The new film by Eduardo Schuldt, “A gigantic adventure”, has passed one hundred thousand viewers in less than a month. We spoke with Schuldt about the secrets of the film and to clarify who he was inspired by for his film.
By: Sandro Mairata
At the end of the press screening of “A Giant Adventure”, at the beginning of January I went to ask Eduardo Schuldt some questions, who answered them willingly. He is our most persistent maker of animated films, a journey that began with “Piratas del Callao”, the first digitally animated feature produced in Peru, and which later continued with other titles such as “Dragons: destiny of fire” (2006). and “Los ilusionautas” (2012), although his most remembered previous release is “Condorito: the movie”, which he co-directed in 2017. With some nine films directed, it remained to be seen how well his new film would do.
Now, a month after it was released, “A Giant Adventure” has already exceeded one hundred thousand viewers and is the fourth highest-grossing premiere of the post-pandemic. The animated film has the voices of Gina Yangali, Merly Morello, Gustavo Bueno, Yiddá Eslava and Reynaldo Arenas, among others, and is the story of two children who, while walking through the Nasca lines, will go to a dimension where ancient pre-Columbian guardians They will be entrusted with the mission of defeating the demon Supay. To do this, they will have the help of a character named Wawa, a kind of baby huaco. We spoke again with the filmmaker, to whom I put some of the same questions as that first time.
Once you had this story of “A Giant Adventure”, how was the process of recruiting the voices for the characters?
Several of the actors I already had in mind. I mean, for example, when we were doing Supay he had Reynaldo Arenas in his head. Or when we were doing the Condor, Gustavo Bueno had it in mind. Normally let’s say I hear my characters speak in my mind. We cast some of them and others, without doing casting We sent them the invitation, and luckily they all accepted.
— The film is made with a rather educational purpose. Don’t you feel that this goes against the story of the film itself?
— Well, I personally don’t feel it’s pedagogical, rather my point of view is that it’s the opposite. I think that people expect to go see something educational, but I feel that it is not, unlike “Pirates in Callao” where we had a 5-minute text talking about the History of Peru, this one is not, at least I don’t. I locate.
— The animation puts a lot of emphasis on the visual development of the giants. The textures of the skins, the lighting itself. What were the specific challenges in creating these behemoths?
— Look, the creation of the giants is the challenge, more than the technical development of the textures and the type of movement. It was more conceptual art until this worked, because we had to make a character come out of the Nasca Lines that works for us visually and that has some kind of relationship with the Nasca Lines. The most complex thing was the design of the characters on paper.
With Merly Morello (left), voice of Sophia, and Gina Yangali, voice of Sebastián. Photo: Sandro Mairata
— in the script there is a questioning of how young people are now in their relationship with technology, in their relationship with the English language. It even goes beyond biting
– Don’t know. Yes, maybe I like to make fun of it, I mean, maybe it’s in my subconscious and that’s a bit of what I get, right? For example, Sebastián, he talks the nonsense that he says all the time, it’s a bit like I imagine this child, this current carefree. But it’s not quite like that. I was thinking: how can I make it this character that people laugh at? And without falling bad. It was a little bit what we tried to work with the writers.
— Another comment I made to you in January is that Wawa (voice of your 11 year old daughter Sophia) looks a lot like Groot, can you clarify that, were you inspired by Groot or not?
– No, definitely not. I would tell you the truth, I wouldn’t have any problem, “I wanted to do my Baby Groot”. But Wawa is a baby and that’s why he only says “Wawa”. Eventually, if there’s a second part we’re going to make it say…
— …“I am Groot”?
— (Laughs.) “I am Wawa” and twigs are going to grow and it goes into space.
— The Peruvian accent feels a bit harsh. I don’t know if you feel it. Perhaps because we were very used to the more velvety Mexican voice.
— Absolutely, and I fully agree; look, all my pirate movies have been dubbed in Mexico after being made here. But one film was made from the front, I think it was “El delfin”, which was made directly in Mexico and you’re absolutely right, you’re not totally used to hearing it. This, let’s say, neutral Mexican accent, there is a theme there that one is not used to (to the voice in a Peruvian accent). Sometimes you don’t think you have an accent, but we do.
— Do you consider yourself someone who lets themselves be directed? Are you open to other opinions? Because it seems that you look at a decision that you want and do not listen to anyone else.
— No, not at all, and I can give you a very simple example, for me it is “Condorito”. We put out a demo and the public didn’t like it and we changed it. What’s more, we released a demo of “A Giant Adventure” in 2019, people didn’t like it and we changed it. There is a very important issue that many people who do not know animation find it a bit difficult to understand: I would love to always change many things but the limit is your budget
The cast includes Gina Yangali, Merly Morello, Gustavo Bueno, Yiddá Eslava and Reynaldo Arenas, among others. Photo: Sandro Mairata
— I want to ask you two questions officially. Were you inspired by Peter Jackson, in “The Lord of the Rings” for the appearance of your Supay -for the Balrog- and for the scene of the fight against the giant spider, yes or no?
– No no. Also, the spider scene has nothing to do with Peter Jackson, please. I am a fan of “The Lord of the Rings”.
— But when Frodo enters Ella-Laraña’s cave with Gollum and they defend themselves with magic light… nothing?
– I do not know the truth. That can be a matter in the subconscious because one sees something, likes it and stays there. I think that at some point you want to do the things you like, when I make a movie I try to make a movie that I would like to see. I’m not necessarily thinking about my audience, I think that could be a mistake. I think I have to think, not what the children will like, but what I would like.
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