Telling stories through film and conversation.
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WILDsound's The Film Podcast

In each episode, the C.E.O. of WILDsound, Matthew Toffolo, chats about all things storytelling and film. Conversations with talented individual from all around the world.

Posts tagged animation
EP. 1622: Filmmaker Nadav Embon (The Planet That Doesn't Exist)

“The Planet That Doesn’t Exist” is an 8-minute Animation film from Israel, based on the Graphic Novel by Navy Bird Revital Bronshtein.

Navy Bird passed away at the age of 24 last year, caught in the midst of a terrorist attack. Her mother, Liora Bronshtein, brought a team of artists to make this film.

You can watch the film here: https://youtu.be/2fKOtua6s1I?si=bvEzOPU1Afe2Sq0n

Conversation with the director of the piece, Nadav Embon, on the making of the film.

Synopsis:

Professor Star l'Etoile set at her desk, her notes, were packed into spiral leather bound notebooks, stacked one atop of the other. They contained years and years of calculations, which sprung from her notebooks and rose up in a spiral, covering hundreds of desks and antique gold plated wooden boards, that covered the entire room.

BIO:

Nadav Embon is an Israeli director, animator, and multidisciplinary creator. His graduation film Talk About Samson screened at festivals in Japan, Russia, Romania, and Israel, and is taught in both academia and high schools as a tool for biblical studies. He later became Creative Director at Kan, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, and co-founded the global commemoration initiative Zikaron Basalon. Today he lectures at Bezalel Academy and Minshar College, leads a new digital content house at NMC United, and directs In Your Face, a portrait-drawing talk-show blending performance and illustration. His latest work is the animated short The Planet That Wasn’t There, adapted from Navy Bird’s graphic novel.

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EP. 1600: Filmmaker Kyle Arneson (Meevil the Weevil: Breakfast of Champions)

Meevil the Weevil: Breakfast of Champions, 4min., USA
Directed by Kyle Arneson
Meevil https://filmfreeway.com/submissions/32428116#ff_javascriptthe Weevil is a little bug with big dreams of being a stuntman. “Breakfast of Champions” mixes stop motion animation with live action footage where we follow Meevil’s thrilling ride across a 1970s breakfast table on rocket roller skates.

https://www.instagram.com/stunt.bug/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
The film came about after developing the character as a hesitant hero with big dreams of grandeur. It’s strongly inspired by the stunt men and women of the 1970’s and 80’s that I found so captivating back when the world was a little more shag-carpeted and wood-paneled. During this initial creative period I lost my father unexpectedly and it was at some point in the haze of the grieving process I realized that the relationship between Meevil, and Olis, his coach, mirrored that of my relationship to my father. So with that guiding light, the ethos of the project became clear and bringing it to reality became a goal for me as a way to honor my dad.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
From idea to final prduct this film took 3 years to make. Nothing happens fast in stop motion animation, the puppet had to be designed and built, all of the props and sets were hand made and the entire film was shot one frame at a time.

How would you describe your film in two words!?
Nostalgic fun!

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EP. 1532: Filmmaker Job Michiel van Zuijlen (KHENTOPIA)

KHENTOPIA, 72min., USA
Directed by Job Michiel van Zuijlen
Khentopia is a peaceful society on the planet Zeeray, where ethereal energy generated through chanting at Harmony Center is used to feed a protective shield that envelops the planet. All is well, until one June morning in 2502, the crew of raider ship Space Wolf is intent on breaking through the shield to carry out a pillage mission. They succeed in obliterating the ethereal power generation and so the protective shield. On top of that, a parallel universe emerges with an alternate Khentopia that is harsh and hostile.

http://khentopia.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?


The idea for Khentopia already existed for another story, but the inauguration of Trump 1 in 2017 made me think that we had entered a parallel world. I developed a new story with that in mind.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

It took about seven years. To get the story itself right was a challenge. I knew the beginning and the end, but I struggled with the middle.

How would you describe your film in two words!?

Khentopia regained.

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Because it took such a long time, the biggest challenge was to stay interested. It is also a lot of work, and some scenes are necessary but kind of tedious to do.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

I was pleasantly surprised by the insightful comments, especially from the second woman. She was able to distill various elements that I had put into the story and expressed them clearly.

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EP. 1442: Filmmaker Mitja Manjek (The Story of Marjan the Bunny)

The Story of Marjan the Bunny, 3min., Slovenia
Directed by Mitja Manjek
Marjan the bunny was the first pet of little Mitja, which was named after his dad. One day boy found an empty cage and he didn't know where the bunny had disappeared.

http://www.mancekmitja.si/en/Films/ProfessionalYears/TheStoryOfMarjanTheBunny/

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EP. 1430: Filmmaker Nathan William Frost (Pongo Labyrinth)

Pongo Labyrinth [VTuber KawaiiMermaid120’s Final Livestream], 11min., USA
Directed by Nathan William Frost
An eerie glitchy stop-motion video made by Nathan Frost about a Virtual YouTuber’s final livestream.

