The single most unusual thing about the Chi-Chian series and the way that
it's made, is the fact that it combines stop-motion techniques with Flash
animation. Flash animation is traditionally a vector-based program, which
essentially means that you're looking at cartoons. I specifically wanted
to do something that brought stop-motion into new media, because
stop-motion is so largely dead. And I really wanted to do whatever I
could to keep it alive, and it's my forte and it's what I enjoy doing. So
we set out to make an animated series that uses photographic imagery, or
bitmaps, in Flash. Of course, what that means is that we have to build
all of the characters and all of the sets the same way you would if you
were making a stop-motion film. So essentially, in making the Chi-Chian
animated series, what we've done is gone through very much the same
process they went through on Nightmare Before Christmas, to make
that film, with the exception of the actual stop-motion
animating. Needless to say, countless models and sets needed to be made
for the series.
(click on the RealAudio Link to hear each clip - RealPlayer Required)
Tentical unit and Chi-Chian models
Some models were made before the animated series began.
