In this exclusive interview, stop-motion and claymation gurus NICK PARK and MERLIN CROSSINGHAM talk all things WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL, their new feature stop-motion animated delight, from inventions to flippers to Norbots to Feathers to beloved old-world charm and more!
SYNOPSIS: Aardman’s four-time Academy Award®-winning director Nick Park and Emmy Award-nominated Merlin Crossingham return with a brand new epic adventure, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. In this next installment, Gromit’s concern that Wallace is becoming too dependent on his inventions proves justified, when Wallace invents a “smart” gnome that seems to develop a mind of its own. When it emerges that a vengeful figure from the past might be masterminding things, it falls to Gromit to battle sinister forces and save his master… or Wallace may never be able to invent again!
Directed by Nick Park & Merlin Crossingham with screenplay by Mark Burton based on a story by NIck Park and Mark Burton, WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL stars the voice talents of Ben Whitehead [Wallace], Peter Kay [Chief Inspector Mackintosh], Lauren Patel [P.C. Mukherjee], Reece Shearsmith [Norbot], Diane Morgan [Onya Doorstep], Adjoa Andoh [Judge], Muzz Khan [Anton Deck], and Lenny Henry [Mr. Convenience].
It’s been far too long since we last saw the beloved Wallace and Gromit in a feature film, but thanks to NICK PARK and MERLIN CROSSINGHAM and the talented folks at Aardman, they are back in all their glory with a hilarious new adventure that melds old school claymation characters and stop motion animation with some newer technology, but never losing the old school charm and fun of the Wallace and Gromit we know and love.
Long an admirer of Wallace and Gromit (along with the Shaun the Sheep franchise) and the work of Nick, Merlin, and Aardman, it was a joy to speak with them about VENGEANCE MOST FOWL, an adventure that marks the return of the foulest fowl of them all, Feathers McGraw.
In our conversation, Nick and Merlin discussed bringing VENGEANCE MOST FOWL to life with action, adventure, and old-world charm. Staying true to the fun-filled narrative, departmental collaboration was key to telling this tale, starting with the meticulous storyboarding process and collaboration with cinematographer Dave Riddick to achieve visuals that are cinematic in scope, texture, and appeal. Adding the use of silicone alongside clay helped animators work more efficiently, but they ensured the handcrafted charm remained. Standout is the emotional depth conveyed through characters’ eyes, particularly Gromit’s, and the challenges of animating new characters like Norbots. However, one of the most difficult emotional aspects of WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL was replacing Peter Sallis with Ben Whitehead as the voice of Gromit. (Sallis passed away in June 2017.) Although a smooth transition with Whitehead as he had previously worked with Sallis, the loss is still felt.
As we dug into the wonders of WALLACE & GROMIT, talk turned to, among others:
- challenges of expressing emotion through the characters, especially those like Gromit and Feathers McGraw who do not speak
- For Gromit, they emphasized the importance of using his eyebrows and body language rather than animating eyelids to convey emotion. The subtlety of his expressions through his bright eyes and brow movements is what makes his emotional states so impactful.
- For Feathers McGraw, a very simple character, they focused on using his limited features like his flippers and beak to communicate emotion, thoughts and feelings (NOTE: Feathers was all clay.)
- key considerations in the cinematography and visual style of the film
- storytelling was the primary driver, with the filmmakers approaching it as filmmakers first and animators second. They used the camera as a storytelling tool, moving it as needed to tell the story effectively.
- collaborating closely with cinematographer Dave Riddick to achieve a cinematic look; focus pulls, different camera angles, and movements like dollies, pans, and over-the-shoulder shots
- third-act climactic chase
- Norbot army attacks (56 “evil” Norbots)
- adding noir elements to the visual grammar
- leveraging new technologies like silicone alongside the traditional clay enabled more complex camera movements and shots, while still maintaining the handmade charm of the characters
- working closely with the entire production team, including the art department, to ensure everyone understood the story and creative vision deeply thus allowing them to make informed decisions about the cinematography and visual style that supported the storytelling
- storyboarding
- Nick and Merlin spent a lot of time with the storyboard team to ensure scenes were funny and effective
- they tried the scenes out in different ways and formations until they were happy with the humor and storytelling
- storyboarding process was like an editing process done upfront, allowing them to work closely with the art department to ensure everyone understood the story deeply. This collaborative approach helped them make decisions about the visuals and cinematography that would best serve the narrative.
- working with silicone alongside clay
- silicone helped the animators work faster in certain situations, such as when characters were walking around a lot, as it reduced the wear and tear on the clay. However, the filmmakers were careful not to rely solely on silicone, as there were times when the traditional clay was still the better choice to maintain the handmade quality and heart of the characters
- it was about finding the right balance and using the appropriate materials at the right time, rather than a one-size-fits-all solution.
- the goal was to preserve the iconic look and feel of Wallace & Gromit while leveraging technology to enhance the production process and storytelling
- Norbots – the Nifty Odd-Jobbing Robots
- quite challenging but also very satisfying for the filmmakers
- they would sometimes shoot one set of Norbots against a green screen and then reuse and multiply them in the background to populate the Norbot army scenes
- it was “very satisfying to help to introduce a new character” in the Norbot
- they were able to give the Norbots personality through the voice work of Reece Shearsmith
- a new voice actor for Wallace
- the transition of finding a new voice actor for Wallace after the passing of Peter Sallis was difficult but the filmmakers were able to find a suitable replacement in Ben Whitehead who had worked with Sallis previously
- “Peter was such a delight and created, you know, he was Wallace”. However, Whitehead had been doing some background work and acting as an understudy for Sallis, so he had a “long apprenticeship” and was able to provide a “fantastic mimic of Peter’s Wallace.”
- Whitehead provides continuity of the character’s voice
- and more!
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 12/10/2024
WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL is streaming on Netflix.
