Crush - "Plum Flower Deer" (2011) - short film - (Canada)

Crush art director Yoho Hang Yue and his wife Queenie, also an art director, developed the story about a pair of Plum Flower Deer, (native to parts of China), who are separated by an act of man but are rejoined in spirit. The Plum Flower Deer is one of the most auspicious, divine animals in Chinese culture. The Plum Flower Tree itself has been the subject of innumerable paintings and poems, representing courage and elegance. The film drew on Chinese tradition, and art. The film’s closing poem, by 12th century Southern Song Dynasty Chinese poet Lu You, tells of the rebirth of spring and the courage of the plum flower through winter.

“We wanted to bring this story to life using modern tools, but we wanted to keep the timelessness of the poem intact,” says Yue. “It is an ageless story that draws on the rich legacy of Chinese culture.”

The film took two years to complete and to create it Yoho used After Effects, Cinema 4D and shot elements to create this moving painting. Crush contacted Didier Tovel at Apollo Studios in Toronto to create a score and sound design that captured the mood of the visuals. The score takes its cues from traditional Chinese music without falling becoming a shallow pastiche, and still maintains a contemporary feel.

"Plum Flower Deer" began in 2009. Originally intended as a piece for F5, a design festival in New York, but was never completed and was not screened there. The film grew and became a rumination about love, hope, the natural world, and rebirth. The Plum Flower Tree itself has been the subject of innumerable paintings and poems, representing courage and elegance. The film drew on Chinese tradition, and art. The film's closing poem, by 12th century Southern Song Dynasty Chinese poet Lu You, tells of the rebirth of spring and the courage of the plum flower through winter.

Crush is a fully integrated production company specializing in concept, design, visual effects, editorial and post production.

Spot title: Plum Flower Deer 梅花.鹿 (原创水墨动画)
Story, Design & Animation: Yoho Hang Yue
Production Company: Crush
Additional Story & Art Direction: Queenie Zhu
3D Modelling: Jacques Dell, Yoho Hang Yue
Sound & Music: Apollo Studios
Special Thanks: Gary Thomas, Crush