PROJECT INSIGHT
Paul Hatton discovers how Blackmagic Design software became Foliascope’s chosen partner for delivering a new generation of feature-length films
New s and view s from around the international CG community
No Dogs or Italians Allowed is an absolute artistic gem. Using live action, stop-motion and 2D animation, Foliascope has created a film that drips with character, depth and technical genius. It’s true that the early days of stop-motion film were pretty primitive and you’d be forgiven for thinking its days were numbered. But the likes of Aardman, Ideal Standard Film, and now Foliascope have proved all the critics wrong. They are forging unique styles of storytelling with a whole pipeline of incredible tech to drive it forward.
Those familiar with Foliascope will know it to be an ambitious production company that creates feature films, short films and TV series with a particular focus on young audiences. It has an incredible ability to capture the imaginations of its audiences through engaging storytelling and stunning animation.
No DogsorItalians Allowed does exactly that. It’s a personal story for Alain Ughetto, the film’s director, based on his grandfather, Luigi. Having survived two wars and the misery of fascism, he fell in love with a lady called Cesira, started a family and moved
from Italy to France. The film tells this story of overcoming adversity with both great beauty and skill.
A WHOLE NEW PIPELINE
Foliascope’s relationship with Blackmagic Design began when Covid hit. A studio that had relied on cherry-picking talent from all over the world to be part of its crews found that route no longer possible. Travel was not only limited but completely banned, and it put an end to this way of working. This type of challenge caused many companies to fold, both inside and outside of the 3D and film industries, but that was not Foliascope’s story. Where many saw only problems, it instead saw opportunities.
At the time it was creating TV shows and needed to find a way to deliver on these productions, turning to DaVinci Resolve Studio and Fusion Studio. These two applications enabled a level of remote working that could only previously have been dreamed. Creatives and creative teams no longer needed to be in the same location as projects could be centrally managed, edited and de
