Baobab Studios Unveils First Look at “Baba Yaga” on Annecy 2020 Online

Baobab Studios Unveils First Look at “Baba Yaga” on Annecy 2020 Online

June 4th, 2020

Jerry Beck

Multiple Emmy Award-winning studio, Baobab Studios, is proud to announce that they will unveil a first look at their newest immersive experience, Baba Yaga, with a special “Work in Progress” presentation at the Annecy International Animation Festival’s 2020 Online edition. The presentation will debut on Monday, June 15th and be available to accredited festival viewers for the entire two-week event.

Baobab Studios’ Work in Progress session at Annecy Online will feature co-founder/CEO Maureen Fan, co-founder/CCO Eric Darnell and co-founder/CTO Larry Cutler, as well as several other key members of the Baobab team such as Head of Content Kane Lee, Co-director Mathias Chelebourg, Animation Supervisor Ken Fountain, and Production Designer Glenn Hernandez. The presentation will reflect on many of the studio’s award-winning past films, from Asteroids!, Invasion! and Bonfire to Crow: The Legend, discuss the studio’s philosophy and unique approach to interactive filmmaking while offering a special sneak peek at BABA YAGA.

Directed by Baobab Studios co-founder Eric Darnell and co-directed by Mathias Chelebourg, Baba Yaga is a contemporary portrayal of the Eastern European legend inspired by illustrative 2D pop-up animation, hand-drawn and stop-motion styles, creating a modern visual language for VR inspired by classic animation. Leveraging the studio’s award-winning animation pioneers and interactive gaming veterans, “Baba Yaga” blends theater, cinema, and animation into a unique experience that explores themes of empowerment and environmentalism.

“While we wish we could actually be in Annecy meeting up with all our friends in the industry to celebrate the best in animation this month, we’re so happy to participate in the festival’s online programming with this first look at what we’ve been up to at Baobab with our newest film, “Baba Yaga,” said director and Baobab Studios co-founder and CCO, Eric Darnell.

Additionally, the Baobab Studios team will participate in a Live Q&A hosted by the Annecy festival on June 23rd at 9am PST/6pm France time. Featured panelists will include several key creatives from the Baba Yaga production, including Director and Baobab Studios Co-Founder Eric Darnell, Co-director, Mathias Chelebourg, Development Producer Shannon Ryan and Animation Supervisor, Ken Fountain.

Baba Yaga will premiere in multiple formats later this year. Go to https://www.baobabstudios.com/ learn more about the film.

ABOUT BAOBAB STUDIOS
Founded by Maureen Fan, Eric Darnell and Larry Cutler in 2015, six-time Emmy Award winning Baobab Studios is the world’s leading independent interactive narrative animation studio. Our mission: Bring out your sense of wonder. Inspire you to dream. Make YOU matter. With a mission to inspire you to dream by bringing out your sense of wonder, Baobab Studios has released five projects to date — Invasion!, Asteroids!, Jack, Crow: The Legend, and Bonfire — all to commercial success and critical acclaim. Their work (traditional, VR, and AR) has gone viral landing on YouTube’s trending category and is known for starring such diverse talents as John Legend, Oprah, Constance Wu, Diego Luna, Liza Koshy, Tye Sheridan, Elizabeth Banks, Ethan Hawke, Lupita Nyong’o, and Ali Wong.

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Jerry Beck

Writer, cartoon producer and author of more than 15 books on animation history. A former studio exec with Nickelodeon and Disney; currently on the faculty at both CalArts in Valencia and Woodbury University in Burbank, California.