This is exactly what artist Anders Ramsell did when he created 12,597 watercolor paintings based on moments from Ridley Scott's 1982 sci-fi film, Blade Runner. The individual paintings, each smaller than a matchstick, were edited together to create an animated take on the movie.

Ramsell calls this 35-minute reimagining a "paraphrase" of the original film, with scenes abbreviated, out of order, or totally made up, all set against original audio from the movie.


Watch Blade Runner - The Aquarelle Edition for free below.

According to Ramsell's portfolio site, he painted for hours each day before and after work. The project took almost two years to complete.

Ramsell told Yahoo! News that he wanted his version to be a new take on a familiar story.

"I saw an opportunity to dive deeper; enhance its colors and feelings from a new angle," Ramsell told Yahoo! News. "And also to combine the old [technique] that is water and pigment with the future that is Blade Runner."

This version of the movie has had several European screenings, and the paintings themselves have had multiple gallery shows. Fans can view some of the frames at Ramsell's website.

Blade Runner - The Aquarelle Edition is proof that you can use your favorite subject matter as inspiration to create something totally new. Ramsell clearly spent a lot of time thinking about color theory and composition, as well as what he wanted to be included in his version of the narrative, to offer a different take.

Other filmmakers prefer to re-edit their favorite films or trailers to make them more modern or change the tone entirely. Something like this can be an exercise in creativity that might make you a better editor, storyteller, or VFX expert, but it's also an opportunity to show your unique perspective on something familiar.

What movie would you like to creatively reimagine, and how would you do it?

What's next? Check out some of our other Blade Runner pieces.

Blade Runner is one of our favorites here at No Film School, because the movie is such a rich resource for aspiring filmmakers. It can teach you about worldbuilding, sound design, in-camera special effects, symbolism and theme, and how to bend genres.

Source: Anders Ramsell