UNDERTOW, 3min,. USA
Directed by Justin Taylor
Margaret takes the train into the city, as she does every morning, plunging herself into a sea of commuters, memories, & anxiety.

https://www.tayloredanimations.com/
https://www.instagram.com/justin_taylor_2/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

The boring answer is that it was the culmination of my MFA program at SCAD. I might have been apprehensive to take on what is by far my biggest project to date. But if we’re discussing what motivated me to make THIS film, that’s a more interesting answer.

In part, at the start of the thesis process my professor encouraged us not to see it as the time to pursue a passion project but as our first contribution to our field. That forced me to consider what I could do within 2D animation that would be atypical. Something I think about often is the gap between our own subjective experience of life versus that of others. If 30 people are at a party, there are 30 different stories of how that party went. Much of our media today is centered around an epidemic of isolation from others and a growing divide in how we all experience life.

In animation, visual style is an intentional, thought-out tool through which a story is told. While animators are extremely creative, as an industry we tend to get stuck in trends of certain styles in large part for economic reasons that outweigh artistic freedom. At a certain point, the style is so ubiquitous that it becomes arbitrary and unrelated to the message being conveyed. I chose to put style at the center of the film’s focus by juxtaposing multiple as representations of different commuters’ perspectives to illustrate the difference of subjective experience I discussed before.

The intent behind all of this was to serve as an expression of my personal experience of the world today while also serving as a more general cultural critique. My hope is for us to one day repair the current fracturing we all feel.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

From end to end, the film took about 2 years to complete. Granted, it began as an entirely different story that was picked up, fully re-storyboarded, then put back down when elective courses took up more of my time. If I’d consolidated the process it probably could’ve taken 7-9 months. It’s funny and humbling to think about how long it took me to make a sub-three minute short film on my own.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

“Anxious Monotony”

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Time. Time, time, time. I decided to animate it on my own because while at SCAD there’s a lovely culture of younger students contributing to senior/thesis films, it becomes a whole other commitment and high expectation to place on kids who are making free work to put on their reels in their off-time.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

In the moments before, definitely stress. This was my first blind feedback I’ve received for the film and subconsciously you know friends/family will always be supportive. But the audience members’ feedback was so kind and helpful. I’m truly grateful to have had this opportunity. The feeling of hearing a stranger describe exactly what you wanted to convey and for them to appreciate it is I think at the heart of why every artist does all of this.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

It was some time during late highschool/early college. My family moved when I was halfway through high school. It was an isolating, unhappy time for me but a small, local movie theater was a 5-minute walk from our new house. On weekend nights if I wasn’t doing anything (which was often) I’d walk over to Park Plaza. It really helped me through that time.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

Besides the movies I’d fall asleep to for months on end as a child it’d probably be Lost In Translation. It’s my favorite film and heavily influenced undertow which I don’t think will be a surprise to anyone who has seen both. I’ve always admired Sofia Coppola’s ability to subtly convey emotion through subtext & atmosphere which I think really informed how I pursued this story.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

I wish more festivals offered this digital feedback opportunity like your festival does. While I’ve gotten my film into a good number of festivals there’s an ironic continuation of the sense of isolation I discuss in undertow in that since I don’t have the funds to travel to most of these festivals, the only concrete evidence of them taking place is a FilmFreeway email saying “Write a review for ____ festival” and occasionally some photos if I’m lucky. Don’t get me wrong I’m grateful for every selection I’ve received and many of these smaller festivals are run by tiny, hard-working teams.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

Despite my joking comment before FilmFreeway is extremely useful. None of what I’ve done in pursuing festivals would’ve been possible without it. It really makes getting your work seen as an indie filmmaker much more approachable.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Any cheese-filled pasta, probably with pesto sauce. Or a pastry and iced coffee in the morning.

11. What is next for you? A new film?

I’m job-searching in the animation/motion design fields while living in Savannah, GA after finishing my MFA and working at a local bar that helped me pay my way through school. I certainly want to make another film but I want to be much more efficient this time given everything I’ve learned from my first go round.