Animation Short Slot 2014

Disney, Schmizney!

Animation has come a long way since Walt sketched that simple little rodent who starred in “Steamboat Willie” back in 1928. Big budget studios crank out amazing films faster than you can say Pixar-produced-a-pack-of-perky-pictures! But indie animators on shoestring budgets are doing outstanding work in a variety of genres.  They challenge big studio dominance and come up with fresh perspectives that just might make Walt Disney’s cryogenically preserved head spin!

Wed Feb 19, 2014 – 7:30 pm — Domenico’s
Fri Feb 21, 2014 –  5:00 pm — Café Fromage #1
Sat Feb 22, 2014 –  12:00 pm — Domenico’s
Sun Feb 23, 2014 –  2:00 pm — Café Fromage #1

Community Partners:  Beloit Big Brothers Big Sisters, Beloit Boys & Girls Club

Day of the Dead
Dia de los Muertos

Day Of The Dead | Dia de los Muentos
Category:  Family, Hispanic
Country:  U.S.
Language:
Rating:  G
Runtime:  4 min.
Director:  Ashley Graham, Kate Reynolds, Lindsey St. Pierre
Producer:
Facebook:

Synopsis:

On the Day of the Dead, a little girl is mourning her recently-deceased mother when she is suddenly dragged into the land of the dead. Surrounded by festive skeletons, she is at first afraid but soon learns that ‘Dia de los Muertos’ is not about fear– it’s about celebration.

Her adventures eventually reunite her with her mother, and they share one last moment together. As the day ends, the girl has to return to the land of the living; but now, she is able to smile

Malaria

Malaria Film
Category:  History, Independent
Country:  Brazil
Language:
Rating:  PG
Runtime:  6 min.
Director:  Edson Oda
Producer:  Sergio Prado
Website:

Synopsis:

MALARIA tells the story of Fabiano, a young Mercenary who is hired to kill Death.
The father of Caroline (a girl with Malaria) will give Fabiano 30 gold coins if he kills death. Doing that he thinks he will be able to save his daughter.
This short film combines Origami, Kirigami, Time lapse, nankin illustration, Comic Books and Western Cinema.

Borrowed Light

Borrowed Light
Category:  Fantasy, Children
Country:  U.S.
Language:
Rating:  G
Runtime:  5 min.
Director:  Olivia Huynh
Producer:
Website:

Filmmaker AttendingSynopsis:

The last patron of an abandoned observatory takes on an impossible task to show the surrounding city something incredible. A short animation about conflicting existences, natural wonders, and petty theft on a grand scale.

Move Mountain

Move Mountain
Category:  Family, Drama
Country:  U.S.
Language:  English
Rating:  G
Runtime:  11 min.
Director:  Kirsen Lepore
Producer:  Kirsten Lepore
Website:

Synopsis:

A girl journeys through a vibrant, pulsing, macrocosmic landscape, but a precipitous incident compels her to venture up a mountain in an attempt to save herself.

Look

Look
Category:  Drama, Sci-fi
Country:  Switzerland
Language:
Rating:  G
Runtime:  5 min.
Director:
Producer:  Gerd Gockell
Website:

Filmmaker AttendingSynopsis:

In a dark world, light is the biggest attraction. The creatures living there are entranced by a light they themselves have created. When one of them manages to escape its pull, he realizes how hard and even dangerous it is to get the attention of those around him.

Animation Hotline, 2012

Animation Hotline
Category:  Comedy, Alternative
Country:  U.S.
Language:
Rating:  PG
Runtime:  6 min.
Director:  Dustin Grella
Producer:  Dustin Grella
Website:

Synopsis:

Being obsessive and compulsive in our society often time carries negative connotations, however in my work I prefer to celebrate these traits and often times refer to it as OCC,
Obsessive Compulsive Culture. I approach my work almost as if it were a puzzle, taking an action or an idea and aggressively repeating it, sometimes consciously, sometimes unconsciously, until a resolution is found. Often times the journey is more interesting than the destination, and although a singular action is desired and chosen, influences outside of the realm of control help guide the work into new arenas.

Animation is a natural meditation for me. I set up a camera on a one-minute timer that records the image, and then I allow myself to draw and explore the direction of the next
frame, sometimes a narrative emerges and sometimes the path is abstract. The importance is often times not placed on the product, but on the act of creation.

Legacy

Legacy
Category:
Country:  U.S.
Language:  English
Rating:  G
Runtime:  6 min.
Director:
Producer:  Peter DeSalvo
Website:

Synopsis:

Legacy is the story of one boy’s difficulties to live up to his family’s expectations when the burden of his heritage is suddenly thrust upon him.

