Melnitsa Animation Studio
Encyclopedia
Melnitsa Animation Studio ' onMouseout='HidePop("97615")' href="/topics/Windmill">windmill
") is a Saint Petersburg
-based Russia
n studio which produces animated
films. There is also a section of the studio devoted to digital special effects for the use of its own projects as well as for live-action films.
Its first animated projects were television commercials, the short film Die Hard by Konstantin Bronzit
(Grand Prix of the Annecy International Animated Film Festival
, 1998), and work for "Poseidon Film Distributors Ltd" (the animated series "Global Bears Rescue" and "Technology")
In 1999 the animation studio "Melnitsa" was established, with funding from "Midi-Cinema" (Миди-Синема) and the film company STV (СТВ). Its first project was The Adventures in Emerald City (Приключения в Изумрудном Городе) for NTV-film (НТВ-кино); it was a four-part animation released in 2000.
In 2001 Melnitsa released its first 3D-animated project - the short film Good Morning (С добрым утром) by Denis Chernov.
In 2002 Melnitsa released two short films by the famous animator and director Konstantin Bronzit: There Was an Old Lady for Scholastic Entertainment and the 3D-animated film The God (winner of numerous international festival awards).
In 2000, Melnitsa had started work on the feature-length animated film Little Longnose
(Карлик Нос) directed by Ilya Maksimov
, based on the fairy tale of Wilhelm Hauff
. The film premiered on March 20, 2003. It was advertised as "the first Russian animated feature film released to theatres in 40 years", though it is unclear if this was really true.
On December 23, 2004, the feature film Alosha (Алёша Попович и Тугарин Змей) was released, directed by Konstantin Bronzit. It was done in record time and for a very modest budget - work on the film took only a little longer than a year and it cost around $300,000. The film gathered about $1.7 million at the box office. This marked the beginning of Melnitsa's "3 Bogatyr
s" trilogy, and two more films were planned for the next few years.
On January 2005, at the 10th Open Russian Festival of Animated Film
in Suzdal
, the new short film by Konstantin Bronzit premiered, called Cat and Fox (Кот и Лиса). Work on it had been finished in November 2004. Bronzit's film, based on a national Russian tale, was part of the huge government-sponsored project by Moscow
-based Pilot studio called "Gora Samotsvetov" (Гора самоцветов)http://www.multiskazka.ru/. The project, when complete, will consist of 52 13-minute films based on fairy tales from all of Russia's nationalities.
On March 15, 2006, the second film in the "3 Bogatyrs" trilogy was released, called Dobrynya Nikitich and Zmey Gorynych
(Добрыня Никитич и Змей Горыныч), directed by Ilya Maksimov
. It came on the heels of the much more serious animated blockbuster Prince Vladimir
, which was released on February 22.
The third film in the trilogy, Ilya Muromets and Nightingale the Robber (Илья Муромец и Соловей Разбойник), was released on July 7, 2007.
The studio's future plans include the production of animated feature films, series and commercials.
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
") is a Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
-based Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n studio which produces animated
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
films. There is also a section of the studio devoted to digital special effects for the use of its own projects as well as for live-action films.
Its first animated projects were television commercials, the short film Die Hard by Konstantin Bronzit
Konstantin Bronzit
Konstantin Eduardovich Bronzit is a Russian animator and animation film director.He is a graduate of the St. Petersburg Repin Institute of Fine Art in 1983. He worked as an artist-animator at the animated film studio Lennauchfilm , which created educational animations...
(Grand Prix of the Annecy International Animated Film Festival
Annecy International Animated Film Festival
The Annecy International Animation Film Festival was created in 1960 and takes place at the beginning of June in the town of Annecy, France. Initially occurring every two years, the festival became annual in 1998...
, 1998), and work for "Poseidon Film Distributors Ltd" (the animated series "Global Bears Rescue" and "Technology")
In 1999 the animation studio "Melnitsa" was established, with funding from "Midi-Cinema" (Миди-Синема) and the film company STV (СТВ). Its first project was The Adventures in Emerald City (Приключения в Изумрудном Городе) for NTV-film (НТВ-кино); it was a four-part animation released in 2000.
