Journeys in Storytelling & Animation

Iosef Thenna Start Date: Mar 10, 2017 - End Date: Sep 9, 2017
  • Cultural Exchange
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Professional Development
  • France
  • Japan
  • New York, NY, United States of America

My Travel Story

by: Iosef Thenna Start Date: Mar 10, 2017 - End Date: Sep 9, 2017
  • Cultural Exchange
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Professional Development
I am a young writer and director passionate about animation, who is trying to create artistic opportunity for emerging talent around the world through my start-up - Hei Stories/Hei Studios.  We're in pre-production on an animated film (Seeking Scarlet) about a Middle Eastern superheroine - Asem and her multicultural city - Polis Earth, a cartoon we hope will open hearts and minds.  We however, have a great deal to learn if we are to make this piece of art truly memorable for people around the world.  I as director, in particular need to develop professionally a great deal.

It's my aim to learn from established animation studios and arts communities around the world.  I hope to travel to France to learn from Sav! The World Productions and Japan to learn from studios like UFO Table which pioneer new artistic techniques which combine 2D and 3D animation and if they'll take us, perhaps Studio Ghibli will spare us a day or two.  We also hope to travel to New York to reach out to the city's vibrant artistic community and let the world know about the piece of extraordinary art we are trying to create.  If funds permit it, we would also like to travel to Pakistan to learn from animation break-through: Mano and to Korea to learn from the extraordinary Studio Mir

We hope to use what we've learnt to create something stylistically, visually and tonely unique.

We have already produced a 2hour animatic set in the same world as the upcoming animated film and it has been described be audiences as: "Beautiful..." "Completely unique..." "Like nothing I've ever seen before..." "With beautiful music and imagery, Seeking Scarlet transports you into a world which isn't too different from ours, an apt reflection on current society, highly recommended for a thought provoking evening."
  • France
  • Japan
  • New York, NY, United States of America