Fear of the dark is a problem that most kids have, and Emma Yarlett’s book Orion and the Dark addresses this problem. Orion is a mirror for kids because he is always thinking and utilizing his creativity, but he also knows when it’s time to go to bed.
Orion and the Dark is already putting itself in the running for Best Animated Feature when you combine that with a terrific ensemble and an engrossing original story.
Because he cannot see what is going on and because of all the noises it creates, Orion is afraid of the dark. Then the dark enters Orion’s bedroom, and he doesn’t look at all like Orion had anticipated; in fact, he nearly seems pleasant.
In order to convey that the Dark is not a monster or something to be terrified of, Yarlett purposefully sought to make the Dark appear pleasant. She did this by using soft blues and even a hint of yellow.
Paints and pencils are mixed media used to create the drawings in Orion and the Dark. The pictures appear on whole pages and represent Orion’s ideas and fantasies. Yarlett further develops Orion’s character by using speech bubbles in addition to his illustrations. A child can readily identify with Orion and identify with themselves in the narrative.
Still, a surprising initiative has emerged lately: Orion and the Dark, which is already much awaited. In addition to being written by none other than the renowned screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, this will be DreamWorks’ first feature picture produced in association with Netflix.
For the first time since Anomalisa, the brilliant writer behind Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, and more will be putting his Oscar-winning skills to use in an animated picture.