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ApplyMaking of the graduation film "Dubious Garden"
Discover the making of “Dubious Garden”, a graduation film by Leonie MINH XUÂN CODET, Manoa TETUANUI, Manon APRIN, Candice BÈGUE and Noée BUTZ, graduates of the Class of 2025 from the 3D Animation program.
Noée - Hi, we’re in our 5th year at MoPA. We’re going to present the making of our graduation film.
Manoa - Our film is about a small gardener who sees his work, his gardens, being swept away and completely destroyed. He tries to save them because his gardens are his most precious possession.
Manon - He doubles his efforts and ends up building a garden that is even more beautiful, even bigger, and even darker. At the very end, we realize that we are actually inside a fridge and that all the plants we saw before were mold.
Noée - Our character is a tiny little man called Shim. We created him by drawing inspiration both from an old man who cultivates his garden at home without talking to anyone, and from his environment, which is the mold inside an old fridge. We chose a realistic style for our film because it has a partly documentary approach, so the goal was also to show things that actually exist in a convincing way, using macro shots to really dive into this tiny world. Our main literary inspirations were Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and a book called Beautiful Darkness. And the biggest source of inspiration for the film was all our old tupperware forgotten at the back of the fridge for weeks, which started to grow mold and develop strange-looking landscapes.
Manoa - There’s something I really loved, which was when we focused a lot on acting. We filmed references to give the character the personality we talked about earlier. Since it was a one-year production, we had much more time to really get into the character, to develop all the little details that end up defining Shim. I think that’s my favorite part, seeing the character come to life. I don’t know, it just feels really rewarding.
Noée - The idea is for the audience to leave the film having partly realized that there is beauty in everything, even in things we don’t usually pay attention to, and that it’s worth opening your eyes to see all the beautiful things that exist in the world around us. This film allows us to put into practice everything we’ve learned at MoPA. It also gives us strong work to showcase once we graduate.
Manon - It brought me a lot, especially in terms of organization and teamwork.
Noée - It allows us to express ourselves in many different ways and to create a lot of great things while being guided.
Manon - The advice I would give to those who want to join MoPA is to have very strong organization skills, to stay organized, and also to be a bit crazy in your mind to create incredible and amazing projects.
Summary
Discover the making of the film “Dubious Garden”: rediscovering hidden beauty
The making of “Dubious Garden”, a graduation film created by students from MoPA, takes you into a fantastic and unexpected universe. This graduate film tells the story of a small gardener named Shim, who sees his precious garden destroyed. Through his quest to save it, the film explores themes of possession, loss, and rebirth. Shim, a tiny character, is confronted with the devastation of his world, but his desire to rebuild and preserve his garden is stronger than anything. Discover the behind-the-scenes of this captivating film and the challenges behind its creation.
A dreamlike… and metaphorical film
This 3D animated film is a metaphor for the struggle against the invisible, and the hard work required to preserve what matters to us, even in extreme conditions. In the end, the revelation that everything takes place inside a fridge, and that the gardens are actually mold, invites us to question our perception and rethink beauty in our everyday lives.
A miniature world: the inspiration behind “Dubious Garden”
The directors drew inspiration from their own experience with forgotten tupperware at the back of a fridge. These often overlooked objects were studied under a microscope to create the film’s universe, where mold comes to life and transforms into strange landscapes. Shim, the main character, is a tribute to an old, solitary gardener, whose world may shrink but remains incredibly rich.
Below are a few examples of real mold images that inspired our graduates.
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Literary references also played a key role in shaping the film’s universe. Works such as Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Beautiful Darkness fueled the students’ imagination.
Acting and the creation of the character Shim
One of the greatest achievements of this project was the creation of the character Shim. Acting was a crucial aspect, and the students filmed references to develop his personality. One of the film’s main strengths lies in the emotional depth of its character, a small figure that audiences can connect with. The character creation process was long and detailed, allowing Shim to come to life and become a symbol of perseverance.
Why choose MoPA? A practical and technical training
This project allowed MoPA students to apply everything they learned in modeling, animation, and staging. The strong focus on acting and character creation added a more human dimension to this technical film, highlighting the importance of teamwork and personal commitment.
Technical and creative challenges of the film
Like any ambitious project, Dubious Garden came with its share of technical challenges. One of the main ones was recreating a universe as vast as a fridge while remaining true to realistic textures. Mold, plants, and the miniature environment required meticulous attention to technical details, including the use of macro shots. These helped create a strong sense of realism in this tiny world. This film demonstrates the importance of technical mastery in creating a credible and immersive universe.
FAQ - Making of and graduation film at MoPA
How do MoPA students apply their skills in a graduation film?
Graduation films give MoPA students the opportunity to apply all the skills they have acquired during their training. From 3D animation to modeling, project management, and art direction, each student contributes to every stage of the creative process. This project allows them to collaborate, experiment with new techniques, and tackle technical challenges while maintaining full control over the film’s production.
How do sources of inspiration influence the creation of a film?
Sources of inspiration play a crucial role in the creative process of a film. They help students define the visual and narrative universe of their project. In Dubious Garden, literary references such as Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Beautiful Darkness helped shape both the story and atmosphere. These influences enrich students’ imagination and add depth to their work, making the film more personal and authentic.
What are the technical challenges of creating a 3D film?
Creating a 3D film involves many technical challenges, including managing textures, achieving realistic rendering, and handling complex animations. For Dubious Garden, one of the biggest challenges was recreating a miniature world with a high level of detail to make the mold look realistic. The students had to master advanced modeling software, work on lighting, and optimize rendering to ensure full immersion in this microscopic universe.
Dubious Garden is much more than a graduation project: it is a creative and technical journey that showcases the ability of MoPA students to tell powerful stories through unique visual worlds. This film highlights the richness of MoPA’s training, enabling each student to push their limits and express their creativity.
If you would like to unleash your creativity as well, discover MoPA’s excellence by watching the replay of our webinar!