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?:

I was inspired to make Pongo Labyrinth from growing up on the internet and seeing it evolve and devolve in real time. Mostly devolve, through online parasocial relationships of creators and Silicon Valley algorithms used to suppressed people In actual need of help. This new era of the internet has led to creators having to bend a knee to algorithms and be someone they’re not. Creators are forced to make quick and sanitized art to keep up with the algorithm. It leads to burnout and kills creativity. It also leads to creators getting addicted to likes and followers as a source of dopamine. Due to the abusive algorithm, some creators lean into their audience/viewers’ support for their own benefit. They become obsessed with power. Only then will viewers see the creators’ true colors as the persona starts to slip, one way or another. I made Pongo Labyrinth to express that mind-numbing horror of losing one’s true self on the internet.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?:

Pongo Labyrinth took a year to make from the idea stage to the ten minute and 30 second finished work. The idea of an orangutan in a fleshy landscape came to me while at college in biology class for some reason.

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EP. 1416: Filmmakers Ling Han & Tzu-Ying Ho (CHAIN)

CHAIN, 5min., USA
Directed by Ling Han
“Chain,” directed by Ling Han, is a 3D animated short film featuring charming characters and a sophisticated environment. It uniquely tells the story of the mantis catching the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

https://www.chainanimationofficial.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559900085971
https://www.instagram.com/chain_animation_official/

Get to know filmmaker Ling Han:

What motivated you to make this film?
On my journey to becoming a professional animator, I’m always seeking opportunities to grow and improve my artistic skills. In 2021, I started wondering how I could challenge myself further. Directing seemed like the perfect way to step outside my comfort zone and push my creative boundaries. That’s why I decided to make this film.

. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
Creating this film took us over two and a half years. We continuously faced numerous challenges, including a limited budget and technical issues. These challenges significantly influenced the schedule of the project.

How would you describe your film in two words!?
I would describe my film as ‘challenging and rewarding.’ It was challenging because completing the entire project was difficult. It was rewarding because our teammates all grew as better artists throughout the process.

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EP. 1386 - Filmmaker Sammy Verni (LOW DOWN LARRY CONQUERS THE MOON MEN)

LOW DOWN LARRY CONQUERS THE MOON MEN, 4min., USA
Directed by Sammy Verni
At the height of the Space Race in July 1969, Larry Johnson and his trusty sidekick Spike, endeavor to be the first man (and dog) to set foot (and paw) on the Moon.

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

Low Down Larry Conquers the Moon Men is the first in a series of shorts that I have made based on a comic book character I used to draw when I was about ten years old. I see it as a love letter to that time in my life, as well as an homage to sci fi b movies, classic stop motion and the Saturday morning cartoons that I grew up with.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

I was happy to see the reviewers understood the style, the inspiration and the humor of the film. They even made me aware of some plot points and themes I hadn’t even considered when I was creating the story!

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EP. 1353 - Filmmaker Mia Lobo (FLY AWAY, FROGGY BOY)

FLY AWAY, FROGGY BOY, 8min., Canada
Directed by Mia Lobo
Fly Detective Francis McFly loses his partner to the infamous ‘Croaks’, a frog gang at the centre of his most recent investigation. Stricken by grief, he decides to get revenge, and go head to head with their ravenous leader, The Frogfather.

https://mialobo.com/home

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

Fly Away, Froggy Boy was my final year thesis film. Everyone in their final year at my animation program was required to pitch a film idea, present it to our final year classmates, and the film ideas were chosen based on popular vote. The idea came from a joke between me and my partner (the co-creator, foley artist and voice of McFly), quite literally “Imagine if you pitched a film about a fly getting revenge on frogs”. I decided to pitch it to my class to see if anyone would be drawn to the idea as much as we were. We ended up one of the four films chosen to be made that year! People really love the idea.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

It was a great feedback video!I found it really interesting to see what aspects of the film jump out at people. The whole project is a lot less surprising and fresh for me because I worked on it for so long. Being able to hear people talk about the specific elements of the film that they found really unique, fresh and fun, reminds me of how great the project is, and how I felt the exact same way during the process.

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EP. 1343 - Filmmaker/Animator Kenja Chen (WHEN I'M WITH YOU)

WHEN I’M WITH YOU, 4min., Canada
Directed by Kanja Chen
An emotional tale of how the enduring love between a young boy and his grandfather bridges the gap between generations.

https://www.instagram.com/kanjachen/

Kanja has directed several award-winning short films that have been showcased at numerous film festivals. This animated short marks his directorial debut in the genre, allowing him to focus on a deeply personal story.

