Anatomy of a Three Minute Film

Tomorrow, I'm taking the last standardized test of my life-- and beginning film on my clay creature stop animation.

I got the story idea sometime in the early spring. Brainstormed with my cousin when I went to visit family in France in last May-- that's when it started to coalesce. Everyone was so enthusiastic, I felt like I had to make the film.

In June, I wrote the script and made my first sketches of the clay creatures.

In July I made the creatures.

In August, everything just sat-- I started wondering if I was really going to do this.

But in September, I happened to mention it to my mentor, and she seemed enthusiastic. I promised I would have it ready for her to see in a week.

Of course, I didn't. But in the last three weeks I've been building the set, researching stop animation, and watching as much short-film stop animation possible.

I'm setting everything (creature, set, camera) up tonight, and taking a few shots to get a feel for it. Tomorrow afternoon/evening, here I come! The goal is to get all shots done (about 2,200-2,700) by Tuesday. Yeah, it's basically impossible-- 700-800 shots/day, for three days. One of those days I'm taking the GRE, the next I'm going pumpkin picking, and the next I'm working.

But this coming week, I want to concentrate on editing, so it's absolutely got to get done. This is turning out to be a project I'm proud of, and I want a chance to show it off-- in time for Halloween, in time for meeting up with my former professors, and in time to show my film-making credentials to my possible writing partner!

Hmmm-- got something to prove, don't I?