A scientific and environmental animation for children
Life of Ants
2D Animation / 13 min / Writer, Producer and Director
Director’s Note
Life of Ants is an environmental animation for children and young adults. It’s one of the first scientific animations made about insects for Iranian children. The goal of the project was to introduce the audience to a part of the world of insects.
The director has tried to raise the child’s sense of curiosity regarding their surrounding environment by using a very small creature who is on the other hand a complicated and evolved system. These scientific lessons lead the audience towards a more precise and even philosophical look at life, nature, and Eco-system cycle.
Life of Ants is an episode of a series called The Universe of Insects. The series will have other episodes about dragonflies, bees, butterflies, spiders, and other insects, provided a producer shows an interest in the project.
Synopsis
In this animation, we witness a one-year cycle of the life of ants within and outside their habitat. Their activities including nest making, storage of food, defending their home and reproduction are included in the film. In the animation ‘Life of Ants’ we review the ants’ behaviour, task divisions and groups in running their colony. There are labourers who gather food, nurses who take care of eggs and babies, workers who dig the ground, shepherds, soldiers, and the queen of each colony who plays the role of mother. The animation covers issues of fertility, nutrition, anatomy, and functions of an ant’s body parts. It also deals with the variety of races in ants.
Credits
Writer & Director : Mehrdad Sheikhan
Executive Producer: Mehrdad Sheikhan
Background Designer: Hamidreza Beidaghi
Character Designer: Hamidreza Beidaghi
Animator: Samira Keshavarzi
Environment Designer & Layout: Mehrdad Sheikhan
Compositing: Saeed Hagh Zare
Music Composer: Behrooz shahamat
Sound Designer: Behrouz Shahamat
Naration: Hamid Reza Eslami
Narator: Tahmineh Mirzaie
Production Company & Distributer: Children and Adolescents Intellectual Development Centre
Produced by Our Darkroom Film
Technical Info
Orginal Title: Zendegi-e Moorche Ha ( زندگی مورچهها )
English Title: Life of Ants
Running time: 13 minutes
Technique: Cutout animation
Genre: Educational
Country: Iran
Language: Farsi
Release Date: August 2014
Film Festival Attended
– 5th Iran International Green film festival – 2016 (Iran)
– 45th Roshd International film festival – 2016 (Iran)
– 29th Children and Youth International Film Festival – 2015 (Iran)
– 17th The Iran Cinema Celebration – 2015 (Iran)
– 9th Tehran international animation festival – 2014 (Iran)
– 31st Tehran short film festival – 2014 (Iran)
Award
Diploma of honor for the best direction in 29th Children and Youth International Film Festival – 2015 (Iran)
Some Characters
Some Layouts
A scientific and environmental animation for children
Life of Ants
2D Animation / 13 min / Writer, Producer and Director
Director’s Note
Life of Ants is an environmental animation for children and young adults. It’s one of the first scientific animations made about insects for Iranian children. The goal of the project was to introduce the audience to a part of the world of insects.
The director has tried to raise the child’s sense of curiosity regarding their surrounding environment by using a very small creature who is on the other hand a complicated and evolved system. These scientific lessons lead the audience towards a more precise and even philosophical look at life, nature, and Eco-system cycle.
Life of Ants is an episode of a series called The Universe of Insects. The series will have other episodes about dragonflies, bees, butterflies, spiders, and other insects, provided a producer shows an interest in the project.
Synopsis
In this animation, we witness a one-year cycle of the life of ants within and outside their habitat. Their activities including nest making, storage of food, defending their home and reproduction are included in the film. In the animation ‘Life of Ants’ we review the ants’ behaviour, task divisions and groups in running their colony. There are labourers who gather food, nurses who take care of eggs and babies, workers who dig the ground, shepherds, soldiers, and the queen of each colony who plays the role of mother. The animation covers issues of fertility, nutrition, anatomy, and functions of an ant’s body parts. It also deals with the variety of races in ants.
Credits
Writer & Director: Mehrdad Sheikhan
Executive Producer: Mehrdad Sheikhan
Background Designer: Hamidreza Beidaghi
Character Designer: Hamidreza Beidaghi
Animator: Samira Keshavarzi
Environment Designer & Layout: Mehrdad Sheikhan
Compositing: Saeed Hagh Zare
Music Composer: Behrooz shahamat
Sound Designer: Behrouz Shahamat
Naration: Hamid Reza Eslami
Narator: Tahmineh Mirzaie
Production Company & Distributer: Children and Adolescents Intellectual Development Centre
Produced by Our Darkroom Film
Technical Info
Orginal Title: Zendegi-e Moorche Ha ( زندگی مورچهها )
English Title: Life of Ants
Running time: 13 minutes
Technique: Cutout animation
Genre: Educational
Country: Iran
Language: Farsi
Release Date: August 2014
Film Festival Attended
-5th Iran International Green film festival / 2016 (Iran)
-45th Roshd International film festival / 2016 (Iran)
-29th Children and Youth International Film Festival / 2015 (Iran)
-17th The Iran Cinema Celebration / 2015 (Iran)
-9th Tehran international animation festival / 2014 (Iran)
-31st Tehran short film festival / 2014 (Iran)
Award
-Diploma of honor for the best direction in 29th Children and Youth International Film Festival / 2015 (Iran)
Some Characters
Some Layouts