Following Sylvain Chomet’s first-class Simpsons opening, I didn’t expect any animator to top it creatively—and certainly not so soon after. I’ve never been happier to be wrong. This week’s Simpsons opening by Polish filmmaker Michal Socha is a mind-blowingly gorgeous and creative journey into Homer’s brain:
The stark red-and-black palette and 2D/CG mix is based on Socha’s 2008 student short Chick, which was a big hit on the festival circuit. Socha is an unexpected choice for directing a Simpsons opening, especially since he’s not a known name like the other artists who have created openings. The gamble paid off though, and audiences have been rewarded with one of the loosest, most fun pieces of Simpsons animation ever produced.
And just in case you’re wondering, the Simpsons characters are CGI. Socha explained a little bit of the process to Animation World Network: