The 4th Planet: building our future together

Text by Stéphane Lemonnier. A project by Jean Bouthors & Titouan Bordeau.

One cosmoport, some electro music, a running man trying to smugle into a rocket in a rush to the 4 th planet. This Folimage project, invites us to sink in a retro-futurist universe made of 2D animation, video games, web and comics.

Welcome in the 23 th century, where living on Earth is barely bareable, but fortunately the NWTM (New Way Toward Mars), took on to terraform Mars giving the hope of a new start Directed for the by human Olivier race. Cossu, But far the from film the has original been made possible utopia, thanks the NWTM to a long and its and dream rigorous will bring pre-production life process. to intrigues, In order hopes to put and in place desillusions. all the resources Jump on needed to make board the with film, Jean Les Bouthors, Armateurs co-creator created a of whole the new production project is studio giving for us the a preview film, which of the lies genesis at the heart of of a special this work dark and dynamic. complex universe.

La 4e Planète ©Folimage

THE ORIGINS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION

What are the constraints or characteristics in producing a transmedia project?

Jean Bouthors: The 4th planet project has been very quickly conceived in several medias. Even if I am not that much of a big video game player, the desire to walk around the scenery we created was strong from the beginning, and naturally resulted in an FPS (First Person Shooter) game. However, we had to think about harmonizing the idea of playing in 3D a world presented in 2D. The solution was to show the view of drones / robots in 3D, but to keep the life of Carole (the main game character) in the cinematic 2D universe. In essence, the creation of the 2D series obviously served as the backdrop for the game, but the opposite is also true: 3D also helped us to create special particle effects. In practice, we worked by having the two teams on the same floor in order to strengthen the emulation between us.

As for the web platform, it naturally collected all the knowledge created to give body to the universe and this for a hundred years.

What animation techniques will be used to create the series and the game?

J.B.: The series will be created entirely digitally on graphic tablets using TVpaint, Photoshop, Toon Boom. Drone Operator, however, will be created with Unity. At most, there was fifteen of us working on the pre-production.

La 4e Planète ©Folimage

THE TRANSMEDIA SIDE

What motivated the choice of a mini serie, rather than a long / medium-length format?

J.B.: From the outset, this project was conceived as a mini saga, this format allowing us to develop a scenario, but also the ability to present a situation and complex characters and situations for them to evolve in. Initially, was half of its current duration, but following the craze, it was decided to extend it.

Will the series end?

J.B.: In the first season of The 4th planet we have already managed to say what we wanted with the character of Arnold. If we're renewed for a second season, it will be possible to develop his story in new directions, but the world is complex enough to focus on other people or even other historical moments of this universe. But the leitmotif remains the same: as long as we are having fun, we keep at it!

Why the choice of a puzzle game and the character of Carole? Why not embody Arnold in an infiltration game?

J.B.: The choice to change the main character is important. It was not a question of replaying the adventures of Arnold, but rather to have an adventure contemporary to the series, seen from a different angle. We did not want to rehash the serie, or to make a game depending on the viewing of it.

What are the projects for the web platform?

J.B.: We are working on shaping the 70 years of our universe and make it all easy to follow and accessible. But we are also thinking about comics, audio fictions, and short cartoons on the Web.

La 4e Planète ©Folimage

AN INTERPLANETARY EXODUS

Arnold wants to join his wife and child on Mars. According to you, where is his home? on Earth? On a hypothetical Mars?

J.B.: In the early days, Arnold does not really want to leave Earth. His motivations to stay are multiple, sometimes naive, sometimes illusory, but certainly valid from his point of view. While his wife, who has more foresight, has already taken their daughter to Mars. This naturally has stretched their family bounds.

Arnold will certainly have to make choices, and find the strength to give up his illusions and the safety of his home to face the inevitable exodus. But he will also have to assume his choice of a late departure, which becomes an increasingly heavy burden to carry as the situation on Earth is degrading, rendering emigration difficult.

The term "climate refugees" is strong. Why have you chosen this cause of flight from Earth?

J.B.: Earth is small and fragile. This home, in its broadest meaning, is the only one we have, and it is important to know how humanity can survive in (or live with) its environment.

What happened recently in the Mediterranean is having a big impact on societies, both ours and on the countries that have been left behind. It has demonstrated the absurdity of borders when facing a war or some environmental disasters. In The 4th planet, it is not about a country, though the outer wall of the cosmoport materialises the boundary between the inaccessible dream and the increasingly unsustainable reality of people.

As a result of global warming, we know that some Pacific islands will be swallowed up, and their inhabitants will have to leave their ancestors' homes. The themes in The 4th planet speak to everyone. Even though our series has been categorized for "adult and teenagers", we should not forget that today’s children are tomorrow's adults.

La 4e Planète ©Folimage

A last word?

J.B.: I am not really coming from the world of drawing, I first studied cinema, before integrating a prep school in drawing and animation. Not knowing how to draw is not prohibitive. Two tips come to my mind:

To other professionals and semi professionals: be creative and ambitious. Distributors must show the richness of French creation, that there is an alternative to the current stereotyped creation process. We are lucky to be in a very helpful country when it comes to funding start-ups.

There are many easy-to-use software packages that allow any beginner to start a project. So, listen to feedback, things wrong, try again. Dare to start! In a word, do what you like. Do not compromise on the core of your motivation, and keep what makes the spice of your project.