3rd World Studios’ animated feature Allahyar and the 100 Flowers of God has the distinction of being Pakistan’s first locally produced, stereoscopic 3D film project. According to the Islamabad-based producers, the filmmakers used a unique pipeline combining motion-capture technology with Unreal Engine. We had the chance to chat with Uzair Zaheer Khan, the director and producer of this pioneering venture:
Animag: Congrats on the success of your recent animated film. Can you tell us a bit about the origins of Allahyar and the 100 Flowers of God?
Uzair Zaheer Khan: It is a sequel to Ayatlom (2018), the first animated feature film in the world, made in a game engine (Unreal Engine) and boasted of a main theme celebrating wildlife conservation. Allahyar is the second film to be done in a game engine and this time the main theme of the film revolved around climate change, deforestation and clean renewable energy.
How did you get into animation?
I was into traditional arts since childhood. My interests evolved into 3D animation and I ended up enrolling at Vancouver film school to specialize in character animation and ended up working in the industry for about 18 years before establishing 3rd World Studios and producing original animated films
What were the inspirations for the movie?
I was really taken aback by the first Final Fantasy film, which was visually a milestone in 3D animated content as well as for Maya. Jurassic Park also played a role in sparking an initial interest in me towards wanting to pursue this medium. As for the inspiration for making the feature film, I felt that Pakistani audiences really needed locally made animated content, which was culturally relevant as well as in a language that could be understood by the majority.
How long did it take to make and how many people worked on it?
Just over a hundred people ended up working on the production, which ran for almost four years due to delays caused by Covid.
What was your ballpark budget?
We’ve been working hard to employ and develop innovative tools and techniques, in order to keep costs low since the studio’s inception. This approach combined with an Unreal Mega Grant resulted in a drastically low cost of production in comparison with the global average.
Which animation tools were used to produce it?
Our primary platform was Unreal engine, while some other secondary software like Blender etc, were used for asset creation.
What do you love most about it?
I believe the characterization, character design s as well as the overall art direction are some of the film’s strongest features. Other aspects that are quite impactful are the fast-paced action and chase sequences, the voice acting performances, the soundtracks as well as the important lessons that it delivers regarding climate change.
What were your biggest challenges?
As this was the first Pakistani film in stereoscopic 3D, developing an approach and subsequent tools for it was quite challenging. However, we were successful in delivering a very entertaining and immersive experience to the audiences in the end.
What is the state of the burgeoning animation industry in Pakistan? Does the government help at all?
Animation and gaming industry in Pakistani has been growing steadily over the past decade and has reached a potential that the government is just now started to take interest and steps to encourage it.
What do you hope audiences will take home from your movie?
I believe that the film has already been appreciated not only for its entertainment value, but also for delivering the intended, important message of environment conservation.
Watch the trailer below:
For more info, visit 3rdworldstudios.com
