PRESS – THE CONCRETE JUNGLE
| SYNOPSIS
The Concrete Jungle is a short animated film inspired by the limitless imagination of children. When a neighbour drills into a wall, who knows what a child thinks of a sound he doesn’t know and can’t identify. Maybe a herd of bisons is trampling through the neighbour‘s flat, or a savage cannibalistic tribe lives there. Thrilling tales of a small boy in a housing estate where even the most exciting adventures in the world can take place.
| TRAILER
| FILM CREDITS
Writer, director, DOP, animator – Marie Urbánková
Editor – Alexander Kashcheev
Sound – Miroslav Chaloupka
Producer – UMPRUM Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague
Co-producer – MAUR film – Mária Moťovská
Financially supported by Czech Film Fund
| DOWNLOADS
Poster
JPG
Presskit
Word Docx | PDF
Film stills HD
Zip JPG (3,5MB)
| GALLERY
| ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Film The Concrete Jungle is part of a co-production project Three Voices – the result of uniting three interesting student films that are being made simultaneously at three Czech art schools – FAMU, UMPRUM and the University of West Bohemia in Plzeň. More information about Three Voices can be found here.
Working as a childminder I had an experience that resulted in this movie. I was at home with the children, drawing, when somebody in the neighbouring flat started drilling into the wall. And one of the children shouted: „Shh, shh, listen! That must be a bison!“ I immediately declared: „Nonsense, it‘s just somebody using a drill.“ Afterwards I was actually sorry for my reaction, having put a stop to any images of a wild bison on the rampage in the neighbour’s flat.
I felt sorry because in my head, there were no bisons being chased by Red Indians in the neighbouring flat, and I felt much poorer for having fewer imaginary adventures than these children. And it’s a shame. I started investigating it and finding out more information on childhood imagination vs. the real world, their perception and discernment. I got really interested in this subject and I took my Bachelor‘s degree work as an ideal opportunity for grasping and developing this subject. Animated film is the perfect medium for working with images, sounds, noises, and their development into a whole fantasy world.
Why did you choose this particular animation technique?
I wanted to try animating puppets. I am also not very fond of the aesthetics of cardboard „real“ trees. So I thought of joining 3D puppets with 2D sets, to make the film style minimalist and simple.
What do you see as advantage of this technique and in what way was it limiting for you?
The advantage was that instead of making complicated sets I just cut them out and glued them to a cardboard lining. It was faster than working with some other realistic style. The problem was the coloured paper which I chose as the main material. It is quite light, unstable and often was not holding its shape.
Do you plan to devote your career to films for children? Are you possibly preparing a new film?
I have an easy relationship with children. I have four siblings, I am the eldest, and they are my biggest inspiration. I think that my work will always gravitate towards the world of children. My next film though will be primarily for adults. The art style should again draw from simplicity, minimalism and clean coloured paper.
