Filmmaker Interview for “Big Red”

Big Red
Director: James Pyle (United Kingdom)
After testing a device which allows him to understand squirrel language, reporter Jimmy Benson has a day that’s no walk in the park.
Animation

What drew you to create this film?
 I have been creating short comedies for many years, in both animation and live action. Big Red grew out of a desire to create a more long-form project than I had previously done, and also to combine the comedy/parody styles of my previous work with some more serious, horror-like elements. I originally pitched it as a live-action project, but after receiving a suggestion that it would work better in animation, I considered that it was the right project for such an undertaking after all.

What does filmmaking mean to you?
 The chance to tell stories that have an impact on others who watch, and to showcase your own ideas. I have made many of my short films as solo efforts, and have always loved the opportunity to develop my talents and entertain others. It also means the chance to connect with other creatives, and work together to create bigger and better things.

What advice would you give students or beginners that want to make films?
Be curious. Ideas can come from all kinds of places – films and books of all genres, times in history, places you travel to, people you meet in everyday life. The more you learn and allow yourself to experience, the more you will be able to draw from when creating new ideas.

In terms of filmmaking, I would agree with the common advice to “just do it” – rather than getting stuck on one big idea you’ll do ‘someday’, start with a small idea and get it actually finished, with the resources you have now. I would also add that there are many free resources available online, from software to sound effects, if you are willing to look and learn how to use them. (An example in software I always like to point to is the 3D animation program Blender – which was used to create the Oscar-winning animated feature Flow.)

What films do you watch again and again?
I have found that many of the films I come back to again and again have appeal to the ‘inner child’ – not necessarily for children or about childhood, but retaining that sense of fun, adventure and wonder – while still being well-made films in their own right. For example, 1938’s Adventures of Robin Hood with Errol Flynn, or the 1978 Christopher Reeve Superman film. That quality makes a refreshing contrast to more cynical or realistic works, and usually brings a smile to my face every time.

As an animator, I am also very interested in the many animated films that have been made over the years – an appreciation for the craft that goes into them, and the history of the medium, has also given me plenty to draw from in my own work.

Big Red will screen during the animation film/music video screening on Saturday the 19th that starts at 11:00am!