'Over The Garden Wall' 10th Anniversary Aardman Short Released
'Over The Garden Wall' 10th Anniversary Aardman Short Released
As advertised, it was released to Cartoon Network’s social media accounts, including YouTube
Happy tenth anniversary Over the Garden Wall! An elephant never forgets. Back in September, Cartoon Network teased a collaboration with Aardman for the very occasion. It would be confirmed to be a stop-motion short that released on November 3, the very day as promised, on network socials including YouTube and Rwitter. A behind-the-scenes video that time-lapsed the building of the figures was released Monday.
In the original miniseries created by Patrick McHale, which consisted of ten 11-minute episodes, Wirt (voiced by Elijah Wood) and Greg (voiced by Collin Dean) find themselves lost in a mysterious forest called the Unknown. As they try to find their way home, they encounter a variety of strange and fantastical characters. In the stop motion short, the brothers await the return of their bird friend Beatrice, voiced by Melanie Lynskey, as she tends to private bird matters. Wirt’s mind wanders from remembering the places he visited into the existential, even veering meta when feeling like he’d been waiting for years. The official description reads “Welcome back to the Unknown. Walk through the familiar yet mysterious mist. Feel the gentle wind beckoning through the leaves. Listen closely to the birdsongs and whispered secrets. And join Wirt, Greg and Beatrice in their quest to answer life's biggest question...are we all lost? It's Over the Garden Wall's 10th Anniversary, we're so happy you're here.” Nick Cross did remark that one of the locations recalled in this short was one that only got as far as concept art and went unused in the original series, fully realized here for the first time.
Not only did all three actors reprise their roles, but Wood performed in the show’s concert, also held for the 10th anniversary celebration, in Wirt’s cape at Gallery Nucleus. As for the short, McHale also served as voice director, wrote with directors and storyboard artists Dan Ojari and Mikey Please, and executive produced with Helen Argo and Sarah Cox. It was narrated by Frank Fairfield, who also did the Toymaker. Alan Thorpe produced, while Karie Gima Pham was casting director, was editor, Dan Williamson, José Prats was color script artist, and Chelsea Galloway was production coordinator. Joshua Flynn, Nathan Flynn, Rachel Brown, and Laura Tofarides made the puppets, Emma-Rose Dade was supervising set dresser, rigger Luke George and Manon Wright were senior set dressers, Phoebe Gibson was junior set dresser, while Maria Collado Bonú, Bronny Salter were set dressers. The short was animated by Lee Wilton, Marie Lechevallier, and Suzy Parr. A fuller list of credits are in the video’s description.
Cartoon Network’s tweet containing the short reads “All that was lost has been revealed 🐸🍂 Happy 10th Anniversary to Over the Garden Wall, the mini series that has turned into a delightful autumnal tradition. Thank you to all the fans for your love and appreciation. Keep wandering, keep getting lost in the woods, the Unknown is full of magic.” It did take some consideration which video to put where, but it felt like putting the behind-the-scenes up there readied the figures for the final product which can be watched below.
Sources: Cartoon Network, Nick Cross
https://twitter.com/cartoonnetwork/status/1853090194880102593?s=46&t=NAJBkevp7St4br2rNqRR5A
https://twitter.com/ncrossanimation/status/1853216094258884963?s=46&t=NAJBkevp7St4br2rNqRR5A