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Penny Dreadful Portraits

Three animated portrait films for Sky Atlantic's Penny Dreadful, exploring the cultural history of Dracula, Frankenstein and Dorian Gray.

Grainy monochrome face of Frankenstein's monster amid overlapping white gothic lettering.

Beakus made three animated portrait films for Sky Atlantic's Penny Dreadful, each on the cultural history of a Gothic character: Dracula, Frankenstein and Dorian Gray. Matthew Sweet narrates the essays, and the drawn animation illustrates them with maps, book covers, timelines and portraits.

I designed and directed the films, and composited and edited them, with animators Iria Lopez, Daniela Negrin Ochoa, Joe Sparkes and Luiz Stockler.

Dracula

0:00 / 2:05

Frankenstein

0:00 / 2:16

Dorian Gray

0:00 / 2:11

Stills

  • Red sun rising between two grainy black mountain peaks under a gray sky.
  • Grainy monochrome face of Frankenstein's monster amid overlapping white gothic lettering.
  • Black animal with a white eye strapped to a white table, wires trailing from it.
  • Laboratory bench with a retro computer showing waves, a DNA strand, flasks and a test tube rack.
  • Black gloved hand with a signet ring pointing at London on an old map of England.
  • Vintage book covers, including Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, on a dark surface.
  • Two black bats hang upside down against crumpled white paper.
  • Dim room with three tall arched windows letting in pale light.
  • Overlapping red, orange, teal and purple painted shapes on a black background.
  • Timeline with 1839, 1847 and 1859 markers and novel titles including Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights.
  • Man in black reclines on a chaise longue holding a bottle before a large red disc.
  • Framed profile portrait of a man in a dark suit on dark floral wallpaper.
  • White outlined flowers climb a wavering line across dark textured fabric.
  • Two large white eyes peer over an open book titled Studies in the Psychology of Sex.
Black gloved hand with a signet ring pointing at London on an old map of England.

Credits

Client
Sky Atlantic
Production Company
Beakus
Voice
Matthew Sweet
Designed and Directed by
Gergely Wootsch
Producer
Steve Smith
Production Manager
Laura Thomas
Sound Design
Marian Mentrup
Additional Direction and Design
Iria Lopez • Daniela Negrin Ochoa
Animation
Iria Lopez • Daniela Negrin Ochoa • Joe Sparkes • Luiz Stockler
Compositing & Editing
Gergely Wootsch