One of the advantages of going to film school is that they force you to watch a lot of movies. Of course, if you can make yourself watch a bunch, you could save hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans.
Still, there are some hidden gems professors show that can inspire you to be great—or at least never be boring. One of my favorite all-time professors, Lyn Elliot, was the best at showing us these gems. She introduced me to Don Hertzfeldt, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and this next cartoon.
Selected as one of the 50 Greatest Cartoons: As Selected by 1,000 Animation Professionals, Bambi Meets Godzilla is one of the funniest and most epic short films of all time. It was done by a student in 1969, and only cost $300 to make. Check out the movie from animation pioneer Marv Newland below.
Isn't that so fun? It's the perfect thing you can share with anyone, film lover or not. It's also the perfect example of what you can do to capture an audience.
Newland's hand-drawn masterpiece runs only 90 seconds. 48 seconds are devoted to the opening credits, and 27 seconds to the closing credits, leaving only 12 seconds of actual “action.” It's one of the most perfect payoffs.
It's not about the budget, it's about defying expectations, keeping the audience entertained, and making people want to immediately share with others. This nailed all those goals and more.
So get out there and make your own!
