Back in 1999, I started to work on a short film with cut-out animation technique using actual paper puppets and parts. I had done more experimental films before, so my idea for this film was... something that I hadn't tried before: a comic cartoon. It was a fun process, yet operating the 16mm Oxberry camera for the first time, while moving hundreds of little paper pieces under the camera... was not that easy. I made some 16mm raw footage, and called it 'good enough for the experience'. Then I packed all these paper parts inside of a shoe box. Years later, I found a dusty old shoe box at the corner of the closet. Inside, there were abandoned old puppets and artwork that never got to be shown. So I decided to give them another chance to see the world. I tried to keep the original idea based on 10 year old storyboards and plans (which ended up making things more difficult..., because in most of cases... I would have done things differently now.) I did change the the film process to digital, though: I scanned all the original paper parts, cleaned them up in Photoshop, then re-composited them in After Effects.
It was my side project for the last several years, whenever I had spare time outside of studio projects and teaching : sometimes a few weeks a year, and if I got lucky...a few more weeks.
Since the fall of 1999... carrying 1999's idea, design, storyboards through... its 2010 completion date... many many many days have passed by.
And finally, the film starts to be screened to the public through the film festival circuit.
Thanks to my crew, Amanda Nelson & Aaron Dabelow, my former students, who assisted me with the animation, and Spencer Dorn, who made the wonderful music for the film. And special thanks to my partner Todd Hemker, who help me with animation, compositing and editing as well as the support throughout this long... process.
