Mechozaurs: The Voice From Afar

Synopsis
Seeking revenge for her mother’s death, a powerful young warrior, Zina, embarks on a bloody crusade against Nakatu, ruler of the humanoid dinosaur world. Unbeknownst to her, Nakatu has his own plans for harnessing her powers and using them to pivot the world’s fate. As Zina’s journey unfolds, she forges an alliance with Hiranu, not knowing that he is her mother’s true assassin. As they navigate through a path filled with battles and betrayals, Zina’s journey challenges her visceral desire for vengeance, steering her towards a redemption that questions the very cost of her wrath and her role in the fate of their world.

Director: TBC
Scriptwriters: Douglas Langdale, Candie Langdale
Graphic Author: Rafał Wojtunik
Producers: Mateusz Kowalczyk (Laniakea Pictures, Poland), Mikołaj Błoński (Laniakea Pictures, Poland)
Format: 8 X 45’
Target audience: Young Adults / Adults
Techniques: 2D digital


The pitch of Mechozaurs: The Voice From Afar, a new Sci-Fi animation series project by an up-and-coming studio Laniakea Pictures, was held in a packed theatre at Cartoon Forum 2024. It will depict a story of revenge with the unique and fascinating theme of humanoid dinosaurs with high-tech. They revealed many attractive and fascinating visuals in the pitch, piquing the curiosity of sci-fi fans.

We interviewed Douglas Langdale and Candie Langdale, the authors, and the producer Mateusz Kowalczyk.


Interview with Douglas Langdale, Candie Langdale, and Mateusz Kowalczyk

Hideki Nagaishi (HN): What do you think are the key points of this animation series that would attract the potential audience?

Mateusz Kowalczyk: Mechozaurs – The Voice from Afar is a prestige action-drama in adult animation, set in a fantasy sci-fi world where humanoid dinosaurs enhanced with advanced technology fight for survival. This series offers a unique blend of primal fantasy and high-tech sci-fi that stands out with its dark, gritty narrative and rich worldbuilding. At its core, it’s a revenge story set in an extraordinary universe, which also serves as a metaphor for our times, exploring themes of grief, rage, and redemption. The combination of epic battles with lasers, jaw-dropping action, and deeply human storytelling appeals to fans of action, drama, and imaginative worlds. Beyond the series, our goal is to develop a comprehensive IP with narratives that span multiple media, making it a captivating and expansive universe for a wide range of audiences.

HN: Douglas and Candie, do you have any specific messages or experiences you want to deliver to the target audience throughout the series? If so, how are you planning to realize that?

Douglas Langdale and Candie Langdale: We wanted to explore the universal theme of the destructive desire for revenge, contrasted with a more positive desire for redemption. In the series, our central character, Zina, believes she is only capable of violence and destruction, but starts to discover that she may actually be able to help others, to improve the savage world she was born into. The world of Mechozaurs shows primal instincts colliding with advanced technology, as a metaphor for the human condition and the challenges we all face. It’s a narrative rich in both internal and external conflicts, in which our characters have to make difficult choices, to change their own destinies and, by doing so, change their world.

HN: Matt, what part of this series do you love the most, such as the theme, visuals, some part of the story, and so on, and why?

Mateusz Kowalczyk: What I love most about this series is the depth and scope of the worldbuilding. It’s not just a series; it’s a fully fleshed-out IP that spans multiple media forms, from comics and novels to games. We’ve partnered with top global talents, including Ken Liu, Marie Brennan, Orson Scott Card, and Mike Deodato, as well as creators like Meghan Fitzmartin, Brahm Revel, Miguel Valderama, Fran P. Lobato, and Kek-W. These writers and artists have already started expanding the universe of Mechozaurs with their contributions. For instance, we’ve developed an anthology of comics with talents from Marvel and DC, and we have a board game prototype in the works with award-winning game designers. We’re even working on a fantasy saga by Polish author Marcin Mortka. This collaborative effort across different media shows the vast potential of our world and allows fans to dive deeper into the lore of Mechozaurs, beyond just the animated series.