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EP. 1337 - Filmmaker Małgorzata Szyszka (MAGIC OF PODLASIE, SPIRIT OF SWEETNESS, GREEN SWEATER)

Watch Małgorzata Szyszka’s films on the WILDsound Platform:

SPIRIT OF SWEETNESS: https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/watch-spirit-of-sweetness

Why, in today's civilized world, do we still use the methods and means of healing bodies and souls used by our grandparents? Who really are Whishperes? How does modern psychology look at rituals and whisherers? The tradition of whispering/praying in the Ortodox Church language is passed down from generation to generation. The film asks many questions and seeks answers from experts in various fields: therapists/psychologists, anthropologists, ethnographers, but also residents of Podlasie.

GREEN SWEATER: https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/watch-green-sweater

When you lose everything, you have nothing And the body will deceive you. It appears like a bird from paradise .. Longing for a green sweater Longing for a parrot blouse Longing for the Mexican frill Longing for a green sweater. For yourself, for all of you.

DOCTOR OF THE "POLISH EAGLES": https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/watch-doctor-of-the-polish-eagles

The film tells about the work of doctor Janusz Garlicki of the Polish national football team, which won, among others, the Olympic gold medal during the time of coach Kazimierz Górski.

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EP. 1325 - Filmmaker Patrick McCarthy (Paraland: The Prologue)

Patrick McCarthy is a self taught animator who went from being a comedian sleeping in his car to becoming a Storyboard Artist at Family Guy. Patrick made multiple animations that went viral amassing millions of views on YouTube, and he has spent the last 6 years developing Paraland.


Watch his viral films on his YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@PatrickMcCarthyAnimations

PARALAND: THE PROLOGUE, 4min., USA

Directed by Patrick McCarthy

Paraland is the story of three heroes charged with rebuilding the realm following the reign of a hateful tyrant. As they struggle to unite the land and bring together the twelve races, they must also solve magical mysteries, defeat legendary foes, and endure the gods’ twisted sense of humor.

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EP. 1290 - Filmmaker Richard Thompson (M0D3RN T1M3Z)

M0D3RN T1M3Z, 30 seconds, USA
Directed by Richard Thompson
A machine comes to life in a 3D animation short inspired by Charlie Chaplin.

https://www.instagram.com/r_crosbythompson

Get to know the filmmaker:

I wanted to use it as a teaching tool. I teach digital design with a specific focus on bringing virtual characters to life and visual storytelling through animation. I created an assignment where students had to design a non-humanoid machine that first had to move as if it were only a machine but comes alive with cause. As a class, we could then discuss the differences in the type of movement needed to convey that change from machine to living creature. Two main characteristics defining living creatures are movement with intent and responding to environmental stimuli. The other thing I wanted my students to focus on was only creating the objects needed to tell their story — that is the reason for the lack of any environment. I wanted to emphasize the importance of story and creating an empathetic link — not spending weeks creating an environment that would likely make little difference to their story (only much time-consuming work). For the machine-like animation, I drew inspiration from Charlie Chaplin’s turn as an animatronic in The Circus. I always do the assignment myself before giving it to my students. I also record tutorial videos that support their learning and process when they get to do it. Once I had created the animation, I showed it to a few people and it always got a strong reaction even though there was no sound at the time. This made me think about submitting it to film festivals. I asked my oldest son — who is in the film industry — if he would add sound. I started to submit the film and have been a little blown away by the reception it has received.

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EP. 1269 - Filmmaker Sammy Verni (Low Down Larry Versus the Giant Reptile)

Low Down Larry Versus the Giant Reptile, 7min., USA
Directed by Sammy Verni
In their latest adventure together, Larry and Spike set out in a time machine to be the first to bring a living dinosaur back with them to present day. They’ve already been to the Moon and back, but this time have they gone too far?

Get to know the filmmaker:

Low Down Larry Versus the Giant Reptile is the second in a series of shorts that I have made based on a comic book character I used to draw when I was about ten years old. I see it as a love letter to that time in my life as well as an homage to sci fi b movies, classic stop motion and the Saturday morning cartoons that I grew up with.

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EP. 1246 - Filmmaker Sean Winslow (PETEY POSSUM)

PETEY POSSUM, 5min., USA
Directed by Sean Winslow
Oh no! It’s *enter name here* birthday and Petey’s running late! Follow him on his journey to make the party.

https://www.instagram.com/seanpwinslow

Get to know the filmmaker:

I like to write sketch comedy, so I was thinking about random funny ideas. I have a memory from my 6th birthday party at Chuck – E – Cheese of a TV above the stage showcasing Chuckie getting ready in quick clips before appearing in front of a bunch of screaming children riding a sugar high. I thought, “Wouldn’t it be funny if he was getting ready, but things kept going horribly wrong as each clip progressed?”. That’s where the idea started.

