The marvellous world of The Lost Botanist is described by its makers:
“You are The Lost Botanist, misplaced in a
world that’s forgotten all about nature, where even the stars and moon are
permanently hidden by pollution, where imagination and dreams are starting to
die, where the only plants left are potatoes and turnips.
“While researching the lost marvels of the
natural world, you open a grimoire that transports you to The Under-Garden, the
dream-like home of the spirits of all forgotten things. In each of the wondrous
places you’ll visit, you must find a mythical creature to guide you further
into the unknown, from The Nethermere to The Amber Vale to The Nevermist…”
Says Ree Treweek: “I’ve always wanted to
create a world that people could step into, a visual world people could be
immersed in and lost in, so for me The Lost Botanist is an
absolute dream come true.”
Ree was one of two female directors in the
VR category at Annecy 2019. The Lost Botanist marked her
second film in competition at Annecy, 12 years after The Blackheart
Gang’s The Tale Of How kick-started her career by winning a
Special Distinction Cristal in 2007. The Lost Botanist marks her
arrival on the VR@Annecy stage.
She is Africa’s most awarded animation
director, having been recognised from the Clios to Clermont-Ferrand, D&AD
to Mobius, The London International Awards to New York Festival, and The
Loeries to The South African Film and Television Awards,. She’s also one of
Africa’s most watched animation directors: Amumu: The Curse of the Sad
Mummy, her League of Legends short film for Riot Games, has over 18-million
YouTube views.
Rick and Ree plan to extend The
Lost Botanist with additional levels in the immersive experience; a
spinoff film; an augmented reality game and a merchandise range that includes
toys, adult colouring books, and puzzles. “This is just a demo for a much
bigger experience,” says Rick.
