- Yes.
-Gently.
Tilt it slowly.
-Little.
Take the frame.
Same direction?
Yes.
Ease it.
Not too much.
Little.
Yes.
-It's not working.
We need to do it again.
A bit smaller, poppet.
-Okay.
-Maybe...
Maybe I can help you come up
with some ideas.
-Sit.
So, tell me about your idea.
-Well, uh...
-Yeah, because you work
with your dad,
working for dad.
-Yeah. I want to finish my home.
-Yeah, we haven't worked
on it for 10 years.
-Yeah, I'm always developing,
and I'm trying anything,
ya know.
-Yeah.
-But I do get paid
to produce music.
Hey. She emerges
from her cave.
-Ella, look at you.
So, this is one
that we did last year.
The client was a bitch.
-Is this new stuff?
-Uh, well, this one's new,
and this one's new.
-Oh, wow, it's really good.
-Oh. Thanks, babe.
-You want a drink?
-Um. I'm okay. Thanks.
What are you...?
What are you doing?
-I need to go.
Playtime is over.
-Come on. I need to get back
before she wakes up.
I feel so used right now.
No, no, no.
-No, stay.
-Get off me.
I've got work to do.
-No, you haven't.
-When you think you'll finish
this film of yours?
-It's not my film.
It's my mom's.
-She's a legend. That's true.
-Her hands are getting worse.
I promised I'd help her
finish this last film.
So, she's the brains,
and I'm the hands.
That's the way it is.
-You don't want to make
your own films?
Find your own voice, ya know?
-I don't have my own voice.
- Poppet!
Poppet!
Wake up, poppet!
Time to work.
Are you tired, poppet?
Are you a little bit grumpy
this morning?
-No, I'm fine.
-All I want is
to finish this film...
before I die.
Is it such a burden?
Left 2 millimeters.
-What?
-Head left 2 millimeters.
Head left 2 millimeters!
Take the frame.
Left, half a millimeter.
What is wrong with you?
Half a millimet...
millimeter.
Leave it.
Back to where you were.
Put your hands on the puppet.
Leave it there.
Don't you dare move!
Don't move a muscle.
Don't blink.
Don't you dare...
move!
Don't move a muscle!
-Mom.
Mum.
Mom.
Don't move.
Mom.
- Well, she's not
responding to any stimuli.
We'll take her to ICU,
and have her for a CT scan.
She's in a coma.
Has she had
a stroke in the past?
Ella, has your
mother had a stroke in the past?
-She has arthritis
in her hands, and, uh...
She doesn't look real.
-Ella.
Look, you can stay here
as long as you like. Okay?
You shouldn't go back
to that place.
Ella.
Ella, you okay?
-I need to finish it.
-This is it.
Most people have moved out now.
We're gutting the place, so it's
going to be empty for a while.
They're all the same.
-Sh.
Can I see this one?
-I mean, it's
a pretty good studio.
I'd only hope for you
to use this as a space.
You can come back
to mine at night.
-Tom.
-All right. Well.
I'll stay with you, then.
-You'll distract me.
-No, I won't.
-I have to work.
I'm not stopping you.
-All right.
Uh, so,
I'll see you later, then?
Bring you some dinner.
I'm looking after you now.
Good luck with the film.
Excuse me.
Hear the echo
Hear the echo
Come play with me,
come play with me
-Hear the echo,
hear the echo
Wait!
-What's all that stuff?
-I'm making a film.
-Is it a cartoon?
-It's called
stop-motion animation.
-Can I see?
-Hey, hey, hey, hey!
That's not a toy.
It's okay. It's just.
It's delicate.
Look, I'll show you
how it works.
So, here's Mrs. Cyclops,
and inside her is an armature.
-An arm chair?
-Armature.
It's -- It's like her skeleton.
- Armature.
- Here.
-Say, that's inside that.
-See, I move her
a tiny bit like this.
And then, I take a picture
with this camera here.
Click.
I'll move her again.
Click, and again, click.
-And when you play
it all back,
it looks like she's moving.
-That's right.
-Yeah, that's a cartoon.
