Taos Shortz Film Festival - Ferus
Deep within a dark forest, a woman struggles to separate herself from her wild environment—in denial of the fact that she, too, is wild.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Heather Langley
Watch Ferus here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
As a graduate student of animation, I’ve come to realize that my approach to filmmaking is usually very conceptual. I love animation because you can basically create anything you can imagine, and I like taking advantage of the medium’s flexibility to explore ideas and emotions that are otherwise difficult to express.
With Ferus (which means “wild” in Latin), I wanted to delve into darker thematic territory than I usually do and explore the role that “control” plays in a person’s life—how we yearn to wield it, yet wish to be free from it. This power struggle is particularly evident in our relationship with the environment, which is the most ancient example of this conflict. In nature we have very little control, yet we attempt to enforce our influence nonetheless, sometimes succeeding. I thought it would be interesting to place the narrative against the backdrop of a powerful, magical forest that has an agenda of its own.
Considering this “wild” subject matter, I thought Ferus was the perfect film on which to experiment with a rugged, painterly 2D animation style. So my motivation in making this film was threefold: to explore the concept of control; to provide social and environmental commentary; and to attempt a visual style not often seen in animation.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
First and foremost, this film should be seen as an exploration, a conversation, or an open-ended dialogue about control, freedom, fear, and our most primal tendencies and desires. One of my favorite quotes by Marianne Williamson helped inspire the development of my Woman character: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” The Woman in my film embodies this fear, constantly working to subdue and contain the emotions and desires lurking inside her. But is this for better or for worse? You should watch Ferus to explore questions, not answers!
Secondly, you should watch Ferus as an art piece. On its own, this 4.5-minute film took me over a year to create, and that was all due to the style in which it was rendered: every single frame was painstakingly hand-painted in Photoshop and TV Paint by one person (me!). The result is that the film resembles a moving painting or “living” sculpture, but because of the time-consuming (i.e. costly) nature of the style, it’s rarely done in animation today. I spent over 1,000 hours just coloring this film alone. Every frame required an exceeding amount of thought to work correctly: I needed to stay consistent not just in color, but in form, lighting, movement, and texture. My hope is that the style adds a certain life (and also a certain pain!) to the story and engages the audience on a visceral level.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
There’s no denying it— in many ways, this is very much an autobiographical film! I often struggle with my own inner demons, as do we all, and that’s definitely a through-line in the film. Like the main character—whose hair is always up in a tight bun, who barricades herself against her environment in a tiny cabin, and who tries (in vain) to maintain an almost sterile sense of order—I too can be a little bit of a workaholic, hell-bent on maintaining a false sense of control. Like the Woman, there are times when I feel at odds with myself. And then there are other times when I just want to throw back my head and let the “unfettered me” come screaming out, naked and wild and free. My main character and I aren’t so very different (though I would like to think I’m a little less bearish…!). I have a hunch that many others can relate.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
Because there’s no dialogue in this film, it posed an extra challenge to me as a director to create visuals that upheld the action as well as the narrative. Without words, the paintings had to serve double-duty, in a sense. So there were certainly many, many revisions made to my storyboards and concepts in pre-production, and a lot of thought went into creating an animation style that served a pointed narrative purpose. I was fortunate enough to have Joshua Taback as my mentor on this project; as a seasoned animation director, he was instrumental in making sure I kept the story grounded, well-paced and easily digestible on the surface while still maintaining a cerebral undercurrent. In the end, the story and style came together organically once I fleshed out the motives of the Woman character. It took me many a rewrite to understand her completely!
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Without a doubt, the number one comment I receive after people watch this film is, “So what was that about?” Of course, there are many answers to that question, and that frustrates some people. They want a straightforward explanation, and I get that. Other people love the challenge of contemplating something difficult and not necessarily arriving at answers. I get that, too. Mostly, I just want an audience to be along for the ride and experience the film emotionally. I’m glad that so many people have been invested in the film enough to want to engage with it afterwards, however challenging that may be.
So far, the film has been awarded a Matt Groening Production Fellowship in Animation and a $10,000 grant from the National Association of Theatre Owners of California/Nevada. It is also been chosen as an official selection at the Taos Shortz Film Festival this March, and is waiting to hear back from a handful of other festivals.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Creating a film is always an act of courage. In many ways, showing your film can feel a bit like going out in public naked. You pour the contents of your heart and soul (and wallet) into your films, often for years at a time, all to have an audience for a few minutes whose primary objective is to pass judgement on what they see. It is always scary, often ruthless, and perhaps a little narcissistic; but it certainly takes an extra dollop of bravery to make art of any kind.
