Home Intro Biography Art Gallery Greeting Cards
Contact Us Mailing List Bottom Of The Page
Hide the literature - show only the stories
|
It is my great pleasure to announce my partnership with my nephew
Sébastien Deschênes
in a collaboration with
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) for the international distribution of Philip and the Butterfly, a 5 minute 27 second animated movie
on the life changing consequences of friendship. The NFB's main promotional target for this newcomer is their recently developed educational market in all of North America and Europe. We have contracted with the NFB for the exclusive distribution of the production over the next five years, as a start. The consumer market is also included in our agreement. The product is available online, as well. Directed and animated by Sébastien, Philip and the Butterfly is presented on DVD, in English and in French, bringing to life the characters of my original story Philippe et le papillon ©2004. The DVD is available at the National Film Board of Canada. Order your copy by sending an email to info@nfb.ca. (Please specify whether your copy is for home use or for a school, a library or a company. A study guide is available online for educators.) Or call the NFB's Customer Service line. In Canada: 1-800-267-7710 or 514-283-9000 (Montreal area); U.S.A.: 1-800-542-2164; International: 514-283-9000. You can also order online from the NFB Store. |
|
The NFB has selected the movie for Sébastien's touching animation, as well as the story's
theme of friendship and its call for encouraging one to care and to take care instead of destroying. |
|
Philippe et le papillon all started as a school project for Sébastien. For me, it started well before that.
Hide the detail of the literature. Philippe et le papillon was born of an event which took place in my sister Carmen's home. Short of a few details, the story is true. My sister's son, Philippe, lived this amazing adventure, which he later recounted in great details, with a little help from his mom and his siblings, Samuel and Roxanne. |
|
|
I was so inspired by this story that I decided to put it on paper, in words and images, asking Philippe and Carmen to provide me with an accurate description of the caterpillar and the butterfly, so that I could research them and know exactly what specimens were involved. I had no idea how big this family project would get. |
|
The following spring, I was headed to the eastcoast to visit my family in my hometown, Rimouski, bringing along a copy of all of my illustrations, as well as a
draft of my text, which I had written in English.
Sébastien was home for the summer. A student
in the Film Animation program at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, he was constantly working on miscellaneous projects - had been for years -
already gathering awards and recognition. I asked him if he would like to play at translating the story in French with me, in time for the rest of
my French-only speaking family to arrive, so that I could read it to them alongside the images. He enthusiastically agreed.
A few tears rolled down the cheeks as we read the first draft for them shortly thereafter (I don't think it was that painful to listen to, therefore the tears must
have meant that they loved it). Several months later, Sébastien asked me if I would let him use my story to develop an animated movie for a class project. Though I was still doing some editing work on both the French and the English versions, I gave him the okay. As Sébastien started working his magic off of the first French version, I kept enhancing the story. After he graduated, Sébastien started presenting his work in different places. He also started sending submissions of the movie after he added English subtitles. To his great delight and mine, the National Film Board of Canada invited him to add Philippe et le papillon to their impressive film collection, contingent on being able to provide a dubbed version in English. As Sébastien got busy fine tuning the animation for his own personal satisfaction, I returned to the writing board for mine, doing some fine tuning of my own. I went back to the roots of the story as the movie presented it, enhancing the French version and re-writing the English version to match the animation and the lip-sync. |
|
|
This new production is the result of a cross-pollination of our skills, our |
|
talents and our ideas and, while Sébastien's work relates to
my original illustrations,
his fabulous animation is clearly his own. Other talents were involved in this production. Kevin O'Neil wrote the original music, which plays in perfect harmony with the animation. Marie-Claude St-Laurent and Sandra Lefebvre's voices lend the French and English narrations life and warmth. Last but not least, Michael Binette did an excellent job with the sound design and sound mix. As for our friend the butterfly, some of you will recognize the mourningcloak (Nymphalis Antiopa), which can live a long ten to eleven month life. Interestingly, the mourningcloak is found in most of North America and Europe - that's our market! It is also found in a broad band across Central Asia (hmmm, could this be a sign? ☺) Philippe, I thank you and your family for your wonderful account of the event; I am rather pleased that it inspired me to write this story. My dear Sébastien, I am very grateful to you. I am proud of you, delighted about our association and absolutely tickled pink about the outcome. Philip and the Butterfly is a warm and fuzzy, high quality end product and a wonderful animated movie! Philip and the Butterfly unfolds a metamorphosis that goes well beyond the world of insects. Thanks to all of you who helped make the story what it is. A special thank you to the National Film Board of Canada for making it known to the world. |
|
|
Promo Clip DVD on sale at the National Film Board of Canada Order your copy by phone: In Canada: 1-800-267-7710 or 514-283-9000 (Montreal area) U.S.A.: 1-800-542-2164 International: 514-283-9000 Or send an email to info@nfb.ca You can also order online. |
|
|
|
|
|
Philip and the Butterfly ©2004 Excerpt of my original illustrations |
|
| English | Français |
|
|
|
I Think I Heard a Sound Outside ©2002 |
|
|
The Beaded Monster ©2004 |
|
|
Skids, the Dog (An odd case of multiple personality disorder) ©2004 |
|
|
The Velvet Cricket ©2008 |
|
|
And more... |
|
|
Copyright © 2002-2009 by Jacqueline Langis
All Rights Reserved |
Home Intro Biography Art Gallery Greeting Cards
Contact Us Mailing List Top Of The Page