EAS checks in with Puy Chhunly, who along with Yannick Zanchatta recently won Cambofest [3]'s coveted 'Golden Water Buffalo' award for its 'Local Showcase' category. Their short 2-D animation Little Boy Drinking Bad Water - a simple story of a common rural ailment (diarrhea) - is used for teaching about health and safety, and was an audience favorite at the festival.
What interests you in animation?
I like animation because the drawing can make the movement. My drawing can smile, can speak, can walk. Before, my school made the simple painting. But I think in my mind 'why we can't make the painting move?' So I begin to think and I try to make it.
They show [the film] for the people in the village, the commune, to understand about how to use water.
When was the film made?
January [2007], with Yannick Zanchatta. We spent four months to make the whole film.
This was at PHARE Art School (Battambang)?
I'm a teacher of Animation at PHARE [4].
I see from the message and credits that the animation was funded by a group -
[1001] Fontaines organization. Fontaines [5] provided the support to make the animation.
We asked Yannick Zanchatta [6] to come and make lessons to do animation. He is a professeur in France.
How long was he in Cambodia?
One month. We made the story of the boy drinking bad water together.
I made the story, storyboard, background, and Yannick helped me for programs.
What programs did you use?
Photoshop, Flash, Aftereffects and Adobe Premiere Pro. For the animation and background I make with Yannick Zanchatta. But for the sound design it is Patrice who makes the voice - sound design. The voices speaking are from the education group, they [include Preap] Poch ...[Nov Srey]Leap. In my [animation] group there are Sinoun, Kosal, Sayhong ...[Sok]keut, Li -- many people.
Was this PHARE's first long format animation?
Yeah, yeah, this was the first, and the best, and (laughs) the long[est].
We have more experience now and we can do good films.
Now we work with Calmette Hospital and we will [develop] with WHO.
What do you hope to do next?
Next I think I will try to make a big studio for animation in Cambodia. I have proposed to make a film for the environment. [About] cutting trees, destroy air and water. The title of the next film is 'Green Boy'.
I'm very thankful to everyone who is interested in the animation, Jason [Rosette- Cambofest [3]], my teacher in PHARE, Yannick, everyone in Cambodia who likes animation.
- Interview by John Weeks, June 24, 2007
Little Boy Drinking Bad Water is © 1001 Fontaines Pour Demain, launched in 2004 to provide drinkable water in the northwest of Cambodia.
Contact: http://www.1001fontaines.com [7]
France: contact [via] 1001fontaines [dot] com
Cambodia: lochay76 [at] yahoo [dot] fr
Phare Ponleu Selpak: http://www.phareps.org [8]
Credits:
Little Boy Drinking Bad Water
By Poy Chunly
Chhunlypoy [via] yahoo [dot] com and Yannick Zanchatta
vvyz [via] vvyz [dot] com
Writing: Poy Chunly
Storyboard: Poy Chunly, Yannick Zanchatta
Background Drawings: Poy Chunly, Yannick Zanchatta, Yum Kosal
Voices: Preap Poch, Nov Sreyleap, Tes Sochun, Chai Ravy
Sound Design : Patrice Belin
Teacher : Srey Bandol
Animation Group:
Chung Sinuon, Youn Sokkeut, Chim Li, Dum Souet, Chin Borey, Long Kosal, Poy Sayhong
Links:
[1] http://www.expat-advisory.com/articles/77
[2] http://www.expat-advisory.com/articles/1152
[3] http://www.expat-advisory.com/forums/cambofest-phnom-penh-edition-2007-vt2445.html
[4] http://www.phareps.org/
[5] http://www.1001fontaines.com/
[6] http://www.vvyz.com/
[7] http://www.1001fontaines.com
[8] http://www.phareps.org