Yep, I know. I’m setting myself up to be that guy who says they’re gonna make a novel only to not make a novel. Except the novel’s a feature film, which sounds like a higher setup for failure.
But I’m in too deep. I’ve been quietly chipping away at this feature film idea of mine for about a year now. Concept art. Character design. Story development. Heck, I just bought new animation software for this project as well as some royalty-free music which may or may not feature in the final film. Technically, I’m financially invested.
This is all to say: I’ve past the point of no return. I’m seeing this idea through, no matter how it turns out.
But what is that idea, exactly? Let’s leave the ‘what’ for another time. Let’s look at the ‘why’ or the ‘why now’ of it all.
I love filmmaking. Nothing else gives me the same kind of contentment, expressive fulfilment, or creative gratification. Over the past seven years, I’ve made a decent number of animated short films and music videos.
My big claim to fame was winning New Zealand’s 48Hours Filmmaking Competition in 2022 with Big Questions. That massive privilege came with a huge reward that allowed me to work with proper studios and proper producers with a proper budget for my follow-up short film, The Charm of the Magpies. (I’ll speak more on that incredible experience another time, as it relates heavily to why I’m doing this feature independently.)
I’ve also got another DIY short, The Vacuum, nearing completion, which I did with the help of my very good friend Doug Dillaman who crafted a fantastic soundscape for it. Previously, I did some animation for Doug’s one-of-a-kind rad-as-hell feature Gut Instinct which he did almost entirely by himself. I consider him an inspiration / largely to blame for me embarking on this journey.
The Vacuum, no idea when or how I’ll release this one
So why now? The timing just feels right. I’m 36 as of writing. I expect to be in my 40s by the time this thing’s complete. Being the writer, director, animator, editor, and – I guess – producer means this thing’s going to take a long time, especially when I’ve got a full-time job I’m very passionate about and a happy married life I’m most passionate about. But I’m at a good age for this, and I consider myself to be in a very privileged position.
It’s not that I have confidence in myself to pull this off. It’s more that I see a way forward, to attempt something I’ve always wanted to do, thanks to the experience I’ve accumulated making short films through my odd methods as well as learning a lot from Doug working on his feature.
I could have attempted to seek funding through the typical channels but that’s hard enough for a live-action New Zealand film, let alone an animated one. There’s been a big push for NZ animation over the last couple of years, which is great, but I can’t imagine funding bodies would immediately throw money on this particular idea of mine - nor would I blame them.
And I’m not particularly seeking to do this as a means of “career progression” or anything. Rather, when I did Big Questions, I always thought there was so much more that could have been done with the whole comic panel narrative device (some ideas didn’t make the final cut, other ideas came to me months afterwards). Now I have the concept that not only fits this exploration but means something deeply personal to me - and I’m beyond excited to submerge myself in it.
Here are my steps to making this feature. Don’t hold me to ‘em.
1) Concept art & story crafting. (This is mostly done.)
2) Writing the script & storyboarding. (Currently here. And yes, I’m doing these at the same time.)
3) Edit / animatic. (Just me doing this, working with temp voicework to help with pace adjustments and the kill-your-darlings phase.)
4) Voice recording. (I’ll reach out to friends and folks I’ve worked with in the past – or anyone who wants to take part – AND get them paid for their efforts.)
5) Animation. (Also just me.)
6) Post-production. (Reaching out to mates again for some small live-action elements, visual heft, and sound design. Maybe music. Whatever I can afford.)
7) Marketing… stuff? (Out of my depth here but won’t have to worry about this for years.)
I don’t know how this will turn out. Hell, this whole thing could collapse and turn me into the cliché of my nightmares. But I’m deeply drawn to seeing this film through and the DIYness of it all means the only person I need to satisfy is myself. That shining light has led me this far. Why stop now?
Follow me on this journey if you’re keen. I intend to be open about my process and progress. The subscribe box thingy is at the bottom of this page. I’m likely to only send a few emails out a year. I don’t have time to spam your inbox. I’ve got a film to make.