The Department of Animation at Universitas Dian Nuswantoro (Udinus) produced an animated movie entitled Si Warak Kecil (Warik) and will officially be screened at the XXI Cinema at Tentrem Mall, Semarang.
The screening premiere will take place on February 15th, 2023. During the production, the animated show was mainly developed by students, alumni, and faculty members of the Animation Department. The show was produced in the Diploma Empat Animasi Dian Nuswantoro (Dandin) Studio, which is an animation studio owned by Udinus. In addition, the production of this show also involved the Manimonki Animation Studio. Currently, there are three series and a movie produced by the Department of Animation.
During her interview, Dr. Khafiizh Hastuti, S.Kom., M.Kom., the Head of the Animation Department at Udinus, explained that Si Warik was the first Intellectual Property owned by the Department of Animation. The production of the Si Warik series and mini-movie involved interns and alumni. She further hoped for the animated show to be loved by children. As for quality control, the Animation Department involved various practitioners from several Indonesian animation studios.
“The screening of the Si Warik animated show at the XXI Cinema at Tentrem Mall will mark the initial premiere of this show. The show will later be screened in the form of an animated mini-movie,” she explained.
The Kedaireka Fundings for Si Warik
The Si Warik animated show also possessed several moral values for the audience to understand. For additional information, the show mainly tells the story of three protagonists, namely, Dian, Warik, and Endog. In the film, Dian is depicted as a blue-haired girl wearing glasses and blue clothing. The name Dian itself is derived from Universitas Dian Nuswantoro, the place in which the show is produced.
Meanwhile, Warik is depicted as a boy wearing a Warak Ngendok mask and dressed in all red. As for Endog, he is depicted as an all-knowing flying egg-shaped robot.
Nita Virena Nathania B.Des (Hons), a faculty member and the producer of Si Warik, stated that the show was primarily aimed at a younger audience. Furthermore, she revealed the production held the purpose of giving knowledge and educational messages to children.
Previously, research conducted by the Department of Animation at Udinus successfully received Rp. 360 million of funding from the Kedaireka Program.
The production of Si Warik also served as a platform for animation students to learn before embarking on their careers in the animation industry. Additionally, the production team also attached a slogan to the show, namely, The Adventure of Warak Cilik in Presenting Educational Message. Currently, the Department of Animation has produced a total of four episodes of Si Warik.
“Through the mini-movie launched and premiered on February 15th, we would like to encourage youth to keep taking care of our environment. In addition, we also expect this movie to educate children, particularly concerning science and many more,” she revealed.
On a different occasion, Aditya Surya Prayoga, a student involved in the Si Warik project, explained that during the production, the production team primarily utilized the 2D animation design and 3D modelling techniques. This process was conducted to create all the characters and settings of the show. In addition to the modeling process, there were also animating and lighting processes during the stage of production. Adita further revealed that the production of the Si Warik mini-movie spanned six months.
“Through this project, I have learned many things, including time management, file management, and the proper and efficient animating techniques. Hopefully, our animated show can attract children and educate them through its message,” he concluded. (Humas Udinus/Alex. Foto: Humas Udinus)
