Posted in: Comics | Tagged: 47 ronin, entertainment, Haz Dullul, Hyper-motion Comics, James Miller, keanu reeves

47 Ronin: The Samurai Spirit Introduces Audience to New 'Hyper-Motion Comics' Storytelling Format

James Miller writes for Bleeding Cool:

Director Haz Dullul shows off his VFX and directing skills with a new
Hyper-Motion Comic to celebrate the launch of 47 Ronin. The 'Hyper-
Motion Comics' format is the brainchild of the London based director. "We
basically took the concept of a motion comic and turned it on it's head.
This is a visually rich and engaging storytelling format thats a little bit out
of left field from what comic book audiences are expecting."

The Hyper-Motion Comics format creates content in the style of a motion
comic however the format uses photography in place of comic book style
illustrations. "Hard to believe but it's all still photography, VFX and visual
trickery. This a viable alternative to making motion comics." says the
director.

For the studio's marketing campaign for the forthcoming action feature,
Haz worked with Universal Pictures to create 47 Ronin: The Samurai Spirit.
"This a cool movie full of superhero beasts, and fights with mythical
dragons." said the director and VFX supervisor. 'We really hope comic
book fans like the new format." While HaZ has enjoyed working with the
studio on 47 Ronin, what he loves most is working on his own indie film
projects.

HaZ developed the new format in partnership with James Miller and Chris
Sousa Ebels from West Hollywood based entertainment marketing firm
DSF, initially when working on his previous short film, FUBAR: Redux.
"FUBAR was a story about cats and dogs fighting a war in an alternate
universe. It was always a story close to my heart and because of the niche
audience I needed to find a really cost effective way to tell the story with
high production values in a way that would appeal to comic book fans. To
be working with Universal less than two years later is kinda crazy."

For his last short film FUBAR: Redux, director Haz Dullul raised over $5k
on Kickstarter. "Finding funding for my last project took alot of effort.
There was so much spent time finding money that could have been spent
working on creative. The thing I learned is by keeping budgets small it
meant I have more creative freedom and not spend so much time
fundraising."

"The thing we realized is audiences are saturated with posters and trailers.
Motion comics have grown so much in popularity over the last few years
because people want something fresh." Says James Miller, managing
director of entertainment marketing firm DSF. "What we're really creating
here is a mix between a trailer and a motion comic and not really
something people have seen before. I'm really taken aback by how well
people are responding the new short. This is something we were not really
sure how people would react to."

47 Ronin: The Samurai Spirit is told from the viewpoint of a young girl
named Mika, who relates the epic story of the young Kai and the
masterless samurai he joins to seek vengeance upon the treacherous
warlord who killed their master. 47 Ronin: The Samurai Spirit' launched
earlier this week.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/82155319[/vimeo]

If you have a HyperComic idea of your own contact Executive Producer
James Miller at james@dsf.la

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