Have you ever felt that the world is becoming increasingly “standardized”? The mechanized pace of life, one common language for everyone, comfortable clothes and hairstyle, food not for taste, but for survival... self-expression and freedom in creativity and in life in general, seem to be gradually suppressed and diluted in modern society. But does humanity have to be confined to such a rigid mold? The animated short film Back To Rock offers us a potential answer to this question.
Created by Armenian studio ARTSTEP-STUDIO, Back To Rock is part of the animated short films series Music Collection. The team had envisioned a similar plot many years ago but was unable to bring it to life until the launch of this music-themed series. They soon realized that with some changes the plot could be perfect for a film on the topic of Rock. So the duet of history and Rock music happened.
The film imagines a world where evolution played a cruel joke on humanity - people turned into sexless and faceless creatures of the same height, void of hair and voice. Practically devoid of any emotions, they live and work on a command, and are exclusively engaged in the disposal of worldly goods, gained or collected by previous generations over the years in order to get some kind of universal substance out of them. They use the substance both as food by injecting it into a vein and for gaining energy to service the disposal equipment. Yet, a randomly found working tablet reveals a picture of the bright and varied life of their distant ancestors- the life full of love, adventures, passions and music. And yes, it is the rock music that makes the protagonist regain his striving for freedom and share it with the whole world.
The film’s art direction is both striking and meticulous, especially in its character design. Initially, the creators sought to create unisex characters, something between a man and a woman, with dots instead of eyes and ears, in practical clothes, devoid of any distinctions. "I am nobody, I see and hear nothing, I just work and get energy to feed on it and survive." With such characters, it is difficult to depict anything other than actions. The problem was solved by drawing eyes - the only, but very significant tool for expressing emotions. So the heroes acquired the right to speak with their eyes.
As a musical animated short, rock music is the beating heart of Back To Rock. The entire plot of the film is based on rock music. The composer and animator worked closely together and the music basically dictated the tempo and rhythm of the image. But in some parts the composer had to adapt to the plot and voice the already finished episode. There are no special problems when high-level professionals work in their field.
The production process, however, was not without obstacles. The biggest problem is in the film production technology. The film was created in a fairly new and rare VR technology. The animators mastered all the software tools in practice. It is difficult to achieve all the creative tasks when there is a limitation in the visual capabilities of new technologies. For this reason, the production period lasted 1.5 years, which is relatively long for 8 minutes.
The creators’ dedication paid off. Since its release, the audience's reaction is very inspiring. They like both the unusual visuals and the music that matches it, but especially the clear and understandable message of the film: a person sounds proud. The film has also made a mark on the international stage, earning nominations at several international film festivals, including the NAFF- International Animated Film Festival in Bosnia and Hercegovina, the Lucania Film Festival in Italy, and the ReAnimania International Animation and Comics Art Festival in Armenia, where it won the Best Armenian Animated Film 2023 award.
A person sounds proud, and the expression of individuality is a natural part of a person. Back To Rock plays a song of awakening in the name of rock, prompting us to reflect on the meaning of « person ». May each of us find our own voice of awakening and live out our irreplaceable selves.
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