Watch: ‘Cardboard’ Director J.P. Vine Takes Us Behind the Scenes of the New Locksmith Short (Exclusive)

A single porcine parent gets a lesson in the joyful freedom of the imagination in Cardboard, the new original animated short film from U.K. studio Locksmith Animation (Ron’s Gone Wrong, That Christmas, upcoming Bad Fairies). The 9’39” CG short is bowing in competition at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival this month, in tis Young Audiences official selection.

Ahead of the film’s big French debut, Animation Magazine is excited to share a special behind-the-scenes featurette on the making of Cardboard, in which director J.P. Vine (Ron’s Gone Wrong, Shaun the Sheep) discusses the inspirations for the story — sparked by his own family road trip across the California desert and childhood experiences of financial trouble and fantasy escapism, as well as his own fatherhood journey.

Synopsis: When an overwhelmed, single dad pig moves his piglets into a rundown trailer park, he fears he’s failed his family. But soon his kids create a wildly imaginative game from a simple cardboard box, and Dad has a choice: dwell on the past or join them on their intergalactic adventure.

Vine wrote and directed the short, which was produced by Michaela Manas Malina and executive produced by Julie Lockhart, Natalie Fischer, Mary Coleman and Elisabeth Murdoch. The creative team also included editor Conor Wilson, VFX supervisor Andrew Baggarley and composer Hugo Brijs.

Cardboard is produced by Locksmith Animation in association with DNEG Animation and Ritzy Animation.

locksmithanimation.com