Instead of looking at Elliots film uncle I think I would like to instead compare to Harvey Krumpet, as this is the first film that incorporated colour, the latter was in black and white. I think this will give me more of a comparison to make with Mary and Max.
http://afcarchive.screenaustralia.gov.au/newsandevents/afcnews/converse/elliot/newspage_93.aspx
SR: There is an interesting, and perhaps one could term a ‘very Adam Elliot’, balance of light and dark elements in Harvie Krumpet that is also apparent in your earlier work. It is a very funny film and yet there are Nazi invasions, death, suicide and lightning strikes. How would you describe your own sensibility – ironic, absurdist – and how does this relate to the positioning of your omniscient narrator?
AE: No-one’s life is completely fabulous, full of laughs and good fortune. Nor is even the most tragic life void of even the tiniest moment of humour. Life is, of course, a mix of highs and lows, some get more, others get less. There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to what quantities of each we get. We can only hope for the best and struggle on. I try and make my characters as real as possible and so naturally I present their journeys as a mix of comedy and tragedy; humour and pathos. All our lives are full of contradictions and absurdity from one time or another. Why should my little blobs of plasticine be any different? Why can’t I create a plasticine character that is thalidomide? So many animated characters lack depth and emotional dimension.
SR: All your films are like single character portraits. What interests you in concentrating on one character so intensely and yet counterbalancing with a narrator?
AE: I am a practicing minimalist and my favourite word is simplicity. It is my mantra and I had it written on a mirror in my studio when we shot Harvie. So much animation is cluttered with colour and movement. I think many animators are showing off their skills and in a way we have to experience their visual masturbations. The problem with short films is that they are so short! You don’t have much time to develop a multitude of characters and so I think it is much more sensible to concentrate on just one and cram as much information about their psyche as you can. You have to hook your audience in as quickly as possible and get them to know your character so they can empathise. A narrator is also a great aid and device to help detail your character as quickly and as eloquently as possible. Keep it simple and keep it focused.
Maddy Caulfield Animation 