Hope-65 – a Chimp Explores the Stars to Find a New Planet for Humanity

In the not too distant future, we reach out beyond our own solar system in search of a new home. To do this, space ships are launched, “manned”  by our closest relative – chimpanzees.  Specially trained, they must ascertain whether or not our exodus may begin, giving us a new home full of natural resources to claim as our own.  One of these chimpanzee explorers is Hope-65, one of a long line of her kind to go into space on our behalf.  She eventually arrives at a planet which fulfils all the necessary criteria to sustain us into the future.  It’s time to let us know, so we can journey to our new home…

This beautifully made animated short was created as a graduation project over a two-year period by students at Ecole Brassart, a French school of the creative professions.  The character animation of Hope-65 herself is expert, belying the fact that this is a student made film.  The new planet is gorgeous - realised with great care and attention - I think anyone might wish to live there!  Although one does have to suspend disbelief around a chimp being allowed to make such a final final decision, that's not too much to ask!

Hope-65 was created by Eliott Curaba, Louis Grand, Nolan Vercasson, Alicia Serra, Mathilde Peis, Evan Mastropietro, Tonin Molina and Léo Soler with music and sound design by Görkem Agar, Eliott Manche-Gentelet, Hugo Bressaud and Ayden Heurtevent.  I think this is probably the first time we have featured something by Brassart students on Kuriositas, and from the quality of this, I very much doubt it will be the last.  A huge congratulations to all the students (and their teachers) involved in this animated short – it really is something to be proud of.

How to Avoid Clichés in a Student Film by Using Them

Film students are always, always told by their tutors to avoid certain things but, quite often, they fall in to the trap of misusing and abusing any number of tired and not-to-be-trusted movie making tropes and mistakes.  The list might include tedious on-screen text expositions, filming on campus, using friends as actors – and many, many more.

Laurel Powers, a student at Columbus College of Art and Design decided to make a musical short filled with all the student film clichés she could come up with in just under three minutes.  There may be more errors of judgement to be made than just those that appear in  A Student Film (although there are quite a few) but she enters in to it with something approaching mischievous glee (quite infectious too) – and one can only hope that was how her professors received the final piece. After all, to render the unoriginal fresh once more is something of a feat - and we can all list professional directors who can't seem to manage it (or are too lazy to do so) - so hats off to Laurel.