Annecy International Animated Film Festival 2018 - Animal Behaviour
Dealing with what comes naturally isn’t easy, especially for animals. In Animal Behaviour, the latest animated short from the Oscar®-winning team of Alison Snowden and David Fine (Bob’s Birthday), five animals meet regularly to discuss their inner angst in a group therapy session led by Dr. Clement, a canine psychotherapist.
Interview with Writers/Directors Alison Snowden and David Fine
Watch Animal Behaviour here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
In terms of making a short, we wanted to get back to creating a film and animating it ourselves after working in TV series. We were excited about working with digital tools and all the advances since we last made a short in 1993. In terms of the story, we were interested in the issues raised around trying to deal with what comes naturally and whether or not one should even do that or if others should learn to accept you for who you are. Also, is there value in self-analysis and therapy?
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
If you enjoy comedy and animals and are interested in the subject, which is human behaviour, explored through animal behaviour.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
It started out much longer and with different animals. We honed the script, focussed on the balance of animals in the room and how they would interact, and we adjusted the tone of the ape to better suit our story.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
So far, so good. It has not played widely yet, but people have laughed and enjoyed the film in the limited screenings, so we are happy about that.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Not really looking to achieve anything I am aware of. If people know about the film because of your site, then thank you.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We just need the film to get out there and be screened so more people can see it.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
We hope it is enjoyed for its story and comedy, but we also hope that it provokes thoughts about the issues raised around self-awareness and dealing with who you are.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Is therapy a useful tool for self-exploration and improvement, or is it just about self-obsession and naval gazing?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Nothing specific yet. Taking a bit of a breather and enjoying seeing this film get out there. We have some ideas about what we want to do next, but not rushing.
Interview: June 2018
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. 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
Animal Behaviour
Dealing with what comes naturally isn’t easy, especially for animals. In Animal Behaviour, the latest animated short from the Oscar®-winning team of Alison Snowden and David Fine (Bob’s Birthday), five animals meet regularly to discuss their inner angst in a group therapy session led by Dr. Clement, a canine psychotherapist.
Length: 14 minutes
Directors: Alison Snowden, David Fine
Producer: Michael Fukushima at the National Film Board of Canada
Writer: Alison Snowden, David Fine
About the writer, director:
Alison Snowden and David Fine are acclaimed filmmakers and TV-series creators who have won numerous awards and received three Oscar nominations. Bob’s Birthday garnered them the statue for Best Animated Short and led to the acclaimed series Bob and Margaret, one of Comedy Central’s highest-rated series and the highest-rated Canadian animation series on Global TV.
Michael Fukushima (NFB PRODUCER)
Michael Fukushima has been making films since 1984. Michael became an NFB animation producer in 1997, and was appointed executive producer of the NFB’s fabled Animation Studio in 2013. Whilst continuing to produce a couple of films each year, Michael now focuses primarily on sustaining and building upon the seven-decade legacy of NFB Animation, and on mentoring the next generation of the Animation Studio. Animal Behaviour is Michael’s 2018 production.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nfb.ca/ OR https://www.facebook.com/onf.ca/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thenfb OR https://twitter.com/onf
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onf_nfb/
Filmmaker:
https://www.facebook.com/david.fine.372
Official website: http://snowdenfine.com/
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Film festivals like Zagreb, Annecy, Edinburgh and more to come!
Official Selection Annecy 2018
Competition - Short Films - Anima Mundi International Animation Festival 2018
Official Selection World Festival of Animated Film - Animafest Zagreb 2018
Official Selection Edinburgh International Film Festival 2018