Moviemaker Spotlight: Joshua Frankel
Joshua Frankel has been working as an animator and in visual effects for the past six years. His film, Bicycle Messengers, features animated messengers set against a backdrop of live action footage shot in Manhattan. “I was interested in integrating my animation, but drawing attention to the differences between the real and the fantasy,” Joshua says.
In the piece, Joshua says, he “cast bicycle messengers as mythological heroes in our contemporary society. They can do things that no one else can, they risk life and limb for their task, they live by their own codes, and they are simultaneously admired and feared by the general public. Like comic superheroes, a lot of them even wear tights. Usually we need to go off into fantasy worlds in find romanticism these days… its pretty fun find some of those elements right here in our midst. I’ve tried to do it in a way that is fair and not offensive, (mostly by leaving lots of bits mysterious so that the viewer’s imagination has a lot to chew on), and so far the reactions from messengers has been positive, so that’s good.”
Next up Joshua is working on a short fully animated piece about climate change. He’s also developing concepts for a more narrative extension of Bicycle Messengers and a public art piece that he describes as “fairly ambitious.”
This looks really cool, but I don’t get it. So they film is not animated it’s just aminated characters over the footage? I look forward to seeing it. Don’t think I can make it on Friday but I’ll be there Saturday for sure! Any chance the Sat at 9p screening will be wild like Friday always is????
by the way, it’s just that I gotta work on Friday, otherwise I would of course be there that night!!
I’ve been working in this style for a while and I can tell you it’s a real art to be able to lay animation over llive action. I can’t wait to see Bicycle Messengers. I took off work that night so I can be there in time to wait in line. wait in line. then wait in line some more.
this movie is really beautifully done – I highly recommend it!