It must take ages.
-It does.
-Why bother?
-Well, because I like it,
and I'm good at it.
And...
And it feels like you're
bringing something to life.
It's about a Cyclops.
She traded one eye with the gods
to see her destiny.
But she saw her own death.
What do you think?
-Hm?
Well?
It's a bit boring.
-It's not finished,
and it's not boring.
Well, how do you think
I could make it better?
-I'm serious.
How would you do it?
-Make a new one.
-A new one?
-Yeah.
I know a better story.
You want to hear it?
-Go on then.
-There's a girl in the woods,
and she's scared.
-Why is she scared?
-Because she's lost.
-And what's so scary
about that?
-There's someone coming.
-Who's coming?
-What's that stuff?
-Uh, it's called
Mortician's Wax.
They use it to fix up the faces
of dead bodies for, like,
when the families want to see.
-You should definitely
make a girl from this.
-Yeah, right.
-Like, definitely.
-Look, I've got
to get on now, so...
-What else do you got here?
-It's been really nice
to meet you.
-How long are you
going to be here?
-I don't know.
-Someone's been busy.
Ella.
Give me your hand.
We'll go back to mine.
You need a break.
You'll feel
better after some food.
-I'm not hungry.
-Look at that. Huh?
There's someone coming.
-Hi.
Are you looking for, Tom?
He's not here.
-I came to see you, actually.
Tom told me about your mom.
I just...
I wanted to see
if you were okay.
Hm?
-I'm okay. Thank you.
-So...
What are you doing in there?
-Um, just a project.
-Oh, yeah?
-Uh, do you wanna come in?
-Oh.
Okay. Yeah.
What are you on?
-I'm not on anything.
-No?
Get my best ideas
when I'm tripping my tits off.
You know what? This might be
good for something we're doing.
You should come in for a chat.
-The adverts?
Mm, mm, mm, mm, mm
-Bye.
-Hm, hm, hm, hm
You're making my film?
-Well, really, it's my film.
-What do I press?
-Hang on. Settle down.
I'll press it.
-You don't like it?
Well, what's wrong with it?
-She doesn't look real.
-She's not supposed
to look real.
You told me to use the wax.
What are you looking for?
-See?
-See what?
-Make a new girl out of this.
Just imagine.
-It's raw meat. Dead meat.
-Yeah, but you
bring it to life.
-Well, it's too late anyway.
I've already started
with the other one.
-No, the next bit.
-Well, then it won't be
the same as the first bit.
-So what? Maybe she's
growing up or something.
Go on. Please.
I'll tell you what happens next.
Please!
Armature, armature,
armature
Armature, armature, armature
So, the guy runs away
through the woods.
She finds a house,
and she hides in it.
-And who's coming for her?
Maybe a wolf, like a "Red
Riding Hood" type thing.
-It's a man.
-What man?
-A man no one wants to meet.
He comes on three nights.
-What does he want?
-Hey, that's much better.
See.
You can use our skin.
See?
Looks better from down here.
-Like that?
-Yeah.
-What should we call this guy?
-Hm.
Ashes to ashes.
-The Ash Man.
-The man no one wants to meet.
-What are you doing?
- This new...the album.
How's your film going?
-It's going well.
Actually, um.
There was something.
No, I was --
I was wondering if...
Would it be okay if you don't
tell your sister what I'm doing?
She visited today.
Thanks.
Yeah. No, um, we could have
lunch tomorrow, if you like.
-Can't, I'm working.
See you at the party?
Flat 28. Ground floor.
-Mm-hm.
-He will come...
on three nights.
-What are you doing?
Why are you up?
Come on, I found something.
-Come on.
-Slow down.
-If you're going to make
The Ash Man,
you need to do it properly.
-I've already made The Ash Man.
-No, he needs to be made
out of something dead.
We could make an arm trowel
with the bones,
wrap them in skin, and give them
teeth and a tongue.
-Okay. I think we need
to go back now.
-Oh. Come on.
-No.
-Yes.
-Look, using a bit
of leftover meat is one thing.
This is something else.
