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Why the heck Poe? | |
There are many possibilities when you start to make a
short film. Some people have an idea, or a situation that they would like
to film, some deal with a set theme. On the other hand some, like me, read
a short story, which inspires her thoughts so that she has a clear mental
image, which she is sure will be worth filming.
One evening I lay in bed reading The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe - and nearly died ... of laughter. In the story the maniac kills an old man, because he is sickened by his ghastly eye. The corpse is hidden under the floorboards and there is a great fuss when the police, who turn up next morning, go swaggering through the house and are led to the very place, under which the old man's body is lying. Eventually the police would still notice nothing, even if he served them tea on the old man's grave. Overall, the maniac is incredibly brilliant. However then, his bad conscience takes revenge ... |
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This Poe story strikes right at my funny-bone, at least I find the story
intriguingly insane.
The next day, I started on the story-board. The film was to be 8 minutes long. We (a colleague and I) drew 24/7 for a whole year and it was done. So there is no romantic secret explaining why I of all people, filmed The Tell-Tale Heart. |
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Or so I thought ... | |
However when the film was almost ready and we were all having fun working on it, I became little by little aware of why this story gripped me specially - and why it felt so satisfying to me, when crazy Ed kills his father and succumbs to his own bad conscience about it. Of course, as with all film-makers, the reason for it is in my own wrecked childhood. As a small girl, I hated my father deeply. He was a very strict, cold so-and-so at that time. A real asshole. All my siblings hated him. |
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I remember sometimes how I used to go down to the cellar to the big freezer and look in, while in the meantime somebody relieved me of the dirty work. However I closed the lid disappointed every time. It was obvious that neither his detached head, nor any other separated body parts of my father were within. And I didn't want to dirty my own hands or to have to live with the consequences. | |
And the maniac Ed in the film, is actually me as I finally
put the old picture of my father under the floorboards.
And so we are quits. - Annette Jung, April, 18th 2007 |
[Do visit the film's website. Even if you do not know German there are some wonderful images, some from the film and others specially drawn. There is also a chance to watch the film's trailer. The website explains: "Under the manic direction of Annette, the film took shape ... meanwhile, Gregor Dashuber had crept into the project ... .Annette directed the animation as well as the animation of the hero, Ed, and looked after the layout, colour, composition and editing ... Gregor drew the backgrounds, the old man and the police.
Also take a look at Annette's new project website which is in English Trick Pirates - Editor]