Not since Defenders of the Earth (1986-1987) and Phantom 2040 (1994-1996) has the Phantom been a part of an animated adventure. Now, we are less than a week away from the debut of a brand new Phantom animation, with a Kid Phantom short film about to be screened for the first time!
It's been just on a month since it was revealed live at the Brisbane Oz ComicCon Kid Phantom panel (and subsequently on Episode 76 of X-Band: The Phantom Podcast) that the original creators of the comic book series were leading the development of a Kid Phantom animated film.
Kid Phantom: Homework will be featured among the student showcase of films for the graduates of Griffith Film School animation, and is one of 13 short animations in the showcase. The adaptation by the Griffith Film School graduating animation class of 2017 is based on Frew Publications' Kid Phantom comic book series, with Frew co-directors Glenn Ford and Rene White on board as Executive Producers.
ChronicleChamber has reached out to Kid Phantom artist and Homework Supervising Director Dr Paul Mason, who has provided us with the following synopsis of the film:
Homework on a bright, sunny day can be tough to focus on at the best of times; it’s even worse when you live in the jungles of Bangalla, and you’re the heir to the legacy of The Phantom! Young Kit Walker, destined to be the 21st Phantom, finds himself in this very predicament. Until that is, the call to adventure beckons Kid Phantom to action...whether his Mum and Dad approve or not!
Paul tells us "the Kid Phantom film project is a short animated film idea co-created in partnership between the Animation department of the Griffith Film School (Griffith University, Southbank, QLD) and Frew Publications. I brought the concept to GFS with the approval of Glenn Ford and Dr. Peter Moyes (Head of Animation at GFS). The aim was to allow graduating 3rd year GFS Animation students (and assisting 2nd years) the access and opportunity to work on an industry-connected property and group-based production, to add this material to their experience, demo reels and CVs."
Paul is extremely proud of the production, and if the stills included throughout this page are any indication, his pride is well justified. "The team of the "GFS Jungle Patrol" have done an amazing job in a short amount of time to bring professional-level animation back to the jungles of Bangalla. The talented students who worked on the project from pre-production to the final film, drove the animated creation of this short adventure starring Kid Phantom, and bring to the table their own sensibilities and abilities while interpreting the style and art direction of the Kid Phantom comic books."
Details of the screenings next week at Griffith Film School are below. Paul and the "GFS Jungle Patrol" are currently exploring options for screenings at other festivals around Australia as well.
There are hopes to make the film available to phans worldwide through online platforms, but this will have to wait until after the festival circuit, with many Film festivals having strict entry requirements stating that entries must not be available online. Watch this space on that one!
Some of key credits include:
KID PHANTOM “Homework”
Written by
Andrew Constant and Paul Mason
A film by the GFS Jungle Patrol
Directed by
Rye Elms, Jacob Mackay
Produced by
Rye Elms, Jacob Mackay, Karis Spencer
Executive Producers
Glenn Ford and Rene White
Supervising Director
Paul Mason
Features concepts and animation by
Rye Elms, Michel Gerencir, Yael Gilbert, Jacob Mackay, Gabby Hanrahan,
Eric H Lin, Ryan O’Dwyer, Alex Pracas, Karis Spencer, Juné Du Plessis
Duration: 2mins 30 secs
Kid Phantom: Homework will actually screen three times during the week, with all screenings to be held at the Griffith Film School in South Brisbane:
- Monday 30th October at 7pm (sold out at time of writing)
- Monday 30th October at 8pm
- Thursday 2nd November at 5pm.
Click here for more information about the event, and to register for your free entry to the showcase.
