Uncategorized - Nicolas Maurice

Alfons Åberg

I had the chance to work with Tomas Alfredson on an adaptation of Gunilla Bergström’s Alfons Åberg which resulted in the release of 10 episodes in 2022.

My work started in 2017 with the creation of a pilot, our main goal being to stay as true to Gunilla Bergström’s original illustrations as possible, while enhancing the book experience with movement and the narration of Jonas Karlsson.

Our first concept revolving around the idea of the pop-up book and paper mechanism, later evolved into a deeper, miniature theater setting, using forced perspective, 3-dimensional elements and open background.

Each set design was discussed to retain the feel of the original illustration while adding depth, perspective and camera movement. A wide range of material and techniques was used, laser cutting for the characters, paper engineering, 3D modeling and printing, wooden model making, styrene scratch-building, sourcing miniature material, objects and textures, …

I conceived and built the sets for 5 of the 10 episodes (“Aja baja Alfons Åberg”, “Gonatt Alfons Åberg”, “Vad sa pappa Åberg?”, “Vem spökar, Alfons Åberg” and “Kalas, Alfons Åberg!”) which premiered at Folketsbio in the beginning of 2022 and are available on Viaplay and Cmore.

Karma och Jonar

Through 2022, I worked with Viaplay Studios Animation as a 3D animator on the adpatation of Zelda Falköga’s books “Karma och Jonar”.

We worked on a base of motion capture shot in-house, in Maya, cleaning data, improving or correcting movement, adding props interactions and hand/finger movements. Then facial animation and lipsync from scratch, under the direction of lead animator Stina Wahlberg, later Daniel Sapa and director Alexander Gustafsson.

By working on-site through the production, I had the opportunity to help supervise junior animators, assist with lead animation when needed and participate in production meetings as well as departments coordination.

I acted as animation supervisor on motion-capture shoots, for which I built an array of proportinally accurate props following the environment department’s designs.

This project allowed me to hone my mocap animation skills and to enjoy a great team.

Tekniska – Polhem

A city built from memory

or a map of the world of people like me, proletarian gay weirdo
in the making and a new map for the others

**Please visit www.amapoftheworld.xyz for the full interactive experience and read more about the process.**

Find more details about the eponymous book here.

“A city built from memory” is a project developed by Nicolas Maurice as part of a Master degree in Visual Communication at Konstfack, Univeristy of Arts, Craft and Design in Stockholm, 2016.

It is a reflection on memory, virtuality, relationality and the construction of identity. It is the building of a three dimensional map of the neighborhood I grew up in, as I remember it. Departing from my writing practice, I place memories in space and let them shape its structure. It is also an experiment in using computer graphics tools and 3D software as a raw material, entering a dialogue with its digital nature, constraints, limitations and possibilities.

The result of this process is a virtual space the spectator is invited to explore through an installation. As one walks in the digital streets, the personal stories of the author unfold within short texts and the structure of the world itself. A book gathering writings and images accompanies the piece, materializing one possible exploration and inviting the reader to make their own.

M. Parent

A film by Nicolas Maurice

M.Parent is a short documentary-essay, based on family pictures and writings. Directed and written by Nicolas Maurice, produced by STORY in Stockholm, Sweden, released in 2017.

“To me, M. Parent is an absence. An absence without loss, without lack, without mourn. He was the witness of all these things, happy and tragic, and which traces resurfaced in my attic. A work without an audience, just scars. An exile in the world.”

Credits

Directed by
Nicolas Maurice

Still images and archive movies
Pierre Parent

Editing
Nicolas Maurice
Michel Wenzer

Music and sound design
Michel Wenzer

Soundmix
Janne Alvermark

Soundmix Studio
Ljudbang

Produced by
Malin Hüber

Executive Producer
Tobias Janson

Production company
StoryAB

With the support from Svenska Filminstitutet and Andreas Fock

Special thanks to Mia Engberg and Mikael Brodin