Having studied film at my alma mater, USC, and now working in art, there are few things I can think of that excite me more than the upcoming Vincent van Gogh documentary, Loving Vincent. Not only is this cinematic feat to come an in-depth and personal peek into the impressionist master’s life compiled from information taken from 800 of his letters, but is also the first ever feature length painted animation film.
Brought to you by directors Dorota Kobiela (painter) and Hugh Welchman (filmmaker), the biopic will be constructed entirely of paintings in the style of Van Gogh, conjuring to life his swirling skies, majestic sunflowers, ginger beard and dimly lit cafes. In fact, over 120 paintings will be included in the film, woven together to construct the artist’s life journey all the way to his tragic demise.
You might be wondering who will be charged with the epic task of creating the hand-painted animation for the film. Well, if you’re an artist, it could be you! Co-production companies Breakthru Films and Trademark Films currently have an open-call on for oil painters in hopes of finding the highly skilled team they need to make this project a successful reality.
The recruitment process is as intense as you’d imagine, a portfolio submission followed by, if successful, a 3-day on-site audition in Poland or Greece. From there, you’ll get 3-weeks of intensive training, and then and only then will a final decision be made. If you think you might have what it takes and want to spend your summer working on this sure-to-be-masterful project, you can view all the details for making it happen here.
Van Gogh once said of artists, “The truth is, we cannot speak other than by our paintings,” and this film is seeking to do exactly that, to give van Gogh a voice through the lens of his own art.
I, for one, can’t wait!
– India Irving
For more on Loving Vincent, check out their website.
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