More about Tallulah’s very small love story, from Vimeo:

Tallulah died too early and now lives in limbo, a small, defiant ghost who visits and revisits the scene of the tragedy on moonless nights. She is caught up in her sadness and the beauty of her sacrifice. She would do it all again. And does! Endlessly…

Inspiration for this character:

Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, Janis Joplin, Betty Boop, Tallulah Bankhead and the many women who can’t yet see how special they are.

I originally wrote this script (and storyboard) to showcase my skills when I did a 3DSMAX course, but hijacked it for a stop-motion animation course offered by UNIMA and AnimationSA in September 2009 instead because it was short enough for the project exercise. In one of those odd coincidences, the layout of the scene I’d drawn years before, was virtually identical to the little flat where I made the film.

I’d redone the voice-over after feedback about the sound in the first one, also opting for a more fluttery, flighty, moth-like approach, featuring James McGregor. Thank you James. Since it wasn’t recorded in very conducive conditions either, it’s not film-festival material, but we all have to start somewhere.

Am very grateful to UNIMA, the Cape Film Commission and AnimationSA (including Triggerfish) Cape Town for offering so many of us the opportunity to learn from some of the leading lights in the industry – many thanks to the facilitators. You were unstinting in sharing tricks of the trade and we all learned so much.

Also much gratitude to Verna Jooste for her voice – even though I had to change it to fit the character once she had a clearer identity! To Carola Meyer – many thanks for help with the construction of Tallulah and Warren Coetzer for enlightenment in some of the darker corners of Premiere.

And to the ‘Randalls’ I have known – thank you for the inspiration.