-Well, I won't tell you
the next bit of the story, then.
-This is my film.
-Is it?
What happens next?
What happens
on that first night?
Do it without me, then.
-So, it's the first night,
and The Ash Man
comes and knocks.
And then...
And then...
I came to say, I'm sorry.
I couldn't finish your film.
I started my own.
Except it wasn't mine, was it?
Just someone else's.
Again?
I just don't have it in me,
do I?
Without someone telling me
what to do.
-Hey. You came.
-Where's your sister?
-Uh, she is...
-Hey. Hey!
-Hey, how are you?
I was just talking about you.
When are you going to come in
for that chat?
-You know what you said
about getting
your best ideas.
You know, um,
"Tripping your tits off."
-Yeah.
-Have you got some?
-Are you sure?
-Hey. All good?
I'm serious
about that job, you know.
We're pitching next week,
so how about tomorrow?
-I'd k*ll myself if I had
to work in a place like that.
-Howdy.
Hear the echo.
Come with me.
It is her.
Look for it.
Find it, Ella.
Find it.
-The Ash Man
comes on three nights.
-"The Ash Man
comes on three nights."
-On the first night...
He sees her.
-Talking to yourself is
the first sign of madness.
-Look who's talking.
-The Ash Man has to be made
out of something dead.
I see that now.
Dum-de-dum
Dum, de, dum, de, dum, mm
-Well, come on, then.
Much better.
See.
So, the girl is in the bungalow,
and The Ash Man's coming.
She tries to hide, but...
...he sees her.
- Ella.
Ella.
He saw me.
-Who saw you?
Hey, it's me.
Look...
did you take something
last night?
Snacks will probably
give you something.
-I didn't touch it.
The men from my film,
he came and looked
through the door, saw me.
-No, no, no, look,
you animated it. See?
-I want to go.
I want to go.
I want to go.
I want to go. I want to go.
-All right,
we're gonna go, okay.
-I need a shower.
-How'd you sleep?
-Good.
-What do you want?
-Um...
-You don't have to lie to me.
I know you didn't
sleep last night.
Whatever it is you think you saw
back there, it's not real.
-Yeah.
-You can have a bit of fun,
as well.
It's like me,
I don't let music rule my life.
It's all about balance.
-It's f*cking Barry Gibb
from the "Bee Gees."
-Don't you see,
it's f*cking Barry Gibb?
It's the hair.
-Sh.
- Sorry.
Thank you.
-Tomorrow, I just -- I think
you should just go out
and do something.
-Like what?
-Something normal.
It's not healthy to stay in...
Don't you want to hear
the next bit of the story?
-Leave me alone.
I've changed my mind.
I don't want to make
this film anymore.
-On the first night,
he sees her...
-Shut up.
-On the second night,
he touches her.
-Maybe, I was
too quick to leave.
-Well, hang on. There is
no way you're going back there.
-What else am I going to do?
I can't stop thinking about it.
I-I don't know
how to do anything else.
-Okay, okay, then -- then --
Then, you can come
help me at work,
and that will distract you.
-What, in some admin office
on a building site.
-Yeah. Sure. No.
I appreciate your efforts.
It's just time is money.
-Best if you don't
wander around.
Just call me
If you need something.
-Am I not working
with you?
-Here's the director.
-Stop whining.
-Brett, this is Ella Blake.
-Ah, hi.
Uh, Ella, over here.
We've got a crowd
scene tomorrow
for this toothpaste gig.
And we need a hundred eyes.
-I thought I was animating.
-Got to go
prep my pitch.
Have fun.
-No, you're not animating.
You're making eyes.
You just roll them up like that.
And don't forget they're people.
They don't need to be
exactly the same.
-Just roll them up?
-Yeah, you just roll them up.
7 mil wide. People, 3 mil.
Well, I'll be on 205, mate.
Let's move like cg, okay?
-I watched your mom's films
in uni.
The Medusa one.
Must been amazing growing up
in that environment.
Great -- Great writers.
-Always for me.
-Thank you.
-I think it really...
-Sorry.
-What is this?
-It's a mood board.
-These are pictures of my film.
