A love letter to our planet: "Here We Are" debuts Friday on Apple TV +

The 2017 book by Irish author and children's illustrator Oliver Jeffers Here we are: notes for living on planet earth it's the kind of beautifully illustrated and conceived project that lends itself beautifully to animation. So, it's no wonder that Studio AKA (Hey Duggee, The fantastic world of chewing gum) animation producer Sue Goffe and director / screenwriter / executive producer Philip Hunt jumped at the opportunity to adapt the book as an Apple TV + special, premiering on Friday April 17 ahead of the 50th annual Earth Day on 22 April.

As Goffe recalls, “We were discussing with Oliver Jeffers what project we would like to do together next, while we were developing a portfolio of his books that we would like to adapt to the film, when Oliver showed us pencil sketches of his new book. There was no doubt that this was to be the next film made by Studio AKA. "

Fortunately, this coincided with a very early meeting between Goffe and Tara Sorensen, Apple's head of children's programming. "We introduced the film to her and together we decided we wanted to launch the animated short for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day," says the producer. Together with Apple, the team developed the script and the design / concept concept in early 2018.

A team of about 60 people worked on the project in the London space of Studio AKA. The production used Maya for most of the 3D work and Arnold for rendering, Houdini for some 3D effects work, Nuke for compositing, TVPaint for 2D animation, and After Effects for some 2D comping. Substance Painter and Photoshop were also used for texturing, while ZBrush was used for modeling, Photoshop for design work, and Resolve for evaluation, for Angela Edmonds, animation producer for Studio AKA.

Oliver's Fan Club

Hunt, who also directed the award-winning special Lost and found, the 2008 adaptation of a previous Jeffers book, says there are many reasons why he is looking forward to this new collaboration. “Oliver is extremely dedicated to this project and really brought a worldly touch as he worked closely with aspects of the film with us from anywhere in the world,” notes the director. “Since he adapted his bestseller Lost and found in a BAFTA-winning film, we maintained a regular working relationship. It was Oliver who started everything by relying on us with his first sketches and ideas for the unpublished book on which the film is based, and once we saw them, we were caught. "

Hunt says the key to the special relationship with the author is that he is never interested in creating a simple "mobile version" of his books. "Oliver is always looking for what animation can bring, or what else can be brought to the story, and his collaboration and encouragement have been instrumental in finding our way with. Here we are"Says the director." His line and his sense of color are always looking for new directions and he provides much of the artwork used in the film. "

According to Goffe, one of the biggest challenges of the project was the timely delivery of the short film. "We faced several creative and technical challenges along the way that impacted the program, but as April 22 this year is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, going back on launch day was not an option," he explains. .

In addition to practical concerns, the team was driven by a desire to ensure that Oliver Jeffers' voice could be heard through dialogue and that the spirit of his beloved book could be recognized by his fans. "Here we are it is not a normal picture book. As a "beginner's guide" to Earth, it's an uplifting snapshot of life on our planet, and what it means to those who call it home, "explains Hunt." The film is inspired by the book to tell a bigger story and Apple has wanted to highlight the perspective of a larger family. The idea of ​​presenting the world "one thing at a time" for a child remains anchored as the cornerstone of the story. But we realized that putting the plot a few years later , the child could have interacted better with the world - and his parents - and opened the story to the full potential of a family experience and interaction with the film. "

Create wonder and fantasy

The director also points out that structuring this story into something comparable, while allowing the project to maintain a strong sense of lyricism, was an adventure in itself. “We were lucky enough that our co-writer Luke Matheny was able to help us find the balance we were looking for,” he notes. "In the final film, we are offered a glimpse into the wonderful logic of children - and how puzzling it can be to parents - expressed in moments of wonder, worry and fantasy that everyone on Earth can still relate to."

Hunt is quite proud that the animated version of the book has developed into something that looks unlike anything else out there to a large audience. "Despite the expansion of the narrative, Oliver's hand remains in the film," says the director. "We love the way we were able to include so many of Oliver's original artwork in the film, so that his visual signature can be felt throughout the story. This was a very special project and we loved bringing it to life. this book ".

He is also keen to give credit to the project's wide range of talents who have come together from all corners of the world to make it happen. “It was a very collaborative project across the team and the work of everyone involved made the experience extremely enjoyable,” says Hunt. “We were lucky enough to secure Manddy Wyckens as the art director and he skilfully led the production design team to find our interpretation of Oliver in the film. Meanwhile, animation supervisor Laurent Rossi led our animation team to extract moments of nuance and humor from the performances. The CG team, under the supervision of James Galliard, has achieved incredible depth and warmth from sets and characters, and this has been going on right through the team we have assembled. The joy of adding an Alex Somers soundtrack and Adrian Rhodes sound design would always be the icing on the cake, and we can't wait to share it with audiences around the world. "

One of the production's secret weapons is its stellar vocal cast, which includes Meryl Streep as the narrator. "Working in partnership with Apple, we all agree that the storyteller needed to embody a presence, an educating voice that brought us all together in support of a greater mission - and that was Ms. Streep," says Goffe. . "Meryl Streep loved Oliver's book and is passionate about the environment - and we were humbled to have her, along with the other fantastic vocal cast.

CastingJacob Tremblay (Camera) as Finn was born after a brilliant tip from Apple's casting director. Clumsy says it was a joy to hear his exuberance and wonder throughout the film as he comes to understand the world and his place in it. "It's really the anchor of the film and it has brought an all-out perspective to the little things we can do to make a bigger contribution," he adds.

"As a voice in the book, the father character was personal to Oliver and, from the start, Chris O'Dowd has always been our first choice for dad," he notes. “We wanted someone Irish, and he has the perfect mix of warmth and comedic timing, and his performance was a gift to the animation team. In opening the narrative to focus on the family, we wanted the mother character to set the tone and act as a calming presence in everything. Ruth Negga was our choice for mom and she brings a wonderful calm, motherly quality to her beautiful performance. "

Hunt and Goffe both see the new special as a love letter to the planet, told not only from the perspective of a new parent, but also by shifting their gaze to look through the eyes of a curious child. "For a family that wants to make sense of a world that can be a bewildering place, the messages are simple and never prescient," says Hunt. “This is a timely story for young and old, and we think it will resonate with new parents and young families in particular. If we can bring the audience together for even a moment in appreciation of the film, then we will honor what Oliver tried to do with the book. "

Here we are: notes for living on planet earth premieres on Apple TV + on April 17. Add it to your Next Next list at this link.