Pinocchio Reborn

Trevor Hogg learns the truth behind the wooden boy who came to life in Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

For most people, Guillermo del Toro is viewed as a live-action filmmaker, but this misperception is being corrected with the Netflix release of Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. In fact, it was stop-motion that set him on the path to become an acclaimed director responsible for The Shape of Water, Pan’s Labyrinth, and Pacific Rim. “The funny thing is that I made the transition from stop-motion to live action,” he reveals. “I started learning [how to be a filmmaker] by making animated shorts and still have the stop-motion camera that I bought in my hometown [of Guadalajara, Mexico].

“I have been producing and co-directing animation for the last 10 years, beginning at DreamWorks with Trollhunters, Puss in Boots, Kung Fu Panda 3, Megamind and Rise of the Guardians. Even Pacific Rim is 45 minutes of animation directed by me.

“It wasn’t a decision but an affirmation of the fact that I wanted and intend to continue with animation. It was finding the right moment to develop a movie that was sufficiently close to my heart, and having a partner like Mark Gustafson. Those were key things for me.”

Numerous adaptations have been made of The Adventures of Pinocchio, the fabled story by Italian writer Carlo Collodi about a wooden marionette desiring to become human. Particularly so in recent times with Matteo Garrone and Robert Zemeckis also tackling the subject matter.

EVER-PRESENT CAMERA

The film's animators had to be aware of the camera at all times

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