In hearing some responses to Ferus, I’ve become aware that I perhaps underestimated how many people do not enjoy having to “work” when watching a film. Not everyone wants to meet a film halfway; they just want to go to the theater for a few hours and be entertained. I understand and completely respect that. For these folks, I usually try to warn them that Ferus should be approached as art, not entertainment (though personally I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive!).
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Early on in the film’s development, I came across a quote by environmental activist Terry Tempest Williams: “To be whole. To be complete. Wildness reminds us what it means to be human, what we are connected to rather than what we are separate from.”
I thought this to be the perfect summation of what I was trying to achieve with my Woman character in her struggles for control versus freedom. She embodies a kind of yin and yang, where you cannot know one without the other. I’d like to share this message with others, particularly in light of current political events, in order to bring increasing awareness to humanity’s relationship with power, with each other, and especially with our environment, and our crucial need for balance going forward.
I’d also like for the film to be seen by other artists who may be interested in experimenting with different animation styles. I’d love to connect with other artist who may be interested in exploring the possibilities of digital technology and the range of 2D animation and share my own experience.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I’d love for this film to be seen by more eyes! Ferus caters to a pretty specific audience, and I want to be able to find those people who are willing to engage with the film on a cerebral level. I’d also love the chance to explain my vision and artistic process through additional outlets. Ferus touches upon some pretty heavy, heady topics and involved some pretty unusual production techniques, and I’d love the opportunity to explain and share the film to a wider group of people.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
When watching this film, I want people to feel it. It’s a very “raw” film, and I worked with some amazing musicians and sound designers who helped create an especially immersive experience. I want people to be excited, engaged, and maybe even a little scared while watching! I’m also hoping there will be people who recognize the time and dedication it took to complete a film in this style. It goes without saying that I sacrificed much of my mental, emotional, and bodily health in the making of this film, so it feels GREAT when people tell me, “Wow! What an undertaking! It looks amazing!” Hearing that others recognize and appreciate the dedication, time, and pure elbow grease I committed to this film is priceless to me, and makes all the pain more bearable in retrospect!
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Why is the film set in a forest?
What is that black inky goo that keeps showing up all over the Woman’s floor? What does it represent?
Why does the woman choose to go back inside her cabin at the end?
Is it human nature to fear our own power? Why or why not?
Would you like to add anything else?
I’d like to thank my key inspirations: the environmental work of Terry Tempest Williams; the films of Frederick Back, specifically The Man Who Planted Trees; and The Dam Keeper, by Tonko House.
For more information about the film, please visit www.hlangley.com/ferus or its Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/ferusfilm.
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
As creator and director, I’m currently finishing up my MFA degree at the UCLA Animation Workshop and working on my thesis film, Among the Stars, which is an animated musical meditation on the evolution of life on Earth.
Ferus’ composer, Stephen Spies, is currently finishing up his degree in Music Composition at UCLA and is freelancing as a composer. He has recently landed several big commercial spots. He is also assisting me on my thesis film.
Eric Cappello, Ferus’ sound designer, recently started a new position as Associate Sound Designer at Ready at Dawn, a video game studio based in Irvine, CA.
Joshua Taback, a veteran animator hailing from The Simpsons and Randy Cunningham: Ninth Grade Ninja, is currently working as a storyboard director at DreamWorks TV on the new series Spirit Riding Free, which will premiere on Netflix later this year.
Interview: March 2017
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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
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Ferus
Deep within a dark forest, a woman struggles to separate herself from her wild environment—in denial of the fact that she, too, is wild.
Length: 4:49
Director: Heather Langley
Producer: Heather Langley
Writer: Heather Langley
About the writer, director and producer:
With degrees in English literature, fine art, and creative writing, animation combines Heather’s many interests in one medium. It is her goal to make humorous, thoughtful animated films that promote awareness of current social, educational, and environmental issues. Her films have received awards from the CINE Golden Eagle Awards, the National Association of the Theater Owners of CA/NV, and the Matt Groening Production Fellowship, and have screened at festivals worldwide. When not in front of her computer, you can generally find Heather outdoors, running, hiking, or climbing trees.
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Film Festival directors, journalists
Funders: Matt Groening Production Fellowship in Animation; The National Association of Theater-Owners of California/Nevada Fellowship in Film
Made in association with: The UCLA Animation Workshop / UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
Where can I see it in the next month?
The film will be screening at the Taos Shortz Film Fest
from March 30 - April 2, 2017 in Taos, New Mexico; and in June, it will be screening at the UCLA Festival of Animation.