Gorillaz unveils new animated short: ‘The Mountain, The Moon Cave & The Sad God’ in Collaboration with THE LINE
Skwigly
London Animation Studio, THE LINE is beyond excited to share news of a new eight-minute animated short film to mark the release of ‘The Mountain’, the new album from Gorillaz. Titled ‘The Mountain, The Mooncave & The Sad God’, the film is directed by Jamie Hewlett, Max Taylor, and Tim McCourt and is a hand-crafted homage to the golden era of 2D animation, reimagining of the world of Gorillaz through a classic cinematic lens.
Hewlett collaborated with THE LINE on a vision to reinterpret the iconic Gorillaz world through the visual language and timeless aesthetic of 1960s animated features. The result is a richly textured short film, a true celebration of 2D animation and human creativity.
As long-time collaborators with Gorillaz we were so excited to work together again, and this is one of the coolest briefs we have ever had. It was truly a dream opportunity that felt right up our street. It’s an era that’s hard to match. So we built a method to honour it properly.
Tim McCourt, Founding Partner and ECD, THE LINE
I can’t overstate how much of a Jamie Hewlett fan I am. Me and my brother used to spend hours on the living room floor copying from his Tank Girl comics. His work has had a profound influence on me, shaping not just my art, but my career. Working with him is a genuine dream come true. We first collaborated eight years ago, and I’m extremely grateful to still be getting the opportunity to work with him and the whole Gorillaz team.
Tim McCourt, Founding Partner and ECD, THE LINE
Determined to honour traditional craftsmanship, THE LINE adopted a hybrid analogue-digital workflow favouring real materials, practical effects and period-accurate limitations over contemporary shortcuts.
“We set out to achieve an authentic aesthetic through a hybrid workflow, mixing analogue and digital artistry. In a time of AI overload, this is our love letter to craftsmanship. We’re chasing the feel of pencil on paper. Paint on board. And all the imperfections that come with it.
Max Taylor, Founding Partner and Director, THE LINE
If particular visuals couldn’t be achieved in that era, then we didn’t do them. We processed our digital pencil work to mimic photocopy degradation. We scanned real paintings at high resolution and finished the details digitally. It was about capturing the tactile quality that only real materials give you.
Max Taylor, Founding Partner and Director, THE LINE
Backgrounds became a particular point of pride. Led by Art Director Eido Hayashi, the studio painted base environments on real paper, later integrating them digitally while preserving their texture. Shots were composed in the style of classic animated features, often cutting into master paintings to create impressionistic close-ups reminiscent of depth of field.
Working with Jamie Hewlett remains, in Taylor’s words, “a deeply collaborative process,” adding:
My role was to help take Jamie’s vision through the animation pipeline and translate it as closely as possible to the original idea. He has an incredible vision and incredibly high standards. It makes the process inspiring and rewarding in equal measure.
Max Taylor, Founding Partner and Director, THE LINE
The finished short stands as both a tribute to Gorillaz’ evolving creative universe and a celebration of analogue artistry in a digital age. A film that honours the craftspeople whose work continues to shape the medium today.