A man is tempted to call his ex. An encounter both sweet and sour.

Interview with Writer/Director/Animator Daniela Sherer

Watch Sour here:

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

The film was originally a commission for Off The Air, an Adult Swim show, for an episode about the theme of Love. When I began to write and sketch for this animated film, I wanted to express the withdrawal-like symptoms of having a broken heart. It’s basically about the looping sensation of not being able to stop obsessing about someone. Milk gone sour was my metaphors of choice.

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

It’s a film I’d watch to be reminded of a magical, trippy feeling, of being in love. But also to have that realization, or perspective, of how holding on to this feeling keeps one in a self-harming place.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

The specific emotion and animated motion I’ve tried to infuse into the film are quite personal, but of course, breakups are a very universal experience.

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

I began with rough sketches and then wrote the script. I tried to imagine key moments in the animation and developed a storyboard from there.

After I’ve recorded the VO with the actor, Ryan O’Connor, I had a much better sense of how my main character should move and behave, and I began animating and putting the film together.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

The feedback has been great. One incredible reaction was a fan getting a tattoo of the main character. She contacted me on Instagram about the tattoo, and I felt incredibly honored.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

I’m grateful for getting such positive reactions, and the tattoo was especially surprising.

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

Hopefully that even more people would be aware of the film and can enjoy it once it’s online on Vimeo (soon).

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

Film festival directors, possibly. I’d love to screen it in more places.

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

I hope for the film to be thought-provoking but also super fun and entertaining.

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

Why is falling in love like an addiction? Why do we fall into self-harming ruts?

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

I’m currently working on finishing a short abstract film, as well as other commissioned projects and possibly other collaborations with AS.

Interview: April 2019

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

Sour

A man is tempted to call his ex. An encounter both sweet and sour.

Length: 2:00

Director: Daniela Sherer

Producer: Dave Hughes

Writer: Daniela Sherer

About the writer, director and producer:

DANIELA SHERER is an indie animator, illustrator and painter. She's a 2013 graduate of the RCA in London (animation MA) and a 2009 graduate of USC, LA. Daniela has worked on projects ranging from music videos and short independent films, to animated sequences for features and animation for the stage. Her clients include Cartoon Network (Adult Swim), NPR, ACLU, the Barbican Centre, Harvard University, Warp Records, Massive, Mailchimp, the Suzanne Dellal Centre, and more. Her animated films have won awards and have been exhibited in festivals worldwide, such as Annecy, Hiroshima, Zagreb, OIAF and Stuttgart ITFS. She draws frames lovingly.

DAVE HUGHES is an American television producer and editor, currently employed at Williams Street as well the founder of his production studio, Million Monkeys Inc. Hughes previously worked as a video editor while at MTV Animation, working on series such as Beavis and Butt-head, Celebrity Deathmatch and Cartoon Sushi, before meeting with coworker Matt Harrigan to work on Space Ghost Coast to Coast in Los Angeles. He has worked on several Adult Swim series, and is the creator of his own show for the network, Off the Air.

Key cast: Ryan O'Connor

Facebook: Daniela Sherer Studio

Twitter: @DanielaSherer

Instagram: @danielascocoon

Hashtags used: #sour #2danimation #animation #shortfilm #adultswim #goddamnlimes #drawnanimation

Website: danielasherer.com

Other: Vimeo

Made in association with: Adult Swim

Funders: Produced by Adult Swim

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Possibly on Vimeo soon.