Walking With Animators

Walking With Animators

2025 – 1h45

Started in 2018, shot in several countries and supported by many major studios, this documentary offers an unprecedented immersion in the world of animators. Focusing as much on drawing as on stop-motion, on paper cut-outs as on computer-generated images, the film captures the magic of an art of shadows, more than ever threatened by the democratization of artificial intelligence tools. The cast includes several icons of the 7th Art: Joe Dante (Gremlins), John Landis (The Blues Brothers), Phil Tippett (Mad God), Floyd Norman (Sleeping Beauty from Disney Studios), Doug Chiang (The Legend of Beowulf), David Silverman (Monsters, Inc.), Paul Wee (The Simpsons), Peter Ramsey (Spider-Man New Generation) and Jay Oliva (The Dark Knight Returns).

Written and Directed by: Gilles Penso & Alexandre Poncet

Starring:
Joe Dante, Floyd Norman, Joe Johnston, Jay Oliva, David Silverman, Paul Wee,
Michael Polcino, The Chiodo Brothers…

Music: Alexandre Poncet

Editing: Gilles Penso

Visual & Credits Effects: Tippett Studio, Mystery Meat Media LLC

Mixing: Vega Prod

 

DISCOVER

Mad God by Phil Tippett

Mad God by Phil Tippett

2023

An experimental animated film inspired by Jerome Bosch, Mad God took almost thirty years to complete for its creator Phil Tippett, responsible for the revolutionary visual effects of RobocopJurassic ParkStarship Troopers and the original Star Wars trilogy.
Having followed and documented the creation of Mad God for almost ten years, the Frenetic Arts team produced a detailed making of in 2023 for the Collector’s Edition published by Carlotta Films.

Writing, Directing and Editing: Gilles Penso & Alexandre Poncet

Starring: Phil Tippett, Dan Wool, David Lauer, Chuck Duke et Tom Gibbons

Music: Dan Wool

LEARN MORE

The documentary Phil Tippett : Mad Dreams and Monsters
The book Mad Dreams and Monsters : The Art of Phil Tippett and Tippett Studio

The Frankenstein Complex

The Frankenstein Complex

2015 – 1h42

From the first costume experiments to make-up special effects, from animatronics to CGI, The Frankenstein Complex looks back at more than a century of techniques that gave birth to the famous monsters such as Godzilla, Yoda, the Queen of Aliens or the tyrannosaurs of Jurassic Park.

Directors Alexandre Poncet and Gilles Penso give voice to the artists behind each creature, such as Phil Tippett and Rick Baker, and to filmmakers whose films have left their mark on the history of special effects, such as Joe Dante and Guillermo del Toro. The Frankenstein Complex celebrates this ever-changing art form and pays homage to these new Dr. Frankensteins, who continue to amaze generations of viewers with their inventiveness and unique craftsmanship.

Written and Directed by : Gilles Penso & Alexandre Poncet

Starring: Guillermo Del Toro, Joe Dante, John Landis, Kevin Smith, Phil Tippett, Dennis Muren, Rick Baker, Greg Nicotero, Mike Elizalde, Steve Johnson, The Chiodo Brothers, John Howe, Richard Taylor, Joe Letteri, Chris Walas, Christophe Gans, Steve Williams…

Music: Alexandre Poncet

Editing: Gilles Penso

Visual and Credits Effects: Brett & Co.
Mixing: Vega Prod
Color Grading: NOD

Festivals

Sitges / PIFFF /Gérardmer /Trieste / FEFFS / NIFFF/ Monsterpalooza /Colcoa

Award

French Union of Film Critics :
Curiosity Prize 2017

Listen to the music
Learn more

On the occasion of the exhibition “Special Effects: burst the screen” of the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie de La Villette, the co-directors of the Frankenstein Complex give some keys on the nature and secrets of special effects in cinema for the show Entrée libre sur France 5.