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A short destined to become an instant stop motion classic.
Un curt cridat a convertirse en un clàssic instantani de l’animació stop motion. Sitges Festival Internacional de Cinema Fantåstic de Catalunya

The short stopmotion animation Butterflies, directed by Isabel Peppard, weaves a haunting tale of a young artist named Claire (voiced by Rachel Griffiths), who struggles to sustain herself by selling her art on the street. Her fortunes seem to change when a businessman, Dalton Hearst (voiced by Nicholas Hope), recognizes her talent and offers her a paid position. However, what initially appears to be a golden opportunity soon threatens to suffocate her creativity.

Peppard masterfully blends Claire’s vivid childhood memories with her presentday struggles, crafting a gothic fairytale within a world that is both dark and intricately detailed.

Butterflies stands out with its distinctive, tactile aesthetic, achieved through highly sculptural sets constructed from a variety of materials such as wood, latex, fiberglass, resin, and plaster.

The film’s puppets, made from hyperrealistic silicone, feature meticulously airbrushed skin tones, lifelike eyeballs, and individually implanted hairs, creating an unsettlingly real yet surreal experience. The visual style draws inspiration from visceral horror, Victorian industrial architecture, and oriental art and design, resulting in a richly atmospheric and immersive world.

The film's core team included Isabel Peppard, Warwick Burton, and Beau White. Isabel and Warwick cowrote the story, with Warwick producing the film. Isabel, in addition to her directorial and cinematographic roles, oversaw set construction, puppet creation, and animation. Beau White collaborated closely with Isabel during preproduction, focusing on the intricate building of sets and characters. Jon Billington, the director of photography, played a crucial role in shaping the lighting to reflect the film's different worlds, while Nick Hilligoss, the key animator, made significant contributions during postproduction, helping to bring the film's chilling narrative to life. Music was composed by Elliott Wheeler, the multi award winning Australian film composer. The sound designer was Michael McMenomy.

Visit director, Isabel Peppard's site: https://www.isabelpeppard.com/
Production: https://www.tbcmedia.com.au