THE HOLIDAY MAKER
An independent short film
by Harry Mead
The Holiday Maker' stands as a milestone in Animation Director Harry Mead's journey as an individual artist, marking his inaugural venture into the realm of short film animation. Conceived in 2020, the film sprouted from a deceptively simple yet intriguing plot: What if someone built a miniature holiday in their kitchen?
This creative endeavour, born from the desire to weave a charming narrative, laid the foundation for Shed Thirty Six Productions, setting the stage for the exciting adventures to come.
ORIGINS
HM: the inception of Emily's miniature holiday began with a stroke of artistic collaboration. Animator Jess Mountfield, unbeknownst to her, laid the first brushstrokes of this narrative when she crafted a captivating concept design (pictured left). Recognising the magic in Jess's creation, I reached out and requested the privilege of using her drawing as inspiration for a miniature set I envisioned building.
Back then, my aim was to assemble a portfolio showcasing my model-making skills, and Jess's design provided the perfect launchpad.
In 2020, as my set construction reached its peak and determined to make the most of the pandemic, I decided to venture into short filmmaking during the unexpected hiatus.
With a set ready, the question arose: What story could I tell? Inspired by my love for model making and the collective desire for an escape, I conceived the idea: "What if someone built a holiday?"
BLENDING TWO WORLDS
Undoubtedly inspired by 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit', The Holiday Maker sought to capture the enchanting integration of hand-drawn characters into live-action scenes, marvelling at the 1988 animators' ingenuity despite technological constraints.
THE PROCESS
The process involved photographing miniatures which were imported into Toon Boom Harmony, enabling direct drawing of 2D animation over the footage. After animation completion, the sequence moved to Adobe After Effects for compositing. The final renders seamlessly found their place in the film's edit using Adobe Premiere.
