Hibon's Hybrid of Animation

It's often said that in business it's not what you know, but who, and when it comes to creating animated sequences for blockbuster movies, Nexus's Ben Hibon seems to have both bases covered. Bagging the job for the new Harry Potter movie, working in conjunction with Framstore, his The Tale of the Three Brothers adds a new element to the franchise and is used to break up the narrative in the seventh film.

It's safe to say that the Harry Potter movie franchise has become quite a phenomenon since the seven-book series was first transformed into a blockbuster movie back in 2001, with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The £28 billion machine has churned out another six more feature-length instalments, with the seventh, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, out in theatres now.

It may be the final part of the franchise, but Deathly Hallows is the first of a two-part movie, with the follow-up due for release next year. Never before, though, has the franchise included any animated elements, which is why it's a bit of a big deal that Ben Hibon's The Tale of The Three Brothers sequence, in conjunction with Framestore's cemmercials department, was made.

"Originally, David Heyman (producer) got hold of my reel from my agent in LA for a totally different project. He then shared my work with David Yates (director) and soon after, we were all sitting down for an initial meeting in London," says Hibon. "During that meeting it became clear that we all shared a similar vision and understanding of what this project could become."

He says the plan was to make something original and unique, but also to add his own stamp of creativity: "From my very first conversation with Heyman, I've always felt that we wanted to create something bold and visually different for the franchise."

"In order to make the sequence work within the movie, we had to try and go beyond the traditional route and define our own take. What would a Harry Potter animation look like? This was a really exciting challenge and to be offered the opportunity to work directly with David Yates was amazing," he says.

Explaining the piece, he goes on to say that it tells of the origins of the all important Deathly Hallows, and the animation works well to break up the main narrative: "It's a pivotal moment in the story when Harry and his friends are desperately looking for answers for a new direction to take on their journey."

"Animation was the perfect tool to re-invent the scene by creating a clean visual break. We wanted to create an ancient mystical world with the atmosphere of a Grimm's fairytale, dark and gloomy, yet beautiful and a little melancholic."

He adds: "In this world of light and shadows, the strongest impressions are created by crude shapes and strong contrasts. The stylised iconography helped create the dreamlike eerie feel."

You'd have to have been living under a rock for the past nine years not to have been exposed to the hype that the book and films have created, and Hibon goes on to confess an admiration for the strong sense of continuity the franchise has maintained from its conception:

"Not only has the cast remained unchanged, but the Potter mythos has grown stronger and more mature over the years. There's definitely something special about this franchise that separates it from the pack," he explains.

"One can argue the story is key, but the movies have realised such a detailed and rich world that is believable and engaging. One thing is for sure, they are made by filmmakers who understand and care a great deal for the source material. That's exactly why the fans keep coming back for more."

And talking more on the film's makers, he says it felt great to be part of the team and put his own stamp on the series as a whole: "Our Harry Potter crew was made up of incredibly talented and generous filmmakers, and to be part of this was very inspiring. When you look at the bigger picture, I feel very privileged to have had the chance to make my own little mark on this larger-than-life franchise. I felt very welcome and supported throughout."

As for the reaction so far, Hibon says it's been extremely well-received and the feedback has been about how the piece enhances the narration in the scene: "It was a bold move from David Yates to choose animation, but it worked. It was a wonderful feeling to see how everything came together successfully on the big screen. After six films, it's inspiring to see fans of the series being so open to new things."

And he'd know all about the big screen, having got the chance to interact with the audience at the glitzy red carpet premiere in London's Leicester Square recently. "It was very exciting. Only when I was standing there, on the red carpet, did I fully realise what a cultural phenomenon Harry Potter is for so many people. Overwhelming," he says.

The film may only have just entered its prime box office viewing period, and will no doubt be wowing crowds up and down the country for weeks and months to come, but Hibon is currently concentrating on his new surroundings, having just moved to London-based Nexus Productions:

"I'm currently working on a few feature film projects of my own, both in animation and live action format. I'm really looking forward to start collaborating with talented team at Nexus."