Sasquatch has always remained elusive in photos--but not for the reasons we think.

Interview with Director Sara Litzenberger

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

The idea came to me one afternoon while brainstorming and snowballed from there. I ultimately chose it because the rest of the story followed pretty easily, and because I’d get to draw a lot of plants.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

Well, it’s a pretty short film, for one! Hopefully the colours, jokes, and designs are enough to keep you invested.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

I didn’t actually realise how much meaning I had put into this film until a friend pointed it out to me—it really is about owning your own image. A lot of us don’t feel comfortable with how we look in candid photos, whether or not we’re as un-photogenic as Sasquatch, and “selfies” get a bit of a bad rap. But they allow you to have some control over your own image, and that’s important, I think!

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

Undiscovered is actually pretty unchanged from the original concept. There used to be more gags, but we brought it down to a classic three-joke montage. At one point, Sasquatch was going to scare a group of deer; at another, a hiker’s dog would scare him off before he could take a photo; we used to see more of the hikers’ reactions, especially when he gave them their cameras back—but these muddied up a story I wanted to keep relatively simple.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

Overall, it seems to be a bit of a crowdpleaser, which I’m happy with! Most notably I’ve gotten some very sweet emails from students and teachers saying kids love Undiscovered.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Though I’m not surprised my film’s been chosen more often for children’s film festivals, this wasn’t a film that was made to pander to children. I am pretty surprised it’s gone as far as it has, though!

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I like the mission here—to showcase new and upcoming artists and directors, and trying to tip the scales towards a more even gender ratio. Being a part of that is really great. And if more people out there get to enjoy my goofy sasquatch film as a result, then, fantastic!

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

I’ve been lucky enough to have received plenty of interest—more than I’ve ever expected—from festivals, websites (thank you We Are Moving Stories!), etc., but I think this might be the sort of film to benefit most from shares on social media and word of mouth.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

Like I said, more people just getting the chance to enjoy the film—maybe get a couple laughs, maybe feel the urge to explore more—would be more than I could ask for.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

I guess the question is how you like to be seen, how you like to portray yourself, and if you’re giving others the chance to project that image of themselves.

Would you like to add anything else?

I’d really like to say thank you to all the festivals who’ve selected Undiscovered for screening, all the judges who felt inclined to give it awards, every person who supported me along the way, and those who have reached out in appreciation of my film. It really means a lot that this many people enjoy my work.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I’m always working on something for myself, even with a full time job in the animation industry—right now I’m in the midst of a second short animated film, though I don’t anticipate a release before 2020. Check out my social media & website if you’re interested!

Interview: September 2018

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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

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Undiscovered

Sasquatch has always remained elusive in photos--but not for the reasons we think.

Length: 2 minutes 49 seconds

Director: Sara Litzenberger

About the director: Sara Litzenberger is an animator, illustrator, and occasional director in NYC. She earned her BFA in Animation from SCAD, where she made Undiscovered.

Key cast: Music by Sakda “Grant” Srikoetkhruen, Sound Design by Kai Paquin

Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Journalists.

Facebook: saracastically

Twitter: saracastically_

Instagram: saracastically

Tumblr: saracastically,

website (including process & behind-the-scenes!): saralitzenberger.com/undiscovered

Hashtags you use: #undiscoveredfilm

Where was this filmed? USA / Savannah, GA

Made in association with: Savannah College of Art and Design

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Currently only available as a trailer on Vimeo, but stay tuned for a public link!