Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

I’ve taken on all sorts of projects over the years, pushing out of my comfort zone and trying my hand at new methods and in different industries. While I enjoy learning as I go, for aspects of a project beyond my expertise, collaborating with experts is vital to creating a well-balanced, high-quality end result.

I recently completed a stop-motion video project for the UnTours Foundation. The short film, titled “Dollars That Make Sense,” encourages nonprofit foundations to make investments that are aligned with their organizations’ values. I had done some stop-motion work before, but this was a larger-scale project that required me to call upon friends and collaborators, both new and old, to bring my client’s vision to life.

I first co-wrote the script with Elizabeth Killough from UnTours, to ensure that the foundation’s message was clearly and accurately represented. Monica Moran, a longtime collaborator of mine, provided the voiceover and fine-tuned the script to improve its flow.

In keeping with the financial theme, the “puppets” in this stop-motion film are origami figures made from dollar bills. These were made by Sarah Liu, a crafter who has decades of experience folding origami.

As for the shoot itself, I handled direction, animation, and editing. Stephen van Vuuren served as my visual-effects supervisor, advising me on several key shots throughout the piece.

For the film’s score, I turned to Peter Tramo and Tom Hamilton. I have worked with Peter for over 20 years on a variety of projects, and his acoustic-based compositions complement my production style well.

Each collaborator’s expertise and individual touch has helped shape this project into something extraordinary. Their help allows me to focus on what I do best, while also elevating the quality of the project’s other elements.

For aspects of a project beyond my expertise, calling upon my collaborators is vital to creating a well-balanced, high-quality finished work.

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