In 2001 Melnitsa released its first 3D-animated project - the short film Good Morning (С добрым утром) by Denis Chernov.
In 2002 Melnitsa released two short films by the famous animator and director Konstantin Bronzit: There Was an Old Lady for Scholastic Entertainment and the 3D-animated film The God (winner of numerous international festival awards).
In 2000, Melnitsa had started work on the feature-length animated film Little Longnose
Little Longnose
Little Longnose is a Russian traditionally-animated feature film directed by Ilya Maksimov, made by Melnitsa Animation Studio. It opened in Russia on March 20, 2003, and had 375,000 admissions during its theatrical run...
(Карлик Нос) directed by Ilya Maksimov
Ilya Maksimov
Ilya Vladimirovich Maksimov is a Russian football midfielder. Currently, he plays for Russian side FC Volga Nizhny Novgorod.-External links:*...
, based on the fairy tale of Wilhelm Hauff
Wilhelm Hauff
Wilhelm Hauff was a German poet and novelist.-Early life:Hauff was born in Stuttgart, the son of August Friedrich Hauff, a secretary in the ministry of foreign affairs, and Hedwig Wilhelmine Elsaesser Hauff...
. The film premiered on March 20, 2003. It was advertised as "the first Russian animated feature film released to theatres in 40 years", though it is unclear if this was really true.
On December 23, 2004, the feature film Alosha (Алёша Попович и Тугарин Змей) was released, directed by Konstantin Bronzit. It was done in record time and for a very modest budget - work on the film took only a little longer than a year and it cost around $300,000. The film gathered about $1.7 million at the box office. This marked the beginning of Melnitsa's "3 Bogatyr
Bogatyr
The bogatyr was a medieval heroic warrior of Kievan Rus' and the Novgorodian Republic, akin to a Western European knight errant.- Kievan Rus' :...
s" trilogy, and two more films were planned for the next few years.
On January 2005, at the 10th Open Russian Festival of Animated Film
Open Russian Festival of Animated Film
The Open Russian Festival of Animated Film is an annual animation film festival held in Suzdal, Russia. It is the only festival devoted to professional appraisal of domestic Russian animation...
in Suzdal
Suzdal
Suzdal is a town in Vladimir Oblast, Russia, situated northeast of Moscow, from the city of Vladimir, on the Kamenka River. Population: -History:...
, the new short film by Konstantin Bronzit premiered, called Cat and Fox (Кот и Лиса). Work on it had been finished in November 2004. Bronzit's film, based on a national Russian tale, was part of the huge government-sponsored project by Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
-based Pilot studio called "Gora Samotsvetov" (Гора самоцветов)http://www.multiskazka.ru/. The project, when complete, will consist of 52 13-minute films based on fairy tales from all of Russia's nationalities.
On March 15, 2006, the second film in the "3 Bogatyrs" trilogy was released, called Dobrynya Nikitich and Zmey Gorynych
Dobrynya Nikitich and Zmey Gorynych
Dobrynya Nikitich and Zmey Gorynych is a Russian traditionally-animated feature film directed by Ilya Maksimov, made by Melnitsa Animation Studio. It opened in Russia on March 15, 2006...
(Добрыня Никитич и Змей Горыныч), directed by Ilya Maksimov
Ilya Maksimov
Ilya Vladimirovich Maksimov is a Russian football midfielder. Currently, he plays for Russian side FC Volga Nizhny Novgorod.-External links:*...
. It came on the heels of the much more serious animated blockbuster Prince Vladimir
Prince Vladimir (film)
Prince Vladimir is a 2006 Russian traditionally-animated feature film loosely based on the story of Prince Vladimir, a historically important figure who converted Kievan Rus' to Christianity a thousand years ago...
, which was released on February 22.
The third film in the trilogy, Ilya Muromets and Nightingale the Robber (Илья Муромец и Соловей Разбойник), was released on July 7, 2007.
The studio's future plans include the production of animated feature films, series and commercials.
External links
- Official website (Russian and English)
- Official website of the "3 Bogatyrs" trilogy
- Interview with Konstantin Bronzit
- La monto da gemoj - some Gora samotsvetov (Gem Mountain) series with subtitles in Esperanto.