Stop-motion stars have teamed up with showbiz celebs and Humane Society International to make Save Ralph, a slickly produced short film designed to raise awareness about animal testing for cosmetics.
Through its hard-hitting story about Ralph the rabbit, the four-minute short calls out the harm done to animals in the industry. Written and directed by Spencer Susser (Hesher), the film features the voices of Taika Waititi, Ricky Gervais, and Zac Efron. The sets and puppets were made by Andy Gent, head of the puppet department on Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs; the lead animator is Tobias Fouracre and the cinematography is by Tristan Oliver, respectively animation supervisor and director of photography on Anderson’s feature. Watch Save Ralph below:
Save Ralph was shot mid-lockdown at Arch Model Studio, which Andy Gent recently opened next to his workshop in East London. He decided to launch the studio after being asked to make the sets for Ari Folman’s forthcoming feature Where Is Anne Frank?. The new space enabled Gent and his colleagues to keep working throughout the pandemic with relative ease.
