Stop-motion art is a medium that has been around for over a century, its first debut being The Humpty Dumpy Circus in 1898, which was only three years after the first commercial film was released in 1895. The art form centers around animating objects by moving them in small increments and taking photographic frames throughout each movement. Despite the impressive, diligent work that goes into this art style, increasing criticism of stop-motion has arisen due to CGI and the constantly developing computer-generated animation, causing the media to decline. However, I believe that stop-motion animation is still an important part of filmography, especially in children’s movies, such as Fantastic Mr. Fox.
Fantastic Mr. Fox is an adaptation of the novel Fantastic Mr. Fox written by Roald Dahl.
The story is centered around Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney) going through a midlife crisis, causing him to return to his farm-raiding ways. What was supposed to be a rush of youth instead started a farmers’ retaliation, leading Mr. Fox to guide his community through survival. In order to capture the essence of the novel, UT Austin alum Wes Anderson decided that stop-motion was perfect for storytelling. Anderson said stop-motion doesn’t usually draw in an audience, and he believed that’s the selling point of the movie.Â
The film process was created by a crew of over a hundred workers, who dedicated themselves to every texture of fur and clothing for each character for an entire year. When it comes to stop-motion, the more frames per second (FPS) for each scene was a step to smooth and fluid-like animation. Fantastic Mr. Fox was shot at 12 FPS, creating a wonderful flow between characters and scenes. Not only does stop motion include snapping a picture every second to capture movement, but it also involves many handmade props. A total of 535 puppets were made to contribute to every scene. The puppets were made in a variety of sizes to accommodate for different shots, such as full body shots or close-ups. Puppets ranged from 2 inches to 12 to satisfy the needs of the film. Because of the difference between the puppet scaling, multitudes of the same costumes were made. Every layer of hand sewn fabric, felt, and fur contributed to the nostalgic, calming atmosphere of the film. Additionally, to fully create a homey setting, over 4,000 props were made to contribute to all 126 sets.
Beyond the use of careful crafting, the filmography was a massive bit that uplifted the film to be the cozy scenic media we love. Through camera angles, various lighting, and a specific color palette, the film was able to capture an essence of reality. Contributing to the realistic feeling of the film, when it came to voice acting, Anderson placed his actors in real versions of the characters’ sets. For example, in the scene where Mr. Fox and Badger begin to argue, the scene was filmed in a real office. Outside scenes were no different, as Clooney and Wallace Wolodarsky, voice of Kylie, were seated on a real Vespa during their conversation of phobia.Â
The amount of dedicated craftsmanship in animated film is often overlooked. In a future of CGI and AI “art,” it is difficult to find films that are being constructed with the same amount of creativity and talent. There is beauty in the imperfect, and stop-motion animation is a vibrant art style that continues to wonder. Fantastic Mr. Fox continues to remain a fan favorite for almost 15 years because of its uniqueness.