27/01/2015 - Czech illustrator Galina Miklínová is working on an adaptation of Oddsockeaters

Czech illustrator Galina Miklínová is preparing a feature adaptation of the bestselling children’s books Oddsockeaters [+see also:
trailer
film profile], written by Czech poet Pavel Šrut. She is, in fact, credited as being the co-author of Šrut’s trilogy. “I did not just do the illustrations; Pavel and I built the Oddsockeaters’ world together,” said the illustrator. While Miklínová was originally looking for an idea to make an animated series, in the end, she decided against serialising the story of the Oddsockeaters because she “felt that this is ideal material for the proper animated feature film that we are still waiting for in the Czech Republic”. She did, however, direct three seasons of the children’s animated series O Kanafáskovi for Czech television; the series follows the adventures of little Jonáš and his blanket, which comes alive at night.

The Oddsockeaters are the creatures to blame for the fact that humans have only one odd sock left from each pair. The synopsis reveals that the film will be set in a world “very similar to our own, and will tell a gangster story involving two enemy Oddsockeater gangs and a clash between two generations and two sets of values, albeit using a gentle and humorous style. The fates of the Oddsockeaters and their biggest enemy, a lonely, eccentric human professor, are drawn together by the story of the main hero, the small Oddsockeater Hugo.”

Miklínová told Cineuropa that all of the design work for the film has already been completed, as have the entire animatic and 30 minutes of animation. This year, they “will be doing models, but most of all the animation, and also simulating individual scenes, doing lighting and rendering. Next year will be dedicated to matte painting and, of course, the entire post-production.” The team behind the O Kanafáskovi series is also working on Oddsockeaters. The script was developed at the same time as the second book was being finished, so it is based on the first book but has been modified slightly to bring it into line with the family feature-film format. “If the movie is successful, I wouldn’t be against a sequel,” remarked Miklínová.

Ondřej Trojan, of Total HelpArt – THA, is producing the project, while Slovakian outfit PubRes and Czech Television are serving as co-producers. THA and PubRes are also handling the world sales. The domestic premiere is set for summer 2016. The project was supported by the Czech State Cinematography Fund.