Andreas Hykade
Encyclopedia
Andreas Hykade is an animation director from Germany. Before studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart
from 1988 to 1990, he attended König-Karlmann-Gymnasium Altötting
. He worked as an animator in London in 1991, then studied animation at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg until 1995. Since then he works as animation director, partly at "Studio Filmbilder" in Stuttgart, and as the Professor for Animation at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg.
Hykade's trademark style is based on very simple characters which move in smooth animation. Sometimes, like in the two music videos for Gigi D'Agostino, there's just a line over a flat color, much like the classical La Linea
-character of Osvaldo Cavandoli
(to which they are a loving homage). Often his characters feature single strokes as arms and legs, in this Hykade is similar to German comic artist OL
.
"We Lived in Grass" (1995) is a student film and Hykade's first part of The Country Trilogy. The set of the film is a place just two streets away from the end of the world. The film is told from the point of view of a little boy. "All women is whore and all men is soldier," the father of the boy says. "So go into Grass and kill a tiger for the best tits you can find." As the father gets testicular cancer, a journey into Grass for the young hero begins. We lived in Grass won numerous awards including the German short film Price.
"Ring of Fire" (2000) is the second part of The Country Trilogy. It is set in a bright and shining bazaar of sexual desires. The film is describing an archaic Machomyth and the desire of two cowboys to break with this myth. "Ring of Fire" won countless awards including the Grand Price at the Ottawa Animation Festival.
"The Runt" (2006) is Hykade's third and final part of The Country Trilogy. The once dead father of "We Lived in Grass" returns. "I give you the runt," he says. "But you take care of it and you kill it next year." With "The Runt", Hykade finished what he calls his early work.
At present, Hykade is working at his first feature-length film. During a live talk at the Bradford
Animation Festival on November 17, 2006, he revealed that the film would revolve around the life of Jesus
. Hykade did not reveal exactly how he would treat the project, but mentioned his admiration for the films Life of Brian, The Last Temptation of Christ
and Jesus Christ Superstar
.
Since 2008 Hykade has taught animation at Harvard University
.
However, Hunt asserts that whilst Andreas escaped a role on the film, he was a motivational force in making AH POOK happen - if only for his good humour and support when the project was at its hardest. Hunt recently interviewed 'Hugi' on stage at the Bradford animation festival where a retrospective of Hykade's work was shown.
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
from 1988 to 1990, he attended König-Karlmann-Gymnasium Altötting
Altötting
Altötting is a town in Bavaria, capital of the district Altötting.This small town is famous for the Gnadenkapelle , one of the most-visited shrines in Germany. This is a tiny octagonal chapel which keeps a venerated statue of the Virgin Mary...
. He worked as an animator in London in 1991, then studied animation at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg until 1995. Since then he works as animation director, partly at "Studio Filmbilder" in Stuttgart, and as the Professor for Animation at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg.
Hykade's trademark style is based on very simple characters which move in smooth animation. Sometimes, like in the two music videos for Gigi D'Agostino, there's just a line over a flat color, much like the classical La Linea
La Linea
La Linea may refer to:* La Línea de la Concepción, a town in Spain bordering Gibraltar* La Linea , a series of animated shorts from Italy* La Linea , 2008 action crime thriller...
-character of Osvaldo Cavandoli
Osvaldo Cavandoli
Osvaldo Cavandoli , also known by his pen name Cava, was an Italian cartoonist. His most famous work is his series of short animated cartoons, La Linea ....
(to which they are a loving homage). Often his characters feature single strokes as arms and legs, in this Hykade is similar to German comic artist OL
OL
OL may refer to:* Olympic Games, an international sport event* Office lady, a low-tier female office worker in Japan* Old Lawrentians, alumni of St...
.
"We Lived in Grass" (1995) is a student film and Hykade's first part of The Country Trilogy. The set of the film is a place just two streets away from the end of the world. The film is told from the point of view of a little boy. "All women is whore and all men is soldier," the father of the boy says. "So go into Grass and kill a tiger for the best tits you can find." As the father gets testicular cancer, a journey into Grass for the young hero begins. We lived in Grass won numerous awards including the German short film Price.
"Ring of Fire" (2000) is the second part of The Country Trilogy. It is set in a bright and shining bazaar of sexual desires. The film is describing an archaic Machomyth and the desire of two cowboys to break with this myth. "Ring of Fire" won countless awards including the Grand Price at the Ottawa Animation Festival.
"The Runt" (2006) is Hykade's third and final part of The Country Trilogy. The once dead father of "We Lived in Grass" returns. "I give you the runt," he says. "But you take care of it and you kill it next year." With "The Runt", Hykade finished what he calls his early work.
At present, Hykade is working at his first feature-length film. During a live talk at the Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
Animation Festival on November 17, 2006, he revealed that the film would revolve around the life of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
. Hykade did not reveal exactly how he would treat the project, but mentioned his admiration for the films Life of Brian, The Last Temptation of Christ
The Last Temptation of Christ
The Last Temptation of Christ is a novel written by Nikos Kazantzakis, first published in 1953. It was first published in English in 1960. It follows the life of Jesus Christ from his perspective...
and Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar (film)
Jesus Christ Superstar is a 1973 American film adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice rock opera of the same name. Directed by Norman Jewison, the film centers on the conflict between Judas and Jesus during the last weeks before the crucifixion of Jesus...
.
Since 2008 Hykade has taught animation at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
Films
- "The King is Dead" (1990)
- "We Lived in Grass" (1995)
- "Zehn kleine JägermeisterZehn kleine Jägermeister"Zehn kleine Jägermeister" is a song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the fourth single and the eighteenth track from the album Opium fürs Volk...
" (1996, music video for German band Die Toten HosenDie Toten HosenDie Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...
) - "The Riddle" (2000, music video for Italian singer Gigi D'AgostinoGigi D'AgostinoLuigino Celestino Di Agostino , better known by his stage name Gigi D'Agostino, is an Italian DJ, remixer and record producer...
) - "Bla, bla, bla" (2000, music video for Italian singer Gigi D'AgostinoGigi D'AgostinoLuigino Celestino Di Agostino , better known by his stage name Gigi D'Agostino, is an Italian DJ, remixer and record producer...
) - "Ring of Fire" (2000)
- "Just a Gigolo" (2001, music video for Lou BegaLou BegaDavid Lubega , also known as Lou Bega, is a German musician of Italian and Ugandan descent, and is famous for his song "Mambo No. 5 ". This song is a remake of the Perez Prado instrumental from 1949...
) - "Time" (2002, TV mini series)
- "Tom & the slice of bread with strawberryjam & honey 1-13" (2004, TV series for children)
- "WalkampfWalkampf"Walkampf" is a song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the second single and the thirteenth track from the album Zurück zum Glück...
" (2004, music video for German band Die Toten HosenDie Toten HosenDie Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...
) - "The Runt" (2006)
- "Tom & the slice of bread with strawberryjam & honey 14-26" (2008, TV series for children)
- "Love & Theft" (2010)
Trivia
Whilst creating "We Lived in Grass" (1995) at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg he met Philip Hunt. Hunt was employed as the animator in residence working on the award-winning short, "Ah Pook is Here". Hunt enlisted the help of the entire Academy staff, all apart from Hykade who continued producing his graduation piece.However, Hunt asserts that whilst Andreas escaped a role on the film, he was a motivational force in making AH POOK happen - if only for his good humour and support when the project was at its hardest. Hunt recently interviewed 'Hugi' on stage at the Bradford animation festival where a retrospective of Hykade's work was shown.