Animated Docs

It's easy for me to romanticize fields - documentary making is no different, uncovering real life, shot by shot, revealing the hardships and beauty of life. You get the idea, it's all wonderful. But I am doing my best to burst the bubble by learning about the challenges of the business, how hard it is to garner interest let alone dollars through pitches.

Outside of the political research I am working on, I have been tasked with researching basics on successful animated documentaries for a long term project. Waltz with Bashir may be the most famous in this genre, but it is predated by the work of the artistic genius behind Waking Life, Bob Sabiston. In 2004, he made a 12 minute short, Grasshopper. I am years behind in understanding cutting edge technology, but Sabiston took what's known as rotoscoping to a new level with computers by placing animated sketches over the live action shot.

Our project is not based on rotoscoping, more classic animation, but I fell in love with Sabiston's Grasshopper. It's an interview with an older Kashmiri man discussing philosophy in Central Park.

Watch for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIu0NMDjtCI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzlwVLgp44s&feature=related