The stop-motion animation feature is launching into Italy as the opener of Lucca Comics and Games “Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom” is launching into Italy as the opener of Lucca Comics and Games on the eve of Halloween, which, coincidentally, also happens to be when this third feature in the Aardman Animations’ hit stop-motion spinoff franchise is set. Matthew Walker, who is the film’s co-director, is clearly pleased to be attending the 60th edition of this unique geek meet held within the 16th century walls of the medieval Tuscan town of Lucca because, as he puts is, “yeah, I am a geek myself.” Unsurprisingly, when he meets the Italian press in Lucca, the first question is about whether this new “Shaun the Sheep” entry, famously handmade frame by frame with clay puppets, can be seen as a symbolic bastion against the encroaching spread of AI through filmmaking and the myriad concerns this is raising. Walker subsequently sat with Variety and drilled down on why he thinks AI-made animation is not an existential threat for Aardman.
At least not for the moment. And why animation films may be more immune to the impact of AI than live action ones. Something I love about stop-motion is the tactile physicality of it and I think that’s what appeals to audiences.
You obviously want to tell a funny emotional story with these characters. But on top of that, I think that just the technique of it, the stop motion technique, has a lot of appeal in the knowledge that these are real models all built with incredible detail by the artists. When Aardman release behind-the-scenes footage videos, they are always really popular because people love seeing how stop-motion is made.
People really respond to seeing these huge detailed sets with these little puppets, which is obviously something AI can’t replicate. I also think there is a desire for imperfection. We’ve gotten to a point now with digital technology where we can kind of do anything; things can be so beautifully polished.
So there’s a desire to kind of step back and bring back some imperfection. You see it in things like [Sony Pictures Animation] “Spider-Verse” franchise, where they’re introducing the 2D element and even hand-drawn pencil lines and stuff. It’s because there’s a desire to see the craft behind the finished product.
Like being able to see the pencil lines. In stop motion, it’s about being able to see the fingerprints. At the moment it certainly feels like that’s the case.
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