Q&A with Martin Brandt
Martin Brandt is Ixania's most notable anime film makers and is the creator of the series Labyrinth. ET has the exclusive Q&A.
ET: Mr. Brandt thanks for joining us today
MB: Pleasured to be here
ET: your show Labyrinth is among the most successful shows both in your native Ixania and here in Motokata how have you been handling the runaway success?
MB: It has been relatively pleasurable, definitely exciting. I'm glad it's been such a delightful show for people.
MB: You can say it was my desire to understand people, especially after such tragedies occur. I believed that it was a story that deserved to be told, but then again, you come across those who wouldn't want to hear of it.
ET: How long did production take on your series?
MB: A pretty long time, due to the Other World scenes we had to include. But it was worth it, even with the sprained wrists! Yep, we mostly hand drew the animation, albeit we also included some CGI for the sake of vividity.
ET: A lot of artists in this field talk about how they sometimes feel sad when a project is concluded, did you feel more relief or disappointment when it was finished?
MB: While my wrist is certainly relieved, I'd like to say I couldn't be disappointed in working. I'd like to say it was a fun, pleasurable experience.
ET: Is it true a majority of Labyrinth was done with traditional hand drawn?
MB: Yep. A majority of it was, indeed, done traditionally. We thought it was for the best.
ET: Tell us about Walter Eisenberg the composer for the series
MB: Well, while we did use some metal music in our series, Eisenberg's ethereal compositions were invaluable. He's a prominent composer here in Ixania, in both the anime and non-anime worlds. He felt glad to have worked on such a "touching story."
ET: Why did you feel compelled to use Metal in a more dramatic series like Labyrinth?
MB: We wanted to have realism in our story and, well, teenagers do appreciate the hard riffs and beats of metal. (Laugh)
ET: Tell us about the characters
MB: Most of them are all rooted to some degree in real life. Zaneta, though, is like an ideal teenage girl, even with her quirks. But hours could be spent on giving you the full portrait.
ET: When Nobura Sawata approached you about a live action film, what was your first reaction?
MB: I was pretty surprised, to say the least. But, then again, I thought it'd be a pretty interesting experiment.
ET: As a creative consultant on the film what were you duties like?
MB: I pretty much made sure the train ran smoothly.
ET: Did you spend much time with the cast?
ET: Do you feel the movie has stayed true to your original vision?
MB: Oh, of course. They were a delight to be around. They all equally helped to make the series a success.
ET: Do you feel the movie has stayed true to your original vision?
MB: I would say it's been pretty good. But I never expected a Japanese interpretation, I can tell you that.
ET: What did you think of writer/director Miyuki Umino?
MB: She knows what she's doing.
ET: What are you future plans following the film?
MB: To work on the new ideas I've developed.
ET: And on our final note, how do you think Ixanians will take to the new live action film?
MB: It will probably be a mixed reaction. Can't appease everyone.
ET: Thank you Mr. Brandt, we are looking forward to the film.
