: Marc Jobin