Apr 2, 2020

With "Sol Levante," Netflix and Production I.G. Aim to Change the Way Animation is Made

In the Japanese animation industry, a 12-episode series can usually be completed from script to delivery in two years. But for Netflix and Production I.G., that's the time it took to make a single three-minute movie.

To be fair, they set themselves a high bar. Sol Levante, which premieres today on Netflix, is a brilliant piece of high fantasy about a warrior's journey through a mysterious world. It is also an attempt to redefine the workflow of animation production.

The film is produced in ultra-high definition 4K resolution, using a technology known as High Dynamic Range (HDR), which expands the image's detail, contrast, and color range Netflix has previously remastered the anime "Knights of Sidonia" and "A Taste of Youth" for display in HDR. Netflix has previously remastered the animated films "Knights of Sidonia" and "A Taste of Youth" to display in HDR, but "Sol Levante" was conceived from the ground up to take full advantage of its capabilities.

These technologies are far from the standard for animation, and the production of this film required considerable training and improvisation, not to mention the right hardware. Netflix's creative technology department, which focuses on research and development, worked closely with Production I.G., the studio of "Ghost in the Shell" fame, to complete the film. In a blog post, the streaming platform showcases the creative opportunities opened up by its approach.

However, they also acknowledge the challenges. At the simplest level, 4K requires digital drawing. This is because lines drawn in pencil will show unwanted details when scaled up to this resolution. In any case, freelance and service studios, which are essential to animation production, tend not to have the equipment necessary to work in 4k or HDR.

Even if they did have the equipment in place, Production I.G. artists had to rethink much of their creative process to get the details of the images right. Everything from line thickness to skin tones was affected, in order to project all the colors from dawn to dark and back again in three minutes.

Sol Levante feels more like a proof of concept than anything else. He sells spectacle, not story. Our phones, TVs, and monitors are increasingly equipped with 4K and HDR capabilities, but many of us don't yet have such screens. (Even if they did, they would need a premium plan account to see movies in detail.)

Netflix recognizes that the film is inherently experimental and has even released image and audio assets for artists to play with. However, the filmmakers are confident that their approach could eventually be widely adopted. As director Akira Saito says, "4K HDR is like having wings and an engine to see the new horizons from which a new era will rise. We will continue to challenge and innovate for the future."