lefty_02_writey

Directed and animated by Tyler Klein Longmire

An animated short film.

Created in 72 hours as part of the Quickdraw Animation Society's 2022 Animation Lockdown.

Winner, Jury selection for outstanding short film, QAS Animation Lockdown screening.
Runner-up, Audience choice award, QAS Animation Lockdown screening.

Screenings:

  • Animation Lockdown screening, Contemporary Calgary Theatre, Calgary AB, June 2022.
  • National 48 Film Festival, TIFF Lightbox Theatre, Toronto ON, April 2023.
  • MicroBEAF Animation Festival, May 2023.

Sponsors

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

A left-handed child is forced to write with their right hand by a schoolteacher. Created in 72 hours for the 2022 Animation Lockdown film challenge, produced by the Quickdraw Animation Society, "Impossible Shapes" edition.

TYLER'S NOTES:

This film is based on a true story! I was left-handed until I got to grade one, where my teacher yelled at me every day, and made me write with my right hand instead. I had to spend YEARS using those stupid pencil grips to train my stupid fingers into writing (and drawing) again. I don't think I stopped using the grips until like grade 4. They thought I had motor control issues. Turns out, I was just left-handed.

I don't think they do that to kids anymore, which is good. I write with my right hand now, but I do a lot of things with my left. Somewhat ambidextrous now, but not really. Oh well.

Made this film using Blender, Toon Boom, After Effects and Premiere. I used a combination of 3D renders and 2D drawings for this film. The theme was "impossible shapes," so optical illusions were what we were riffing on for this year's challenge. I found an add-on for Blender that can generate those kinds of geometries in an isometric camera view, and I modeled a creepy wiggley hand for the "impossible shapes" my fingers had to form to hold my pencil. Then I drew all the characters in Toon Boom. For this year's challenge I mostly wanted to draw, be kind of sloppy about it, and try my hand at a 2D/3D hybrid workflow. I learned a lot about 3D outputs and compositing in 2022, and I wanted to test out my discoveries with my own work.

I love the Lockdown challenge. I used to produce it when I worked at Quickdraw, and it was really nice to be able to participate as a filmmaker this year instead of running the event.