Currently the most popular film in cinemas in America, Spider-Man: Through the Spider-Versewas created thanks to the contribution of a small army of Quebec artisans.
No fewer than 68 of the roughly 1,000 people who worked on this sequel to the groundbreaking Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, winner of the 2019 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, live in Montreal and Quebec.
Four of these 3D animators worked specifically to bring the characters and sets to life in the feature film, which has grossed over half a billion dollars worldwide.
Jean-Philippe Welsh is based in Quebec City and put in a year of work to create two of the 140 minutes of animation for Spider-Man: Through the Spider-Verse.
“You don’t realize it when you’re working on it, but I checked it out on the way out. There are some very emotional moments in the film and I feel like I’ve seen it ten times because I’m proud to be a part of this project.
Jean-Philippe Welsh at his studio in the Sainte-Foy neighborhood of Quebec, where he was working on the making of the film Spider-Man: Through the Spider-Verse. Photo Cédric Bélanger/Le Journal de Quebec
A unique opportunity
As a 3D animator, Jean-Philippe Welsh has worked on major projects such as the third season of the Stranger Things series or the animated films Hotel Transylvania and Les Mitchells contre les Machines.
It all sounds great on a resume, but in his eyes there’s nothing better than the chance to put his signature on the second part of the animated adventures of this new breed of Spider-Man, developed by Sony Pictures Imageworks.
He missed his chance the first time, but there was no way it could happen again the second time.
“The first one shook up the industry so much in terms of art development and animation development. So many other projects were influenced or adjusted after release that I wanted to be part of the second chapter to see what else we would bring to the public.
Miles Morales, central character of Spider-Man: Through the Spider-Verse, in a scene from the film. Image courtesy of Sony Pictures
Toxic climate?
However, the birth of this ambitious project would not have been easy. According to an investigation by the newspaper Vulture, around 100 tradesmen have left the project since the beginning due to a toxic working atmosphere.
On condition of anonymity, collaborators have denounced a hellish pace of work and incessant scene changes that have resulted in the release of the third installment, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, being pushed back beyond its planned Spring 2024 date.
Jean-Philippe Welsh affirms that he is one of those who has fond memories of the making of the film.
“Creatively it is a very ambitious project. I had to push myself to the limit with every scene I worked on. I probably still have a few gray hairs on my head, but I’m incredibly proud of the result of my efforts and those of my colleagues,” he says.