Everything you need to know about #TheStoryGetsBetter -Dunzo’s 3D Animation Short Film —
Easter eggs, the music, the process, and the story behind #TheStoryGetsBetter
As Teddy Roosevelt rightly claimed, “The best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing”. #TheStoryGetsBetter — the 3D animation film that we’ve produced in-house, has been exactly that. It’s a labour of love that combines in equal parts — art and heart, skill and soul, hard work and hope. And so, we set out building a story about Auro — a young writer, and his furry little friend — George.
For those of you who haven’t yet, do pause here and take a few minutes to watch the film, for the discussions that follow are rife with spoilers.
Paying attention to intention
Our goal while embarking on the journey of this film was to leave our viewers with an impactful takeaway and in our own little way, to bring about some positivity and hope. We put our ears to the ground, and looked for issues that struck us as crucial to address in the current climate. In this rather dispiriting year, as a large section of the young population is staying confined to small and closed physical spaces, often away from their homes and families, studies show that mental illnesses are on an unprecedented rise. Despite having access to people and professionals, the stigma and prejudice surrounding mental health prevents most from having the agency to reach out, or seek help. The onus would therefore fall on those in their close circle to check-in on their mental well-being. Thus, encouraging that one simple phone call or a text instilling hope in the lonely mind of a dear one became the purpose of our film.
Our in-house powerhouse
This film has been months in the making, and has been executed in-house in its entirety! Its journey paper to pixels including scripting, screenplay, storyboarding, direction, character modelling, animation, lighting and rendering has been carried out by our in-house brand team — D457. Special mention to our one-man army for all things 3D — Sanooj KS, who has single handedly taken on the task of doing what would typically take a team of over a dozen people to achieve. For a project of this size to be handled by a single animator is unheard of in the industry. His incredible hustle, and meticulous attention to detail is what has brought the film to life.
Tuning into talent
For the background score, we discovered a wonderful new talent who happens to be an architect from Kohima. Pelenuo Yhome’s sublime melody called “Build a story’” worked as a perfect fit in setting the mood for the film. Having co-written and composed this song with her brother Jonathan, Pele sheds light on the inspiration behind the song. “Life is full of little moments that pass us by. These moments are what eventually make our story. I wanted my listeners to pay attention to the little things that make a big life. My song will serve its purpose if the listeners are able to relate to it at some level, and if it helps fill a void for them.”
Listen to her lingering tune here :
Beyond token inclusivity
Differently abled individuals have rarely been depicted in literature, movies or TV shows without their physical condition being the reason for their inclusion in the narrative. This is a stereotype we hoped to look beyond, to take a step in the direction of normalising disability. Auro, our protagonist in the film is differently abled. Not because his disability is the focus of the story, not because it is a plotline need, but simply because he is a regular character whose uniqueness is not essential for the story to move forward.
3D — Details, details, details
This film has several curious details for the keen eye to notice. Our intention was to underplay the fact that Auro was differently abled, so as to not bias the viewer. However, when we envisioned his home and activities, we ensured that every aspect of his life was thought-out and made sense in the scheme of things. Here’s a quick list of things you may have missed:
All’s well that ends well
This film has been our earnest effort to spread the message of hope, to capture a few minds, and warm a few hearts. But most importantly, it’s our attempt to drive positive action, for us to help lift each other up, and reach a happy chapter in our stories.
