One of the most important topics of human existence is the concept of death. What happens to us when we die? Is there some omnipotent creator waiting to remind me of every wrong I’ve made through my life? Is death simply the antithesis of life? Does our conscience live on or does it enter an everlasting sleep devoid of dreams? These type of questions fascinate me because there is no way to know for certain and when you do die, there is no way to share your findings. Death is such a finite concept, yet it leads to so many unanswerable questions. My personal understanding is that death is the final octave at the end of your life’s sonnet.
I am, at heart, a storyteller. The majority of my work involves the stop motion medium to tell my story. I enjoy the rich detail and the ability to create faux realism though the use of miniature sets and puppets. This level of realism is difficult if not impossible to achieve with other animation techniques. This is due to the fact that every frame of a stop motion animation existed on a stage utilizing real objects, real lighting conditions, and real textures. This interest in stop motion comes from my early fascination with Sci Fi and monster movies such as the Star Wars films. These films heavily used stop motion animation in a time when computer animation was unheard of. The medium of stop motion has a unique connection to creationism in the fact that the animator physically creates life on screen out of inanimate objects frame by frame.
Much of my early life was spent internally questioning religious ideology and belief. As I grew older, my skepticism grew to where I currently reject the notion of an afterlife or second life. The followers of organized religion believe that they are preparing themselves for a second life that will come after they die. They study scripture, attend church, curtail their lifestyle, speak to deceased loved ones, and spread the message in faith that they will be accepted in a second life after they die. I feel these ideas and rituals come from a fear of the finality of death. My most firmly held belief today is that we have to enjoy/appreciate the brief time we have on this earth. I fear that these people may miss out on the beautiful opportunity that is this life and all it has to offer.
A major influence on this theme was a ritual I go through every time I fly on an airplane. Before the plane lands or takes off, I ask myself a series of existential questions. "Would I ready to die if the plane crashed?" "Do I still have work left to do?" "Would I be ready to complete this existence?" "Do people I care about still need me around?" I already know the answer to these questions, but it's a nice process that helps reassess my life goals and reaffirms the importance of this life. Someday I may be ready to die, I just have too much to accomplish still and I will not get a second chance.
I want to create an experience using stop motion animation that shows the viewer what it means to be comfortable with death and accepting one's end without a second beginning. The animated film will explore this topic in a linear/non linear story format and be 2-3 minutes in length. I hope to make a piece that is honest yet not condescending about my views, while also being wholly unique and engaging for the viewer.