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EP. 1204 - AnimatOR/Filmmaker David Calderón (I AM MORE)

I AM MORE, 3min., USA

Directed by David Calderon

I am more is an initiative by Animagic Studios to create a conversation around self-esteem and body confidence among young women, their families and social circles.

http://animagic.io/

https://www.instagram.com/iammoreproject/

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1190 - Filmmaker Suniva Maya Miller (ROOM OF MEMORIES)

ROOM OF MEMORIES, 2min., Australia
Directed by Suniva Maya Miller
The story of heartbreak told from the memory center of the brain.

https://instagram.com/caffeinated_dream_dream

Get to know the filmmaker:

It was my first ever animated film that I developed during my first year of university. For some reason I had this feeling that I had to make something so emotional and deep. At the time I had just been through a pretty rough breakup with someone who I had been friends with for much longer. So I wanted to write and make something that would reflect the complicated emotions I had surrounding this person and our relationship.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1090 - Filmmaker Steve West (MITO)

MITO, 7min,. USA
Directed by Steve West
Two companions venture through space, negotiating peril and cosmic ennui in search of a new home.

http://lazychief.com/
https://instagram.com/lazychief

Get to know the filmmaker:

My initial motivation for the project was in March 2020 during the first coronavirus restrictions but I abandoned it until around May 2023 when my cat Chief died of kidney failure. The death of the companion had always been part of the story but missing such a big part of my life that had been with me for 17 years encouraged me to finish the project.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1083 - Filmmaker Venus Jones (Lil’ RED is RIDING the wrong way in the HOOD!)

Lil’ RED is RIDING the wrong way in the HOOD!, 8min., USA
Directed by Venus Jones
This short film with a long title is a Hip Hop twist on a classic cautionary tale starts with an adventurous little boy getting lost on the wrong side of town. Childhood labor and public safety may sound like heavy topics, but they’re presented in an approachable manner in this timely and important project.

http://lilredmovie.com/

Get to know the filmmaker:

It began as a novelty book for “woke” grandmas and after it was rejected by some traditional publishers. l learned about an individual artist grant and I was interested in doing something new to elevate my work. I wrote my proposal to turn my poetic narrative based on a classic tale into a film and l won. I spoke of partnering with a nonprofit organization on the front line of the human trafficking epidemic. The funding inspired me to create the animation for Lil Red is Riding the Wrong Way in the Hood. I’m the first on record to make the main character a boy because the safety of boys has historically been overlooked in comparison to little girls. I also made the characters African American because our communities are presently reimagining public safety.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1080 - Filmmaker David Sanchez V (TWISTED GAZE)

TWISTED GAZE, 19min., Mexico
Directed by David Sanchez V
Diego travels to Turkey, makes a layover in Dubai. There he suffers a series of abuses by authority, sexual and homophobic by the police and military. This leads to a ceaseless search of identity and an obscure social questioning — psychological about masculinity, diversity and the “Who am I”.

https://instagram.com/diegoavilamx

Get to know the filmmaker;

The fact that in 2023 we can still be sexually abused for being homosexual. It took us 8 months from kicking off the project to wrapping it up. It all kicked off when we were working on another short film with Diego. He shared his experience in Dubai, and it stuck with me for a few days. When we caught up again, we decided to do something about it. Diego wrote everything down in great detail. After that, we recorded the “interview” (the voiceover you hear in the film). It was a two-hour-long recording… After that, we spent 2 months in post-production.


You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at
www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1037 - Filmmaker/Musician John Denicola (FLOAT ON HOPE)

FLOAT ON HOPE, 5min., USA
Directed by Debra DeNicola, John DeNicola
Float on Hope reflects on our feelings of how we are leaving planet Earth to our children and fellow beings. We thought the idea could be illustrated through the eyes of a young mouse that lives in the Amazon rainforest near Manaus, Brazil. The Mouse from Manaus can represent any living being on this earth that will be affected by the escalating global perils of Climate Change. John DeNicola’s music inspired lyricist Jason Stutts to write about his sadness of how we are leaving our planet to our children. Jason was reminded of music that affected him like Neil Young’s After The Gold Rush and the possibility of having to find another place for humanity to live. After a few months of searching we came across the amazing animation of Jenna Shot.

https://john-denicola.com/

Get to know director John Denicola:

John Denicola (Director / Songwriter / Musician): We thought that the song “Float On Hope” from my album She Said with its message regarding Climate Change was an important song to have a video to represent it. We had talked about a character The Mouse From Manaus to represent the Amazon before and thought it would be a great opportunity to make an animated video to voice our concerns about what could be done regarding climate change in a unique way that matches the music . We looked at many animators for many months that could convey that and when I ran across Jenna Shot I knew we had the right artist for this story. The lyrics of the song helped write the script.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.