-For reference.
Anyway, it's not
exactly the same.
I smartened up a bit.
Besides, I offered it to you,
and you told me to stick it.
-It's mine.
-Don't be so precious.
Anyway, I was going
to give you some money.
- What are you doing?
Hey. Stop! Stop! Stop!
Okay, okay.
Thank you, thank you.
Please, that's enough.
Ella.
-It's a wonderful medium,
isn't it?
Bringing dead things to life.
-What happens when it takes
on a life of its own?
-Are you scared?
-I'm scared at what'll happen
if I carry on?
And I'm scared of what will
happen if I don't.
-Poor, poppet.
Such a morbid imagination.
-I must take after my mum.
-Mm, the difference
is I can control it.
You can't.
-Of course, you'd think that.
Look at you now.
I'm the one living my life.
It's my turn.
You can't control anything.
You're a puppet...
caught in your own strings.
And if it isn't me pulling them,
it's somebody else.
But when the puppets are done
with their play...
...they're put back in the box.
-So, now it's the second night.
And The Ash Man comes back.
And this time, he touches her.
-No, that's not what happens.
The girl escapes,
and The Ash Man
doesn't touch her.
-That's not how it goes.
He comes three nights.
On the first night, he sees her,
and on the second night,
he touches her.
-Not anymore.
-You can't change it.
-Yes, I can, it's my film.
-Okay, then.
-On the second night,
she escapes.
-I told you.
-Keep your head still.
Follow my finger.
You were found wandering
near your building.
Do you remember how you got
that cut on your leg?
-My head still hurts.
-We're keeping you
in overnight under observation.
Rest now.
We'll talk more later.
She's got a nasty cut
on her leg,
and she's got...
-Thank you.
-If you think I did this
on purpose, the answer is no.
Ella.
Look...
I'm not saying
that you can't do your films.
Once you're better,
you can go back to making stuff.
I mean, we could
even work together.
You could do my music videos
for my album.
What's so funny?
-Nothing.
-No. Go on.
-You don't make music, Tom.
You put on a suit
and go to work.
f*ck you, Ella.
And you're what?
You're some f*cking
artistic genius animating
a steak and a dead fox.
Like, who the f*ck
wants to see that?!
Yeah, I-I thought you were
trying to work
through something,
so I was trying to help you.
I'm just not doing it anymore.
Do you know what?
I'm going to go there
right now,
and delete
the whole f*cking thing.
-Don't you dare.
-I'm going to clear the flat.
I'm going to throw it all away,
so, we can be done
with this sh*t.
-Wait, wait. Let me do it.
Just let me do it.
Okay. You're right.
I know this needs to stop.
I know it's bad for me.
But I started it.
I need to be the one to end it.
Please.
-No.
We'll do it together.
I'll drive you there
in the morning,
and I want you to do it.
-Thank you.
-I'm so sorry, Ella.
-Are we done here?
Hm, hm, hm, hm
Hm, hm, hm, hm,
hm, hm, hm, hm
The fox meat doesn't work.
It's all dried out now.
We need to find
something better.
-Something more bleedy.
Hm, hm, hm, hm
Hm, hm, hm
-Hey, come here a sec.
-What for?
-Come here.
I want to look at you.
-What are you doing?
-Have you got that out
of your system now?
-Hey, hey.
It's okay.
We're nearly there.
-I'm scared.
What happens on the third night?
What does The Ash Man do?
-Don't be scared.
It'll be all right.
It will be worth it.
Something only you
could have made.
Great artists always put
themselves into their work.
Hand me that.
Go!
-Oh, God.
-It's okay.
Come on, Ella.
-Let's get you out of here.
-Oh, gosh. Help me!
Stop! Stop!
-Stop!
-They're gonna ruin this.
-You're bleeding, Ella!
Tom!
Help me. Help me.
-This is even better.
-That bit.
Wow.
-Ready?
Steady.
Go.
-Isn't she going
to do anything?
-Sh. Watch.
What's he doing?
This isn't what happened.
-I love it.
Stopmotion (2023)
Moderator: Maskath3