THERE ARE NO LIONS IN TEL AVIV
Title Design, Animation Sequences, Compositing
WINNER of the award for best documentary design 2019, by the "Israeli Documentary Forum"
When the chief Rabbi of Copenhagen moved to Israel in 1935, he began collecting exotic animals in his Tel Aviv home. Rabbi Doolittle, as he came to be known, was going to build a zoo and teach the children of Palestine to love animals. The Tel Aviv Zoo became one of the city’s greatest attractions, but as the zoo grew, bureaucracy moved in and this idealistic paradise took another form.
OPENING SHOT
The film opens with a lengthy, two-minute shot descending from the skies above Tel Aviv. A narrator begins recounting his youth in a youthful Tel Aviv, with a particular focus on the zoo, all the while the towers in the skyline gradually vanish.
The camera steadily descends into the past, revealing the zoo that once occupied the space.
This shot was conceived with a specific vision: to depict this transition. Achieving it demanded three weeks of meticulous rotoscoping, intricate match moving, and skillful sky painting. However, upon completion, it was realized that the effect was a bit too seamless and natural. To ensure the audience doesn't overlook the disappearing towers, we added a touch of "magic" through visual effects and accompanying sound effects.
Sped up clip =>
This project involved a substantial amount of animation of illustrations contributed by various illustrators.
But that was only the most visible work - it also required quite a bit of compositing work, and a significant portion of behind-the-scenes effort went into the often unseen task of archival reconstruction.
But that was only the most visible work - it also required quite a bit of compositing work, and a significant portion of behind-the-scenes effort went into the often unseen task of archival reconstruction.
RETURNING THE ANIMALS TO THE STREETS
Throughout the movie, several scenes feature animals strolling freely in present-day Tel Aviv, symbolically leaving their mark on the city even to this day.
This effect was accomplished through collaborative efforts between Daria Alexander and myself.
We employed rotoscoping techniques to meticulously integrate the animals into footage captured in alignment with the existing animal footage. Our aim was to ensure the best possible match in terms of angles and lighting.
Director: Doki Dror
Animation and Design: Dotan Goldwaser
Additional compositing and effects: Daria Alexadner
2019
Watch the movie here: There are No lions in Tel Aviv
Watch the movie here: There are No lions in Tel Aviv