Stop-motion triumph

Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail

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Published: February 14, 2025 Updated: February 17, 2025

Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail

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Working on Memoir of a Snail felt like coming home. Director Adam Elliot and I had collaborated on several projects before, so when he contacted me again, I felt honoured. Adam has a way of laying out his vision with clarity and precision. He's a professional in every sense, his planning meticulous, his colour palette carefully chosen, and every scene's emotional intent mapped out in detail. Collaborating with someone as thorough as Adam means you don't just learn the aesthetic they aim for - you almost start to anticipate it. In fact, I often found myself applying looks to the footage even before he voiced his ideas.

Deidre McClelland Adam's vision was incredibly specific, with each location crafted to reflect [lead character] Grace's memories and emotions as the story moves through Melbourne, Perth, Canberra, and even Paris. Each city carried its own unique palette, mood, and meaning. Paris, for instance, was portrayed as warm and nostalgic, a memory from Grace's parents' past as she imagines it. To create this, we used a soft-edged vignette, giving Paris an almost sepia-toned warmth, contrasting with Melbourne's muted, grey tones that reflect Grace's more subdued emotional state. Canberra, where Grace spent much of her childhood, fluctuated visually depending on her mood. When she felt overwhelmed, her bedroom was a dark, cocoon-like space; but in happier times, it brightened, capturing her more hopeful moments.

One scene in particular that stands out to me is Gilbert's fire-lit music box sequence. Gilbert's home in Perth is dry, barren and symbolically tied to his isolation and loneliness. In the grade, we enhanced the flames to make the scene crackle with heightened saturation while preserving the music box's deep, original red as it melts. To accomplish this, I used colour keys, the colour warper, and layering techniques to balance the bright, intense flames against Gilbert's solitude. The goal was to amplify the raw, emotional weight of the moment without overwhelming it visually.

Another element I loved working on was Pinky, a touch of colour and brightness in Grace's life. We wanted her red glasses and her presence in Grace's scenes to be a bit more vibrant, cheerful, and full of life. For this, I used selective colour keys and curves to ensure her glasses and any props around her retained a rich, pop of colour. It was subtle work, but the result gave Pinky's character a distinct visual voice, adding warmth to Grace's life story.

Each location and character had specific aesthetic choices that required a unique approach. Canberra's tones for Grace's scenes fluctuated based on her emotional state. The colour choices for her bedroom alone transitioned from dark and cocoon-like when she was struggling with her hoarding to bright and warm when her life was more hopeful. This delicate dance of colour changes was largely created in the grade, where I dialled up or down the warmth and saturation to reflect the ever-changing emotional landscape. It was about balancing reality with emotional perspective, leaning heavily into tones that echoed her journey.

Pushing the emotion Collaborating with Adam and DoP Gerald Thompson throughout the grading process was incredibly fulfilling. Gerald's input and Adam's vision allowed us to push particular looks to the extreme, especially in emotionally charged scenes. For instance, in Grace's most isolated moments, we desaturated the colour nearly to black and white, capturing the sense of emptiness in her world. When Grace contemplates taking the snail bait, we darken the scene and emphasise the storm clouds gathering behind her, heightening the gravity of her internal conflict. Here, I leaned into darker tones, keeping small details like the snail visible, using a subtle yet powerful visual language to underscore her struggles.

Romantic moments, too, were given a unique look. We used soft vignettes and blur tools to heighten the sense of intimacy, emphasising saturated reds to make objects like hearts stand out. The in-camera aesthetics inspired this look. However, I added contrast and carefully tracked key points to achieve a softer, dream-like effect, allowing these scenes to flow seamlessly within the film's overall warm palette.

Consistency was key to managing the look and feel across departments. The Soundfirm team played a significant role here, making sure the colour space remained consistent as we sent and received shots from VFX vendors. With constant updates and close coordination, we kept everything on schedule despite the inevitable last-minute changes.

Some challenges were particularly satisfying to resolve. In one scene, two boys are connected to an electrical device meant to cleanse them of their demons, but the intended in-camera electrical flashes didn't all register clearly. In the grade, I replicated the effect by layering overexposed nodes and using random, controlled transparency, guided by the soundtrack. This workaround saved us the cost and time of redoing the VFX and added a realistic, electric charge to the scene.

DaVin

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