We all tell stories in our own way. Most simply tells others about their day, or something that happened to someone they know or heard about through others. The so-called “real” storytellers approach their gift and passion in many different ways. Some make TV shows or movies. Some prefer the prose route or via a video game or audio drama or the stage. I’m one of those who prefers to make comics because they’re more fun for me. Each of them have their own strengths and weaknesses, their own way of telling a story. And yet others go the route of animation. 2D, 3D, stop-motion, pixels, sprites–all different ways to tell a story in a way only animation can.
While Hollywood seems to actively work against animation outside of stories for kids or families, Japan has embraced how animation can tell a tale to people of any age. For other animators the internet has become a godsend, allowing them to tell a story or a joke in a way no other medium or format can. This has benefited all the storytellers, including the medium I wish to work in, but tonight we’re focusing on animation.
Josiah Brooks, better known as Jazza of Draw With Jazza, puts out videos of various art challenges, primarily but not limited to drawing. However, in a recent video he mentioned one animated production that he wished had more views, a short video called The Tale Teller, a story of a man looking to pass on his many stories before he passed on. It’s just under 9 minutes, which is way too short for a Saturday Night Showcase posting, but he followed it up with a series of mini-documentaries about his creative process and the art of animation in the internet age. I will be posting the playlist video so you can just sit there and let all four videos play, but since the documentary has some harsh language and occasional but mild graphic imagery I will also post a link just to The Tale Teller because it is a good video to share with kids. Just ask his son.
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