In the bustling world of animation, Benjamin Renner, known for his acclaimed short films “Earnest and Celestine” and The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales..,” takes a leap into the realm of 3D animation with “Migration.” The new film was produced by Illumination and Universal Studios and stars Kumail Nanjiani, Awkwafina, Elizabeth Banks, Keegan-Michael Key, and Danny DeVito. In a recent interview, Renner shares his journey from hand-drawn animations to helming a tentpole family project, highlighting the challenges and joys that came with this cinematic migration.

Renner was initially apprehensive about the transition, recalling the moment when Chris Meledandri, founder of Illumination, reached out to him. “I was a bit nervous to work with him because I’ve never done a 3D, big-scale Hollywood movie,” Renner admits. However, what intrigued him was the thematic core of the story Meledandri pitched – a narrative inspired by ducks that chose to stop migrating. Renner saw a relatable human parallel in the ducks’ decision to stay in their comfort zone, a sentiment that resonated with his own experiences and relationships.

“We talked about ourselves, our relationships, and other things,” Renner explains. “I felt okay, yes, definitely. It’s a heavy subject, of course, but we can treat it in a very light-hearted way. So there’s a way to make this very, you know, like funny and comedic, but we will at least have a solid, like very strong theme that’s going to be the basis for a movie.”,/p>

The challenge for Renner lay in adapting his approach from smaller-scale projects to a large-scale animated feature. One notable difference was the evolving nature of the storytelling process due to bigger budgets. “We have bigger budgets, we can make the film, and we never really end up. I mean, we keep writing it as we’re doing the movie,” Renner notes. This dynamic presented a unique challenge in maintaining cohesion and a sense of community throughout the filmmaking process.

Reflecting on the difference between his acclaimed short films and a major studio production, Renner acknowledges the significant shift. “I was doing 3D for the first time where I’m more used to hand-drawn animation. So it was new to me, this way of doing movies,” he says. Despite the change in animation technique, the collaborative effort with a team of French artists provided a familiar environment for Renner, who humorously remarks, “I was surrounded by grumpy people, which is my everyday life.”

One of the aspects that excited Renner about this new venture was the opportunity to create movies that bring families together. “It’s what I myself love to watch, you know, like, it’s so relaxing,” he shares. While feel-good movies may seem effortless, Renner emphasizes the intricacies involved in crafting genuine and meaningful content for all ages. “People tend to think that the feel-good movie is something you do just like that, you know, like, and you won’t put effort into it. And it’s actually a very tricky thing to do,” he adds.

Renner’s commitment to avoiding “lazy gags” and ensuring a thoughtful approach to humor underscores his dedication to providing audiences with a genuine emotional experience. “I just want to make sure that we’re really fit into it and everything. So, so that’s why we, when we worked on this project, we were taking this very seriously so that the audience can really, you know, like, we were giving them an emotion that’s really pleasant and everything,” he says.

The filmmaker expresses his desire to share a lighthearted emotional journey that families can connect with, fostering discussions and shared experiences. Renner acknowledges the challenges of gauging the film’s impact but takes solace in the positive feedback received from children and parents who felt the movie brought them closer together.

“That was the goal that we had,” he said. “And it’s hard for me to tell if we achieved it, but at least we tried really hard to sincerely make this movie. And I’m happy to see that some at least some of the some of the kids and parents that I met were really happy and told me that it’s all like connected them together.”

“Migration,” from Illumination and Universal Studios, releases Friday, December 22.

Guest post by DeWayne Hamby. DeWayne is a communications specialist and longtime journalist covering faith-based music, entertainment, books, and the retail industry. He is the author of the book Gratitude Adjustment. Connect with him at www.dewaynehamby.com or on twitter – @dewaynehamby.