Antoine Priou

Director of  Luke and Oscar

I am a 34 years old filmmaker. I have been working in the film industry for the past 13 years as an editor and FX artist working on projects such as movies, tv series and corporate videos. I directed and produced “Pete” which was my first animated first film. It received 8 nominations in festivals. After that I've made two short documentaries: Rail’s farm and The Chestnut house which were selected in festivals as well and for which I won several awards for Best Short Documentary, Best Cinematography and Best Editing. “Luke and Oscar” is my fourth project as a director/writer/editor/producer. The film is really well received as it has been nominated in 150 festivals around the world and won more than 170 prizes for now including Best Short Film, Best International Cartoon film, Best Director and Producer and Best editing. I will open soon a production company called Atom Studios based between Paris and Mexico.

Could you briefly describe your project for our audience?
My project is an animated cartoon with two characters. It’s about a fox that’s preparing to fight someone but he will have a surprise regarding his opponent. It has been realized with 2D animation.

What were your main aspirations or goals when creating this project?
I wanted to realize a project which can talk to a large audience. When I was writing the script the whole idea was to write a tale with a message that can speak to anyone and be at the same time entertaining. The first question was how could we make a good project with a small budget? A project that can be efficient and ambitious as well. Just after seeing some drawing from the designer, I saw the great potential of using 2d animation.

Share some memorable moments from the shooting process or any pleasant surprises.
I think two memorable moments I remembered of the project was seeing the drawing of the fox. It was so captivating that I had the intuition we were creating something good. The other one was the first scene animated: the fox lifting the dumbbells. It made me laugh because it felt so alive and I didn’t have this idea of the result in my head. It was better than I imagined.

Who is the primary target audience for your film, and what do you hope they will take away from it?
I wanted to talk to a large audience even if the film as a look more targeted for children. But my goal was to reach all the children that are inside of us. I sincerely hope they are entertained as well as the project can help them think about life that’s why tales are for in my opinion.

What makes your project an appealing choice for potential distributors?
It could be interesting for distributors as it can drive a large audience as well as it’s entertaining and funny. I hope as well that this could bring a new era to the cartoon.

How would you define your unique filmmaking style, and what distinct qualities characterize your film?
I really focus on details. I think that’s really a point that characterizes my style. I can spend a lot of time observing what I do and just think if this is satisfying enough. For this project especially, for all the backgrounds scenes I did spent a lot of time watching it. It had to be similar to a theatre with its structure. If you pay attention to the boxing ring and the way it’s built, you could imagine some curtain drawn on the front and it will reveal itself as a theather. I like the fact that things can be simple but efficient and though. Everything has to be where it needs to be.
I think the force of the movie is his refined style whether it’s the short and efficient story as well as the colorful designs that attract a lot.

What inspired you to pursue a career in filmmaking?
I worked as an editor for 13 years in all sorts of projects like movies, tv shows, corporate videos and at the same time I was writing a lot and published two books. But in some sort I felt it wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to accomplish more. Six years ago I decided to realize my first short film “Pete” which I completely did on my own, starting from the screenplay to the animation and editing. This small project brought attention in festivals in several countries. That was the beginning of this adventure. Now I have several projects that I am developing and producing.

Do you have a filmmaker or source of inspiration who has influenced your work?
The film came from different inspirations. First of all It came from a joke I remember having in my head as I was walking in the street. To help me build the project, I watched a lot of Looney Tunes cartoons and some Bill Plympton’s crazies pieces of work. In some way it really helped me to get more into the project and explore a lot of ideas. In fact a lot of these ideas were removed from the project to make it more concise. Otherwise I think the project would have been around more than 5 minutes and I didn’t think it was relevant.

Share a couple of your favorite films and what resonates with you about them.
When I was a child I saw Luc Besson’s The Professional and it really attracted me at the point that’s what started my passion for cinema. Despite the fact that this isn’t really a movie for young audience, it can be seen as a tale. That’s what really attracted me. I love the idea of confronting two different characters and making them exploring different realities. That’s precisely what’s happening in the film: a professional killer who practically ignore what’s the meaning of “living” face a young girl who needs to be taken care of. On another side “Who framed Roger Rabbit?” is another example of influence that marked me. It explores different genre like comedy, adventure, animation, mystery and mixes everything so we get a unique piece. The combination of filmmaking techniques and story still impresses me today. I hope one day I could try to make a project with this initiative.

Where do you typically find inspiration for your film projects?
By dreaming as I am a huge dreamer, walking in the streets, reading, watching movies, going to exhibition. Everything that you can come across during a day is a way to be inspired, get ideas and make them into stories.