Space monkeys from Denmark are hunted down by natives on a foreign planet in the animation short Space Monkeys, which is Danish director Jan Rahbek’s contribution to the DVD Funny Films of the North that Ekko has made in cooperation with three other Nordic film magazines.

Jan Rahbek studied animation on the Danish Film School and graduated in 2008. Space Monkeys was his graduation project.

In 2012 he makes his feature film debut with the animation Marco Macaco that carries on the crazy-funny elements of Space Monkeys.

Here, Rahbek tells about Space Monkeys and the inspiration he found in old sci-fi-b-movies.

– Jan Rahbek, how did you come up with the idea for Space Monkeys, and under what circumstances did it come into being?

– It was very difficult to come up with what to do. I mean, it was my graduation film, and I wanted it to express everything about me in only seven minutes. Soon I realized it was impossible, and I was getting desperate. But then one day I stumbled upon an old Italian sci-fi movie, Mario Bavas’ Planet of the Vampires. It was really funny in a cheesy B-movie sort of way and things took off from there.

– What were your intentions with Space Monkeys?

– I wanted to make an entertaining film that did not take itself too seriously. A film that expressed a playful approach to life.

– Are you inspired by any specific artists or works?

– As mentioned I was inspired by Planet of the Vampires. Apart from that, I’m always inspired by the American director Tex Avery, who has made cartoons about the dog Droopy, such as Deputy Droopy. That film has a fantastic timing. Even though it’s from 1955 it feels very modern and fresh.

VINTERBERG’S TRICKS

– What was the greatest challenge about making Space Monkeys, artistically as well as practically?

– Space Monkeys was my first attempt at making a 3D animated characters on film. Had I known how difficult it was going to be before I started, I may not have dared trying. Some people think the computer is doing all the work, but that is far from true. You have to work very hard to make 3D characters appealing. 3D characters can easily look stiff and lifeless, and if there is one thing I dislike more than anything else in animation it is these stiff, lifeless 3D characters. So making the film was sort of a dance with the devil. Fortunately, I had a lot of talented people working on the film. Most of them came from The Animation Workshop in Viborg. I’m thankful for their work.

– In what way are you using humour in Space Monkeys?

– I can give you one specific example. One day in film school, Danish film director Thomas Vinterberg was giving a lecture about a few tricks he uses when he makes films. One of the tricks was having the character do the opposite of what he was feeling. For example if a character is drunk, it is much funnier if he is pretending not to be drunk and then to reveal for the viewer that he is in fact very drunk.

– I tried to incorporate that idea into my film by having the Captain say one thing, and then immediately afterwards do the opposite of what he just said. It was a good trick. I wish I could remember the rest of the tricks he told us that day.

– What can one achieve with comedy that the tragedy is not capable of?

– When you are making a comedy you are definitely reaching out to a much wider audience, and if you are lucky you can make something both kids and adults will find entertaining.

THE PINK FAIRY
– Do you think that there exists a particular Nordic humour?

– Yes, definitely. I think a director like Roy Andersson really captures the essence of Nordic humor. It’s dark and melancholic and not that much is happening, but yet it is hilarious. I like that the Nordic humor is often understated and quiet and not desperately trying to be funny all the time.

– How do you regard the result?

– I’m happy with the result. I particularly like the little pink fairy in the end of the film.

AN EXOTIC ISLAND

– What projects are you currently working on?

– I’m currently working on an animated feature length film called Marco Macaco. It premieres next summer. In Marco Macaco I’m trying to continue some of the things I had going on in Space Monkeys. Again monkeys are the characters and again it is a comedy, but this time, however, it does not take place on a foreign planet but on an exotic island.

– What do you think of the current state of Danish film, especially regarding animation?

– We have a vivid animation environment in Denmark. The animation department at The National Film School of Denmark and The Animation Workshop in Viborg continue to produce new talented directors and animators that all have a passion for animation. So the business is flooding with creativity. Especially if you look at animated short films there is reason to be optimistic.

– In the short format directors have the freedom to experiment more and take bigger risks without having to worry about box office and target audience. And that leads to some really interesting films. So I think there’s hope for the future.

By Mads Suldrup and Thomas S. Sejersen / Filmmagasinet Ekko

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