Stylistic Devices

By using the following design elements, we were able to shape the entire audiovisual and emotional experience of the film: child-friendly, expressive, with a clear visual language, and not too colorful. This is how we created the warm, rich, and playful look of Ralle and Bolle that brings a smile to every young viewer’s face (something we only realized after the film was released).

Colors and Shapes

The kitchen is decorated in warm colors, with red and orange dominating; these colors represent both intrigue and danger. The hamster cage is predominantly decorated in natural tones - various shades of brown - symbolizing a cozy and familiar environment. It also establishes a connection to its inhabitants, who are similarly dressed in brown tones. Outside, blue and green are the dominant colors - cool hues that contrast with the warm kitchen, which is designed to invite play. Above all, this contrast helps create a clearer distinction between indoors and outdoors.

For the most part, all objects consist of simple shapes with smooth surfaces. The geometry is angular. Details are limited to objects relevant to the story, such as nuts, a faucet, or a towel. This makes it easier to follow the story and doesn’t distract from the essentials. This simplification, as an abstraction, fit better into this abstract story. The rough shapes make the two hamsters appear soft, flexible, and thus lifelike.

Light and Shadow

The position of the sun and the layout of the kitchen influenced each other. The sun was meant to illuminate everything from the cage to the washing machine. Above all, however, it was meant to illuminate the washing machine itself, for it is the linchpin of the story and the focal point of attention.

Thanks to a complex lighting calculation, the sunlight is diffusely reflected from the illuminated surfaces onto everything else. This technique is called „radiosity“ and creates a very natural, soft lighting atmosphere. This eliminates harsh shadows, and the background blends unobtrusively into the image. In most cases, it even remains out of focus, which further enhances the effect.

For the first time, the outlet is located outside the direct light. Here, the darkness is meant to serve as a warning of something dangerous, reinforced by the electric sparks.

Real and Comic

The lighting on the set is realistic. Although the objects themselves are kept simple, the light behaves physically correctly on them. The shadows cast by the sun become softer the farther apart the shadow and the object are. In contrast, the protagonists are characterized by an abstract drawing style that uses only two levels of brightness, creating a visual separation between the action and the setting. While the kitchen looks like it could actually exist just as it appears in the film, the comic-book style gives the hamsters an additional touch of the fantastical.

Although traditional animation is increasingly being replaced by photorealistic animated films, this style has something unique about it. The abstraction of a drawing comes to life through movement, blurring the line between fantasy and reality. The characters are more minimalist; they look like splashes of color that have come to life. This further simplification is intended to help viewers focus on what matters most: the plot. Moreover, this visual style does not require perfect animation, but leaves some room for physically incorrect movements.

Sound and Music

The music is limited to the beginning and the end. This is intended to enhance the characters’ naturalness and their connection to the action. Disney used music to complement the movement on screen. It literally adapted to the characters. Every step and every head movement was given its own musical note. That is why this technique is called Mickeymousing“.

However, I didn't like this duplication of the visual and audio layers. They don't complement each other but merely amplify something that's already there. On top of that, traditional animated films are very loud and compete for attention on the audio level. But since the two hamsters are supposed to be secretly getting up to mischief while the housewife is away, I wanted a quiet setting. You should be able to hear every sound.

The sound comes from our own kitchen. All the sounds were created by us. We worked with our hands on various materials. We used a bunch of grapes to create the sound of Bolle sliding down the washing machine door. The sound design for the hamsters is the only audio track and conveys the entire sense of space. That’s why we added sound effects to as many details as possible.

We maintained this design concept - a relatively simple design based on the principle of „keep it simple“ - across all three films, and it has consistently proven to be the right choice. This allowed us to continue developing the world of Ralle and Bolle without much hesitation, and we still celebrate the result to this day.