Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana, a world-leading international producer, distributor, and licensor of children’s animated and live-action content, has announced the studio produced its second original short film entitled Jelly, created and directed by Emmy Award-winning director Robin Budd (Beetlejuice, Hotel Transylvania: The Series), and reveals ‘first look’ images. Featuring music from esteemed composer Daniel Lanois, Jelly is a 2D animated short film exploring the universal reality that life is too precious to be unhappy at work and encourages the pursuit of one’s true passion. The 13-minute film is set to have its world premiere at the 27th Edition of Fantasia International Film Festival this month, and has started to receive interest among renowned festivals internationally.
“Building on the critical acclaim received on our short film The Most Magnificent Thing, Jelly reinforces Nelvana’s position as a creative powerhouse.” said Athena Georgaklis, Vice President of Nelvana Studios. “We’ve been fortunate to have Robin Budd as a long-standing collaborator, having worked together on successful projects such as the Beetlejuice TV series to Ruby Gloom, and Hotel Transylvania: The Series. His expertise and artistic vision have been instrumental in bringing Jelly, his first original short, to life. With Jelly, we have expanded our team’s creative and storytelling abilities, while also pushing the boundaries of our technical capabilities.”
Jelly takes audiences on a journey through a modern dilemma intertwined with a captivating fairy tale. Should the hero character, Molly, pursue the passion of expressive art, or tread a factory job painting mannequin faces? She cannot decide, but a liquid spirit soon helps make the choice easy. Molly is someone who just has to express herself, even when her cold-as-ice Big Bad Boss Lady is wicked, oppressive, and just plain mean. That creative gift just has to get out. It must! No matter what the repercussions. In our hero’s case, it is a tiny but growing puddle of goo that helps transform Molly into a force to be reckoned with. Join Jelly, as she ignites Molly’s inner mojo, helping her discover that fortune does indeed favor the brave.
“Creating this original short film has been a dream come true. It’s been a privilege to collaborate with Nelvana, and their dedication to pushing artistic boundaries has allowed us to create something truly special,” said Robin Budd, Creator and Director of Jelly. “This film is a testament to the power of storytelling and the limitless possibilities of animation, and I can’t wait for audiences to join us on this extraordinary adventure that we’ve all experienced at some point in life.”
With the art direction led by Jelena Sisic, the film features a film-noir concept to highlight the mundane and oppressive world that plagues our protagonist, followed by a bright and colorful world once she unites with Jelly and realizes her creative potential. The film features music from Grammy Award-winning Daniel Lanois’ expansive catalogue, providing depth and intrigue to Molly and her world.
“Similar to music, the struggle for creative inspiration is a universal concept.” said Daniel Lanois, Composer. “It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with Robin Budd and the Nelvana team to select music from my catalogue that will not only help enhance Jelly’s unique animation, but resonate with international audiences as they sympathize with Molly’s creative journey.”
With Robin Budd as creator and director of Jelly and music composed by Daniel Lanois, Laurie Handforth and Marilyn McAuley join as producers with Pam Westman and Athena Georgaklis as executive producers. The enchanting short film was written by Robin Budd and Dale Schott, featuring art direction by Jelena Sisic.
Jelly will premiere at this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, Canada as part of their Circo Animato programming, an annual showcase of amazing animated short films from around the world.