Background Design — Soumya 'Sujé' Iyer

Environment + Background Design

Here’s a sneak peek at some 2D layouts and Background Paintings I have been making.

Studio Fiction & Bhartiya Digital Party’s “Kolhapuri Chappal”

I was provided with images and a walk-through video of Paula and Sarang’s home in Mumbai that we were going to use as our primary reference for the setting of the film. Here are some studies I did of the main living room/dining area portion that would be featured in most of the film.

The pink/yellow mood lighting was my favorite- but all this was rejected pretty soon to make way for a simpler aesthetic in a selected color scheme.

We then decided on a very simple stylistic approach with a brown/red/yellow theme - an appropriate nod to the wood that completely dominates their home.

Some color variations before we reached a place we liked. The floors of the house are also wooden and we wanted the film to be a good representation so we went with a more brownish floor in the end.

Stephen King’s ‘The Monkey’

In this story, Hal returns to his childhood home after his aunt’s death only to discover the return of a cursed toy monkey whose cymbals clang together to announce the deaths of Hal’s nearest and dearest. Hal and his son Peter try to get rid of the cursed monkey in any way they possibly can.

Hal and Peter make their way down the embankment to the boathouse.

Hal and Peter enter the boathouse cautiously.

The Ladies are Watching

A young girl inherits a house and moves in only to discover she is not alone- ‘The Ladies’ - the spirits of her ancestors- all inhabit the premises. Real bonds are formed as the girl helps each of the Ladies complete their ‘unfinished business’ and achieve salvation and freedom from the mortal world.

Navaagat

Swati moves from her village to the big city and has to deal with all the changes that ensue as a result.

Daisy

In this 3D Animated film by Maria Luisa Miller, we see the world through the eyes of Daisy, a loving dog, as she grows from a puppy into a grown dog and then ultimately meets her sad demise. These were concept backgrounds I made for the project which were used as a basis for 3D Models.

Orange

In this film by Kang Hui, a depressed man keeps reliving a few hours of his life while a spirit is trying to convince him to jump off his balcony to his death. These were concept backgrounds for a further more fleshed out 3D model.

Shockwave and the Heroes of Tomorrow

In this film by Dominic Anastasi, Shockwave tries to recruit a fellow superhero and the fight is brought to our neighborhood ice-cream joint- Mom & Pop’s. These are some final backgrounds for the 2D Film.