The mix of high drama and brooding visuals sits in the creative sweet spot for director, Louve Sarfati Karnas, who is an avid gamer, and a big fan of the IP:
“Video games have always been my biggest source of inspiration, there’s nothing quite like it really – the artistry that goes behind creating a game; creating stories that suddenly become tactile, tales that immerse you through interactivity, how incredible is that?” said Louve. “That’s why collaborating with Supergiant Games, who’ve had such a huge impact on who I am as an artist, was such a personal and incredible experience. I wanted to create something that invoked as much depth and nuance, both narratively and visually, as the game itself. A grandiose spectacle that carries a very personal story about self-worth, chosen family, and facing adversity.”
To achieve this vision, THE LINE and Supergiant leaned into bold stylistic choices. The team sought a more graphic compositing style that layered textures across characters and environments, creating an inky, painterly and dynamic world. Whilst still imagery came together naturally, bringing such detail to life in animation required technical innovation. The team integrated pre-rendered textures in the compositing phase, to achieve a cohesive final style that has a real tactility and a harmony between the environments and characters.