ABC Innovation, in collaboration with the Djilpin Arts Aboriginal Corporation and the Wugularr Community, bring to life eight more Dreamtime stories with the online return of Dust Echoes. The second series of award winning animations will be launched today at dustechoes.com.au
The interactive content brings new voices to ancient Dreamtime storytelling, with the ultimate purpose of introducing young audiences to these remarkable tales.
The multi-platform series presents, in total, twelve Indigenous stories; each uniquely interpreted by contemporary animators, musicians, artists, writers and actors. The eight new animations remain authentically Indigenous while being infused with youthful creativity and spirit, and each features a stirring original music soundtrack. The Bat and the Butterfly, Brolga Song, The Curse, Mermaid Story, Mimis, Moon Man, Spear and Whirlpool are all powerful, unique and modern retellings of stories that are thousands of years old.
The Dust Echoes site is now even more interactive providing an online experience that will contextualise the animations. Audiences will be able to explore the narratives and even create their own versions of stories with the Mash Up application. They can delve deeper into the history of the stories, learn Indigenous words from the glossary, or simply sit back and enjoy the animations.
‘Dust Echoes is one way that we are bringing everyone back to the same campfire – black and white. We are telling our stories to you in a way you can understand, to help you see, hear and know. And we are telling these stories to ourselves, so that we will always remember, with pride, who we are,’ states Tom E. Lewis, Djilpin Arts Aboriginal Corporation and Dust Echoes Indigenous Consultant.
‘ABC Innovation is proud once again to partner with Djilpin Arts Aboriginal Corporation and the Wugularr Community to produce and present eight more traditional stories in a very contemporary medium,’ said Carolyn MacDonald, Manager, Co-Productions and Business Development, ABC Innovation.
‘Congratulations should also go to the producer and animators whose work on the eight new animations has already captured the imaginations of Festival judges nationally and internationally.’
Animations from the second series of Dust Echoes have already been recognised in Australia and internationally for their unique appeal. Films have been selected for screening at the 14th Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film, Germany; the Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival; the South Australia Short Screen Awards; Annecy International Film Festival, France; AniFest International Festival of Animated Film, Czech Republic; AnimaMundi International Animation Festival, Brazil; the PLATFORM International Animation Festival, USA; the Kalamazoo Animation Festival International, USA; and The Melbourne International Film Festival, Australia. The Bat and The Butterfly has been nominated for a prestigious AFI Award in the Short Animation category.
The stories in Dust Echoes, which will also be broadcast on ABC2, come from the Beswick community in Australia’s Northern Territory. The series’ Indigenous Consultant is Tom E. Lewis, Executive Producer is Domenic Friguglietti, Series Producer is Michael Wagner and the Creative Director is Luke Jurevicius.
[release from ABC Innovation]