It’s a new way of making movies. Film a mini cartoon on a smartphone using the movements of an umbrella or a parasol.
The idea emerged in the mind of director Marie Paccou. Its “ombrellotrope” patent has just been published in the Official Journal.
There are those who use and abuse special effects to create computer-generated scenery and then there are those who prefer to go back to the fundamentals of the magic lantern. By twirling her drawn umbrellas and parasols, Marie Paccou definitely falls into the second category.
A system inherited from the precursors of cinematography which merges with today’s tools. As they rotate, the umbrellas create moving images. “Each drawing is similar but slightly different from the previous one. To see the animation effect you need the camera shutter system of a smartphone”, explains Marie Paccou.
For Marie Paccou, animation comes in all sorts of media. From the books she scribbles without complex to transform them into flip-books to everyday objects, the encounter with the umbrella was almost inevitable. But not just any. Marie essentially works with the kings of the umbrella: the Asians. “You need a good manufacturer because each pan is different and it is crucial that it is mounted in the right way”, she details.
Then, you have to bring the canvas to life. Technically, the drawing is directly traced by hand on the canvas with indelible tools. Each model is unique, but in the long term, she plans to have series produced.
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Between drawing and cinema, animation has long been part of Marie Paccou’s life. It was at the age of 15 that she fell in love with moving lines. She perfected her technique at the Decorative Arts in Paris, where she made her first film in 1998 entitled One day. She then continued her studies at the Royal College of Art in London, where she made When you sleepthen Me, the Other, in co-production with the FilmAkademie of Württemberg. Imbued with poetry and candor, his achievements have won numerous awards.
Today, the designer transmits her passion and know-how during workshops with children who discover the magic of simple things.