Making of - « Wondermom »

You were able to discover the making of the 3D animation films "Après Papi", "Au Revoir Mon Monde", "Cycle", "Le Bruit du Silence" and "Hubris", and we are delighted to invite you to immerse yourself in the world of "Wondermom", a short film imagined and produced by five students from the class of 2023 at our 3D animation film school MoPA.

Bringing a short animated film to life

Mariam describes the final year project as the "final boss", and she's not entirely wrong! Over the course of a short year, our students in their final year at the 3D animation school MoPA set themselves the goal of making a short animated film as a team. Manon, who worked with Mariam, explains that the group of five students worked like a mini studio, with the help of instructors able to answer their questions and guide them if necessary. 

The subject of this short film came from an idea by Clémence, who pitched it at the end of Year 4. From the start of Year 5, the team built around this idea and went on to write the script, draw the storyboard, then produce the character design and concept sketches. At the end of this pre-production phase, it was time for rigging, animation, lighting and compositing, before embarking on post-production with editing, special effects, music and sound. A busy schedule in a short space of time!

Breaking down post-partum taboos

This film tells the story of Alice, a young woman whose life is turned upside down by the birth of her first child, Sasha. She thought she had prepared well for the arrival of her baby, and finds her ideals shattered, leading her into a post-partum period that is much more difficult than she had imagined. This film sheds light on society's preconceived ideas about motherhood and lifts the taboo on post-partum, which can be difficult to overcome. Through this story, Alice learns that it's not necessary to try to be perfect, that doing the best you can is enough, and above all that courage also means knowing how to ask for help.

The short film unfolds in two distinct timelines: a very soft, luminous one with saturated colours, and a much darker, worrying and anxious one. The latter represents the pressure we can put on ourselves as parents, but also as human beings. The fear of failing and the will to do one's best are universal, and everyone can relate to Alice's character. We see in her all the goodwill she embodies, but also her tendency to self-sabotage.

The five filmmakers hope that this film will help all mums understand that they don't have to be perfect, and that the pressure of society and the pressure they put on themselves is something they need to free themselves from. Doing your best is already more than enough: being kind to yourself is one of the keys to a peaceful post-partum.

Learning, growing, fulfilling yourself

Training at MoPA has given Mariam a real passion for 3D. More than that, she talks about the many contacts she has been able to make, thanks in particular to the MoPA instructors, but also at events like the Annecy Festival, for example, which are real opportunities to get advice or to showcase her work to renowned 3D animation studios.

As for Clémence, she tells us that she has always had the impression of doing what she wanted artistically speaking at MoPA, and that the professional framework allowed her total freedom of expression.

 

 

"Wondermom" was presented by the five students to a graduation jury in June, followed that same evening by a screening of their final short films at the famous ancient theatre in Arles. It was an emotional moment, marking the end of our students' studies, but also and above all their entry into professional life.

The whole MoPA team wishes all the best for the future of "Wondermom", and congratulates our five young directors who are entering the professional world with this short film as their calling card.