The film centers around a boy named Theo, who is burdened with a family aviation heirloom that he fears he can never live up to. In an attempt to overcome his struggle, he climbs to the top of the aviation mountain, dressed in the family flight suit, with the hat of his great-grandfather in his hand. In his failure to muster up the courage to take his first leap, he is plagued with an even more difficult task, when a fan boy of his follows him up the cliff and is suddenly blown off the edge.

Yellow Sticky Notes | Canadian Anijam

Yellow Sticky Notes
Category:  Art, History
Country:  Canada
Language:  English
Rating:  G
Runtime:  8 min.
Director:  Jeff Chiba Stearns
Producer:  Jeff Chiba Stearns
IMDb:

Synopsis:

For the first time in Canadian history, 15 of Canada’s most award-winning and celebrated independent animators have come together to create a collaborative animated film. Yellow Sticky Notes | Canadian Anijam is an innovative and global approach to animation filmmaking and unites animators from coast to coast, from Vancouver to Halifax and all parts in between, to self reflect on one day of their lives using only 4×6 inch yellow sticky notes, a black pen and animation meditation. Featuring animation from the original Anijam creator Marv Newland along with Oscar® winners Alison Snowden and David Fine and Academy® Award nominees Cordell Barker, Janet Perlman, Chris Hinton, and Paul Driessen.

To create the film, the animators were asked to self-reflect through animation on personal and global events that impacted one day of their lives. Each of the animators created their sequences independent of knowing what the other participants were creating. Starting with a ‘to do’ list written on the day of a life-altering event, the animators transitioned from text to imagery by utilizing ‘animation meditation’ to create a visual animated poem representing how their lives were affected by that pivotal day. In the end, the thousands of sticky note drawings link together to create a dynamic and inspirational animated film that connects the human spirit while celebrating individual artistic expression with the goal of inspiring future generations of animators.

Moon

Moon
Category:  Music
Country:  Canada
Language:  English
Rating:  G
Runtime:  3 min.
Director:  Renaud Hallée
Producer:  Renaud Hallée
Website:

Synopsis:

The moon as a musical instrument.

Lionfish Delusion

Lionfish Delusion
Category:  Mystery, Neo-Noir
Country:  Puerto Rico
Language:
Rating:  PG
Runtime:  4 min.
Director:  José Enrique Rivera Rivera
Producer:
Facebook:

Synopsis:

Inspired by the Lionfish plague, this neo-noir film tells a story about greed and hierarchy in the Caribbean reefs.

Goat Herder and his lots and lots and lots of goats

The Goat Herder
Category:  Nature, Wildlife
Country:  United Kingdom
Language:  English
Rating:  G
Runtime:  8 min.
Director:  Will Rose
Producer:
Website:

Synopsis:

Inspired by my two year old niece who having seen a goat herder in Spain kept chanting ‘lots and lots and lots of goats!’. The story follows a day in the life of a goat herder and his flock of goats as they travel up and down the mountains of Spain. Andy Cabic, lead singer of the band Vetiver vetiverse.com/ kindly gave me permission to use his track for the film which was fantastic.
There is no dialogue. The story is told using sound and movement.

Historical Fragment

Historical Fragment | Pablo Delcan
Category:
Country:  U.S.
Language:  English
Rating:  G
Runtime:  3 min.
Director:  Pablo Delcan
Producer:
IMDb:

Synopsis:

Historical fragments are found everywhere, just as illustrated in this lovely animated poem. It is the animation work of Pablo Delcan and Brian Rea. The two minute video, Historical Fragment was written by Eireann Lorsung and included in her book of poetry entitled Her book (real name, no kidding) from Milkweed Editions. With story credits by Pablo Delcan and Brian Rea (who also has drawing credits), this animation is a lovely story about finding cards; or that lucky charm and historical fragment which ignites wonder.

Sleight of Hand

Slight of Hand | Michael Cusack
Category:  Drama, Fantasy
Country:  Australia
Language:  English
Rating:  G
Runtime:  10 min.
Director:  Michael Cusack
Producer:  Richard Chataway
Facebook:

Synopsis:

Sleight of Hand. A set of techniques used by someone to manipulate objects secretly to deceive. This is a stop-motion film about illusions. A Man yearns to know his place in the world and how he fits in, when sometimes it’s better not to know.

NOTE:  Synopsis are typically provided directly by the filmmaker themselves. Often English is not their first language. We ask reader’s understanding for less-than-perfect language and grammar