HN: Douglas and Candie, what part of this series do you love the most, and why?

Douglas Langdale and Candie Langdale: What we love the most about Mechozaurs is the unique blend of primitive dinosaurs with advanced technology. It allows us to explore themes like power, revenge and redemption, and how the tragedies of the past can lead to a more positive future. And it also allows us to have dinosaurs blasting each other with lasers, which is just fun!

HN: How did this animation series project start?

Mateusz Kowalczyk: The project began with our fascination with dinosaurs and the idea of merging their primal instincts with advanced technology. We imagined a world where these creatures were more than just legends—they were part of a complex civilization struggling for survival. This vision attracted a team of enthusiasts from film, comics, RPGs, game development, and animation who believed that dinosaurs could be taken seriously, even as a metaphor for our own times. Over the past three years, we’ve built partnerships with leading creative talents, and our inner nerds have driven us to create a show that we’ve always wanted to see. Mechozaursevolved into a story about revenge and its consequences, grief, rage, and ultimately, redemption. It’s a dark and violent narrative that explores family, morality, and the beast within, set in a world that’s as breathtaking as it is dangerous.

HN: Douglas and Candie, where did the initial idea of the story and characters come from?

Douglas Langdale and Candie Langdale: We weren’t personally involved in the early stages of development, but we know the idea came from a fascination with dinosaurs as symbols of the unknown and the primal. The questions posed were, “What if these creatures had access to advanced technology? How would their wild nature adapt to this?” The stories were built on a solid foundation of worldbuilding, by a large storytelling team who crafted a setting in which many tales could unfold. And we were all drawn to Zina’s story of revenge.

HN: What are you taking care of the most while you do scriptwriting for the series so far and why?

Douglas Langdale and Candie Langdale: When writing scripts for the series, we focus on the emotional authenticity of the characters and staying true to the world we’re building. Our goal is to be sure that every character decision is rooted in truth, and that their motivations resonate with the audience. It’s important to us that the internal conflict of each character is always a central narrative element, and that the rules of the world remain consistent, so that viewers can engage deeply with the story and become immersed in its reality. 

HN: Could you please let us know what do you take care of the most in terms of the design of the characters and the visuals of the story’s universe?

Douglas Langdale and Candie Langdale: Of course we aren’t designers on this project, but as a team we put a great deal of emphasis on keeping everything visually cohesive. The primitive aspects of dinosaur life and culture must have their own visual style, and that has to coordinate with the look of the sci-fi technological elements, so that it all comes together as a unified whole. We strive to make sure that every design element – from the appearances of the characters to the background settings – reflects the duality of our world: the collision of nature and technology. A fantastic team from Poland, led by Rafał Wojtunik, worked on the project, crafting a breathtaking world, a full universe that we are passionate about bringing to life.

HN: If there are any stories behind the music for the series that you can share with us now, could you please let us know?

Douglas Langdale and Candie Langdale: The music in Mechozaurs reflects not only the primal savagery, but also the advanced technology of this world. We collaborate with composers who use both traditional instruments and modern tech to create a unique soundscape that portrays the thematic clash of animalistic ferocity and advanced machinery. We’re particularly interested in incorporating a range of different cultural influences, to help emphasize the series’ distinct atmosphere and further immerse the audience in the compelling world of Mechozaurs.

HN: At what stage is the project now? And what do you expect from Cartoon Forum 2024?

Mateusz Kowalczyk: Mechozaurs is in an advanced stage of development. We have a clear narrative direction, detailed character designs, and a robust universe ready to be brought to life. Beyond the series, our cross-media projects, including comics, a novel, a board game, and an RPG system, are already in progress, enriching the world and expanding its reach. From Cartoon Forum 2024, we are looking to secure partnerships that will help us move into full production. We hope to connect with broadcasters, distributors, and other potential partners who share our vision and passion for this ambitious project. Additionally, we’re excited to showcase the broader potential of Mechozaurs as a full-fledged IP, offering more than just an animated series but a diverse and immersive universe for fans to explore.

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