Corus Entertainment’s children’s content division Nelvana today announced the studio has produced its second original short film, entitled Jelly.
Animation Magazine debuts the first-look imagery unveiled this morning, ahead of the 13-minute film’s World Premiere at the 27th Fantasia International Film Festival (July 20-Aug. 9 in Montreal).
Created and directed by Emmy Award-winning director Robin Budd (Beetlejuice, Hotel Transylvania: The Series), who also wrote the short with Dale Schott, Jelly is a 2D animated short film exploring the universal reality that life is too precious to be unhappy at work and encourages the pursuit of one’s true passion.
“Building on the critical acclaim received on our short film The Most Magnificent Thing, Jelly reinforces Nelvana’s position as a creative powerhouse,” said Athena Georgaklis, Vice President of Nelvana Studios. “We’ve been fortunate to have Robin Budd as a long-standing collaborator, having worked together on successful projects such as the Beetlejuice TV series to Ruby Gloom, and Hotel Transylvania: The Series. His expertise and artistic vision have been instrumental in bringing Jelly, his first original short, to life. With Jelly, we have expanded our team’s creative and storytelling abilities, while also pushing the boundaries of our technical capabilities.”
Jelly takes audiences on a journey through a modern dilemma intertwined with a captivating fairy tale. Should the hero character, Molly, pursue the passion of expressive art, or tread a factory job painting mannequin faces? She cannot decide, but a liquid spirit soon helps make the choice easy. Molly is someone who just has to express herself, even when her cold-as-ice Big Bad Boss Lady is wicked, oppressive, and just plain mean. That creative gift just has to get out. It must! No matter what the repercussions. In our hero’s case, it is a tiny but growing puddle of goo that helps transform Molly into a force to be reckoned with. Join Jelly, as she ignites Molly’s inner mojo, helping her discover that fortune does indeed favor the brave.
“Creating this original short film has been a dream come true. It’s been a privilege to collaborate with Nelvana, and their dedication to pushing artistic boundaries has allowed us to create something truly special,” said creator/director Budd. “This film is a testament to the power of storytelling and the limitless possibilities of animation, and I can’t wait for audiences to join us on this extraordinary adventure that we’ve all experienced at some point in life.”
With the art direction led by Jelena Sisic, the film features a film-noir concept to highlight the mundane and oppressive world that plagues its protagonist, followed by a bright and colorful world once she unites with Jelly and realizes her creative potential. The film features music from Grammy Award winner Daniel Lanois’ expansive catalog, providing depth and intrigue to Molly and her world.
“Similar to music, the struggle for creative inspiration is a universal concept,” said Lanois. “It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with Robin Budd and the Nelvana team to select music from my catalogue that will not only help enhance Jelly’s unique animation, but resonate with international audiences as they sympathize with Molly’s creative journey.”
The project’s producers are Laurie Handforth and Marilyn McAuley, with Pam Westman and Athena Georgaklis as executive producers.
Jelly will premiere at this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, Canada as part of their Circo Animato programming, an annual showcase of amazing animated short films from around the world. Ticketing and more information available at fantasiafestival.com.
Entertaining kids for over 50 years, Nelvana is a world-leading international producer and distributor of children’s animated and live-action content — a catalog which airs on Corus Entertainment’s kids channels in Canada and in over 180 countries around the world, winning more than 70 major international program awards including Emmys and Canadian Screen Awards. Learn more at nelvana.com.
All images of Jelly courtesy of Nelvana.
