Taking Flight
Taking Flight is a short film inspired by the life and heritage of Antonio Pasin, inventor of the Radio Flyer wagon. In this fictional tribute to Pasin’s legacy, what begins as a small boy’s over-scheduled, over supervised, boring day with Grandpa turns into a larger-than-life journey, narrowly escaping wild monkeys and battling aliens to save the universe. Through the power of imagination and epic adventure, a boy learns to be a kid, a father learns to be a dad, and a grandfather reminds us all what childhood is about.
Interview with Director Brandon Oldenburg
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
The CEO of a family owned and operated company, Robert Pasin, called us at Moonbot. They had us when they said Radio Flyer. Their product is a part of our DNA. The Radio Flyer is a vessel for you imagination. We wanted to explore this in an animated film!
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
If you’ve ever been a kid or if you ever feel like you may have forgotten what it was like to be one, this film is essential viewing material!
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
We at Moonbot Studios always want to tell stories for the kid in the adult and the adult in the kid.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
Quite a lot! The general story concept went through countless versions over the course of a year. Once we found the right path into the narrative, it took several drafts of a script.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The best feedback so far is when a parent comes up to me with a recently resurrected memory, a memory that had been long forgotten, of a moment with their child where they shared an imaginary adventure together.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It’s been affirming. We all have cherished memories of adventures with our guardians. It’s a universal thing that we all can remember and relive despite our age.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Myself and everyone at the studio has been so eager to share Taking Flight with the world. After nearly a year at festivals like the Rhode Island International Film Festival, it simply just feels great to see sites like this one taking notice of our film.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We have been very lucky at Moonbot to partner with our friends at Radio Flyer to create Taking Flight and our team just wants an audience to enjoy it. Hopefully, if we are so lucky, viewers will share the film and their memories of imaginative moments from their childhood.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
If we inspire outdoor creative play with a child and family, we will have done our job.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
When did you become an adult? When did you stop being a kid? What does it mean to grow up?
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
A short film collaboration with Dolby Laboratories.
Interview: September 2016
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela