Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1490572
more realistically grounded but the proportions and scale of door or windows within that shape exaggerated. The goal was to keep that sense of realism without breaking the silhouette or design sense Guillermo wanted but never losing the sense of hand-crafted design and tactile feeling to each object. It wasn't about tricking the audience that the world was our real world, the same as we didn't want the stop motion to lose that animated sense of movement. But we treated every aspect of design and construction with the same level of detail as we would in a live-action film. Curt Enderle: It's a great balance to work with someone like Guy. With over a decade as Guillermo's go-to creature and concept designer, he has the ability to quickly translate what is in Guillermo's mind and give us a target. My background is in theatre set design and stop motion, so my task was to ground the design in a real place and time, 1916 and 1936 Italy. I love the research aspect of a project. Finding the right details to support the world and help tell the stories. We aren't making a documentary, but we want it to feel right, to feel real. C. PINOCCHIO FINAL REDESIGN FROM CONCEPT TO MAQUETTE TO FINAL APPROVED PUPPET, REVISITING THE DESIGN FROM EARLIER ITERATIONS PULLED THE CHARACTER TOWARD SIMPLIFICATION AND CARICATURE OVER "CARTOONY." D. VARIOUS PROPS AND SET DRESSING TO THE CARNIVAL SET PIECE SHOWS THE ATTENTION TO WEATHERING AND DETAILS. E. FINAL PUPPETS SHOWING SOME OF THE RANGE OF STYLIZATION. GUILLERMO SET VOLPE AS THE MOST EXTREME EXAMPLE OF HOW FAR WE WOULD PUSH THE CARICATURE AND CARLO'S STARTING POINT. F. WE WANTED IN ALL OUR SETS AND CHARACTERS, A LIVED-IN WORLD THAT EXISTED BEFORE THE EVENTS OF THE STORY. An example of this is our use of the classic Italian stone or umbrella pine. While not as common in the northern part of the country, there are pockets in the more sheltered valleys that could justify our location for Geppetto's town. There was enough truth to support our version of Italy. We have snow in our film. Which doesn't seem particularly Mediterranean, but it DOES occur, even occasionally in Sicily where the third act of our film takes place. And so, there was a comfort of research to support our use of this tonal element. We created a "history" for our town from its time as an amber mine for the Roman Empire and its growth on the trade route to its eventual devastation by earthquakes and plague to be a somewhat forgotten corner of Italy. Not that it would be overt, but rather that it could suggest appropriate detail. Cracks, wear, history. Geppetto plays accordion. We uncovered Mussolini's support for the local accordion industry when he provided each battalion with an accordion. They could be used to entertain and maintain morale, but also help provide employment for crafts persons of an indigenous industry. C E D F