Watch Nathan Love’s Animated Short Blood Trail
Halloween may be over, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t still on the lookout for the latest treat to share with you guys. On today’s agenda we have “Blood Trail”, an almost three-minute animated short/trailer that promotes writer Matt Cochran’s screenplay of the same name.
Our own Jon Condit found the goods in the forums for VFXTalk.com, where we learned Perspective Studios, the production company overseeing creative development and licensing for “Blood Trail” across all media platforms, brought the project to Nathan Love, [who] used a hand-animated 3D style to conjure the piece, and the work is expected to be developed shortly into a feature film, videogame, and/or graphic novel.
To produce “Blood Trail”, Nathan Love began by creating a detailed breakdown of the script elements. Extensive research into the time period, environments, characters, clothing, and props was conducted to ensure accuracy. This search extended beyond photo and animation references. Comic books, anime, video games, toys, and even a trip to a local butcher shop were explored as well.
“Nathan Love’s goal was to give the project a unique, hand-animated visual style that would feel exciting, intriguing, and powerful, while developing characters that resonated beyond the piece itself. Producer Mike Harry comments, “The overall tension created in ‘Blood Trail’ is, for me, the coolest part of the film. Having seen it many times now, there’s one moment in particular that I still have trouble watching. The script, storytelling, and the design and realism of the characters and environments helped create an amazing end product.”
“This was a new genre for us,” added Nathan Love, “but our incredibly talented team of artists, animators, and technicians allowed our ideas to flourish and tell the story without any constraints. The entire studio is pumped about this project, and their excitement can be seen in the final piece. We can’t wait to start work on the film and video game.”
Sound design played a critical part in the creation of “Blood Trail”. The group was inspired by the film “There Will Be Blood” and worked with composer/musical-genius Drew Skinner to deliver a soundscape that delivered on dread, mood, and suspense.
Nathan Love concludes, “The best part about ‘Blood Trail’ is that it’s a good story, well told. We love watching people view it for the first time… seeing them get totally drawn in and immersed in the setup, and then BAM! Their world gets crazy! Whether we get screams, laughter, or total mouth-open shock, there’s always a genuine emotional response. And the best part is we do it twice! Just when you think it’s over, you soon realize the worst is yet to come.”
Ready to see for yourselves? Dig on “Blood Trail” below, and for more, be sure to hit that link above and visit both Perspective Studios and Nathan Love online.
Got news? Click here to submit it!
Follow the blood trail into the Dread Central forums!
Categorized:
