Okay, don't judge - I made this film over a decade ago, when I was 16 years old. Weirdly, it was the project that launched me on my path. It went viral on Digg.com, won me some awards, and led to some direct interactions with some of my heroes - including Martin Scorsese and Michael Giacchino:
“A friend e-mailed me a link to your film... (because he noticed the use of The Incredibles score...) I know how hard it is to make these things, and I just wanted to tell you that you did a great job on the film! Congrats!”
When I received the email above I went nuts. It's amazing how such a simple word of approval can lift your spirits and make all your work worth it!
THROUGHLINE
When Craig Wilson, obsessed with the integrity of his lawn, encounters a rather peculiar pest, he decides to confront the situation.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION (as written by 17-year-old me)
"Let me go on a little rant here...
Filmmaking is tough. Especially when you're working alone. There were exactly two people involved in the making of this movie: the actor -- my dad -- and the guy who did everything else -- me.
When the editor, director, cameraman and animator is the same person, no two tasks can be worked on at once. Making a movie with such a bountiful crew takes a hell of a lot of time. And if one person is in charge of doing everything, something is bound to end up being weak. I mean, a guy who's skilled in composing shots may not be able to rig a 3D model, and a guy who's great at mixing sound effects may not be so good at directing actors.
But I didn't want this movie to be weak in any particular area. I wanted the animation to be equally as solid as the camerawork, and the story to be equally as solid as the compositing. Although that didn't quite happen, I think it's a good thing to strive for. This might explain why this movie took me so long to make. I began working on this movie in 2004. Two years later, after working with 4 hours of footage for months and months, we're left with a 5-minute short film. Was it worth it? I still haven't decided.
In any case, I really really hope you enjoy those 5 minutes."
(--Colin Levy, age 17)
