Don Hertzfeldt

I think Don Hertzfeldt is quite possibly my favorite short film animator, he's an American animator who's been producing for fifteen years with many awards under his belt. I've recently come across recent releases of his on YouTube so felt the need to share.

His back to basics minimalist illustration style is reminiscent to anyone who has sat a doodled their own flick book animations (a perfect pass time for French lessons) and because of this has many endearing qualities which he uses to communicate liberal messages of his own opinions and societies values, but also to be as creative and expressive as his humorously dark and delightfully cynical imagination will let him.

This first animation "Rejected Cartoons (2000)" was born from his anti-consumerism values and his temptation to produce some of the worst cartoons he could think of for corporate companies in somewhat feigned hope that one might make it to air. The animation takes us through a series of rejected commissions through which the animator eventually breaks down consequently taking the world and characters he's created with him.

"The Animation Show (2003)" holds one of the messages I think speaks to a lot of adult content animators out there that have had to defend their medium of art to the unimaginative conventional minded folk that view it as juvenile. It sarcastically pushes the juvenile element of adult animation hard but if you can listen past all the flashing lights and special effects you will hear a poignant line or two on the expression of art through the animation medium.

Ever wondered why some kids are scared of balloons?...

I'd love to tell you where to go to checkout Don's collection but unfortunately they are hard to come by in the UK without paying a penny or two for them so here are a couple of other Hertzfedlt treats to be found on YouTube: Lily&Jim Pt 1/Pt 2 and Ah L'Amour.