Ryan Larkin is a Canadian man who was recognized in the late 1960's for his revolutionary drawings and animated film techniques. He made dozens of extraordinary animated films and in 1969, found himself in the World Spotlight when he was nominated for an Academy Award for Animation(his 5 minute short film called "En Marchant"or "Walking").
That year he did not win, losing to Disney's "It's Tough To Be A Bird".
Ryan's nominated short film consists of thousands of hand-drawn pictures of various figures simply walking. Although he did not win, many animators quickly started stealing his ideas, style and technique and before long, he was pushed out of the spotlight by imitators who "ripped off" his work and capitalized on it, making big money without giving him credit (a problem many artists face). Watch the cuts from this film and samples from others.
Other things happened to Ryan and he had a number of personal demons to battle:
a history of violence and abuse by his father
a family tragedy
serious bouts with depression and self doubt about his talent
These circumstances helped to either create or make worse, a problem with addiction to more than one abusable substance. The combination of all the above led to many other serious problems, and those in turn created huge problems with MONEYspecifically, not having any. The years passed, his depression and addictions got much worse, and so did his money problems. Eventually, Ryan found himself years later living and panhandling on the streets of Montreal.
In 2003, a modern day film maker (now in his forties)who was in elementary school when Ryan went to the Academy Awards, a man named Christopher Landreth, decided to make a documentary-styled film about one of his animation heroes, Ryan Larkin. So he went up to Montreal, did some investigating, found Ryan on the streets panhandling and got him to agree to an interview. It is an interesting interview and appears to be film based, but sources say it is not but uses modern computer-graphic (or CG) techniquescreating original images, thus turning it into an animated work of art in its own right. Landreth calls this form of animation "psychological realism" and it is much more than just a documentary filmit is an ingenious, modern, animated film about a man who was once himself a genius of animated film more than three decades ago. It is also a film that is as much about the film maker (Chris) as it is about his subject (Ryan). In 2005, this film was nominated for an academy award in the same category in which Ryan competed...it won Best Short Film (Animated) for 2004.
CHRIS WANTED TO MAKE THIS FILM FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS:
1. He had admired Ryan's work for many years
2. He feared he might end up like Ryan, that is, on the street, with other crushed and defeated victims of bad luck and circumstance
3. He also felt compelled to get Ryan working again
In order to do #3 above, Chris attempted, during the interview, to address Ryan's problems with alcohol and in so doing he discussed his own mother's addiction to and eventual destruction by alcohol. He doesn't want it to destroy Ryan, who has been a major inspiration to him, so Chris goes out on a limb, and like a guardian angel (watch for the animated halo over his head) he confronts Ryan about it...(watch Ryan's thermos when this happens, and then watch for Ryan's reaction).
OTHER THINGS TO LOOK FOR ; The use of POINT OF VIEW ; The "cafeteria" that is the setting for the interview ; the supporting characters in the background (sometimes foreground)What do these characters have in common? Felicity, the love of Ryan's life... Derek, his Producer at the National Film Board of Canada...The expert use of camera angles and various focal techniques...The little details in the background...Ryan's thermos, Chris's halo and many, many others...The way their insecurities, fears and flaws are represented by "tentacles" that come out of their own heads (minds?) and envelop or suffocate them--Note, therefore, how those heads are visual representations of their minds...Watch how this is also autobiographical for Christopher Landreth...Pay attention to the music and the tone it establishes Catch as much of the interview, as many words as you can...like the line... "I couldn't stop these young thieves from stealing my work!" What does Ryan have to say about MONEY? In the end, pay attention to Ryan and what he is doing out on the street...also pay attention to exactly how he is doing it. What about his reflection? Who else is out there on the street with him at the end? Has this person changed at all?
Wow. This is truly a work of art.
That year he did not win, losing to Disney's "It's Tough To Be A Bird".
Ryan's nominated short film consists of thousands of hand-drawn pictures of various figures simply walking. Although he did not win, many animators quickly started stealing his ideas, style and technique and before long, he was pushed out of the spotlight by imitators who "ripped off" his work and capitalized on it, making big money without giving him credit (a problem many artists face). Watch the cuts from this film and samples from others.
Other things happened to Ryan and he had a number of personal demons to battle:
a history of violence and abuse by his father
a family tragedy
serious bouts with depression and self doubt about his talent
These circumstances helped to either create or make worse, a problem with addiction to more than one abusable substance. The combination of all the above led to many other serious problems, and those in turn created huge problems with MONEYspecifically, not having any. The years passed, his depression and addictions got much worse, and so did his money problems. Eventually, Ryan found himself years later living and panhandling on the streets of Montreal.
In 2003, a modern day film maker (now in his forties)who was in elementary school when Ryan went to the Academy Awards, a man named Christopher Landreth, decided to make a documentary-styled film about one of his animation heroes, Ryan Larkin. So he went up to Montreal, did some investigating, found Ryan on the streets panhandling and got him to agree to an interview. It is an interesting interview and appears to be film based, but sources say it is not but uses modern computer-graphic (or CG) techniquescreating original images, thus turning it into an animated work of art in its own right. Landreth calls this form of animation "psychological realism" and it is much more than just a documentary filmit is an ingenious, modern, animated film about a man who was once himself a genius of animated film more than three decades ago. It is also a film that is as much about the film maker (Chris) as it is about his subject (Ryan). In 2005, this film was nominated for an academy award in the same category in which Ryan competed...it won Best Short Film (Animated) for 2004.
CHRIS WANTED TO MAKE THIS FILM FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS:
1. He had admired Ryan's work for many years
2. He feared he might end up like Ryan, that is, on the street, with other crushed and defeated victims of bad luck and circumstance
3. He also felt compelled to get Ryan working again
In order to do #3 above, Chris attempted, during the interview, to address Ryan's problems with alcohol and in so doing he discussed his own mother's addiction to and eventual destruction by alcohol. He doesn't want it to destroy Ryan, who has been a major inspiration to him, so Chris goes out on a limb, and like a guardian angel (watch for the animated halo over his head) he confronts Ryan about it...(watch Ryan's thermos when this happens, and then watch for Ryan's reaction).
OTHER THINGS TO LOOK FOR ; The use of POINT OF VIEW ; The "cafeteria" that is the setting for the interview ; the supporting characters in the background (sometimes foreground)What do these characters have in common? Felicity, the love of Ryan's life... Derek, his Producer at the National Film Board of Canada...The expert use of camera angles and various focal techniques...The little details in the background...Ryan's thermos, Chris's halo and many, many others...The way their insecurities, fears and flaws are represented by "tentacles" that come out of their own heads (minds?) and envelop or suffocate them--Note, therefore, how those heads are visual representations of their minds...Watch how this is also autobiographical for Christopher Landreth...Pay attention to the music and the tone it establishes Catch as much of the interview, as many words as you can...like the line... "I couldn't stop these young thieves from stealing my work!" What does Ryan have to say about MONEY? In the end, pay attention to Ryan and what he is doing out on the street...also pay attention to exactly how he is doing it. What about his reflection? Who else is out there on the street with him at the end? Has this person changed at all?
Wow. This is truly a work of art.