Interview Conducted by Chandra Palermo for Wicked Magazine:
(used by permission)

1. What inspired you to take on this project?

My background in film and sculpture and passion for old literature seemed to make this project inevitable. Actually, it was a visit to the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site in Philadelphia that originally inspired this idea. I had a few other film projects in various stages of development at the time, which I decided to shelve in order to "fast-track" this one into production. "Fast-track" for stop motion still means several years! It was originally conceived of as part of a feature length collection of shorts based on 19th century literature, UNCANNY PUPPET FILMS.

2. Why did you choose Annabel Lee as the subject?

ANNABEL LEE is quintessential Poe -- a haunted soul, a lost love, and the nocturnal grave-quest. The epic quality of this Orphic adventure appealed to me, inspiring visions of a lone figure on a journey that cuts across a nightmarish landscape in order to be re-united with his lost love. Plus, I love rhymes! The horror of what the world has become after losing Annabel Lee to the grave, and the struggle with the "envious angels" were so clear to me, that I had way too much material to deal with! It easily could have been a feature-length film. Another aspect that appealed to me, that's also "quintessential Poe" was the point of view of the narrator. Cinematically, this "POV" allows for a very "expressionist" world, as the viewers see through the eyes of the possibly disturbed mind of the main character. In this film, Poe sees himself as a mere plaything of cruel and envious angelic beings -- with this in mind, I designed them as I felt that he would see them -- and they're unlike any angels and cherubs that you've ever seen! Also, the way that he sees himself is dealt with rather reflexively in the film. As his "puppet self-awareness" increases, various chords appear attached to his body. He goes through several stages throughout the story, requiring a different puppet for each one. This culminates in "Dead Poe", a desiccated corpse-like puppet husk that still believes in the power of eternal love.

3. Can you describe the technique/medium with which you are creating this project?

Stop-motion animation is the longest, most labor intensive form of film-making ever created! It works on the principle of "persistence of vision", an optical phenomena that causes the viewer to retain an image in their mind for a fraction of a second after viewing it. That's the basis of viewing any film, actually, but it is utilized in the creation of a stop-motion movie. Normal film is projected at 24 frames per second, each frame being a still image. Normally, you expose 24 frames per second while shooting. With stop-motion, you expose one frame at a time, just like taking images with a still camera. However, after you take one still, you manipulate the puppet or object a fraction of on inch, then step back and take another frame. 24 of these actions will give you one second of screen-time! If you have several characters interacting, they have wings and you're moving the camera ...you can imagine the concentration needed to maintain the shot!! ANNABEL LEE was shot using a Bolex camera on 16mm film, utilizing this process. All of the post-production work is being done digitally, in order to take advantage of the numerous effects and compositing available in that format. When I started it a few years ago, I was still a real "film-head". I wanted to keep it on film and end up with a projectible print...Experiencing the "digital revolution" first hand, and seeing amazing digital projection units in action, I conceded that that advantages and options of digital far outweighed what could be done within my budget if I stayed exclusively with celluloid film.

4. How long have you been working on it and are you working with anyone else?

Puppet construction began in early 1999. I started shooting in November of that year, up until March of 2001. This included the down-time of striking and constructing some pretty complicated sets as I went along. It was all shot within a pretty confined area in a subterranean studio, so each set took the place of the one before it! The building and shooting part had pretty much been a "one man band", but that's where it ended. Tony Pellegrino from Digital Asylum handled all of the post-production, including editing and some mind-blowing digital effects. His involvement has increased the vast scope of the film a hundredfold, and his many talents really brought the project together. The film is narrated by Jim Knipfel, a talented author whose work that I've admired. It was while attending a reading of his book "Slackjaw" that I was struck by his voice, and luckily he was interested in the project. The music was composed by the dynamic duo behind Northern Machine, Pat Gillis and Bill Warford. They did a great job with creepy sound effects too!

5. What are your hopes for the future of this project? (completion/distribution)

My goal is for as many people to see ANNABEL LEE as possible! The film festival route is currently the best way to do that, while I seek distribution. DVD is probably the best current medium for a picture like this.

6. Do you have future projects planned?

I'm currently in pre-production on OPAL, a strange adventure tale set in a lost Victorian city involving an artist and his descent into a nightmare world of plague, alchemy and madness! In the time that it took me to do ANNABEL LEE, I realized that I could have done a whole feature! That's what this is, mostly live-action, but jam packed with special effects, weird costumes and LOTS of creepy atmosphere. It's going to look archaic -- think "steampunk" filtered through German Expressionism! It'll also have some spooky stop- motion "beings" in it. I'd love to do more animated shorts, based on Poe's work or other old favorites. There's so much 19th century great weird literature out there, that so few people know of, I like doing this to create an awareness. Joan Kessler's book, DEMONS OF THE NIGHT is a great example of a collection that I consider to be a "must read"!

7.How did you take up this craft?

I've always loved stop-motion, and as far back as I can remember I've wanted to make films. What really set me off, though, was probably a Coney Island "ride-film" that I experienced when I was quite young. It was a rocket ship shaped mini-theatre that you went into, facing a screen upfront. The whole thing was a very primitive motion simulator, and played a "point of view" film while it shook you up. What played was a marvelous journey through a strange, alien-ridden planet as your "ship" lost control. I just loved it! Even then, I knew that the creatures were stop-motion, and that I would like to create a world like that for others to visit, as I just did. Today, 3-D IMAX gives me the same childishly magical feeling, and always fuels my creative fires!

8. Why did you choose to work in this medium?

Stop-motion animation is the most magical of mediums. You can create the illusion of life in any object, and very little has ever come close to the joy seeing your puppets move on the screen on their own, after countless hours of hard work. My goal was to create characters that people would believe were real -- to create a world beyond normal understanding, but to give the impression of a real place -- and to transport the audience there for 20 minutes, to be a part of that world and to feel for the characters. Stop-motion allowed me to do all of this, and more.

9. What are other techniques/mediums used in this craft?

There are so many disciplines that I don't know where to begin! Photography, sculpting, design, fabricating, patience and a good sense of timing and movement all came into play. I also utilized other forms of puppetry, including marionettes, and cable and rod controls.

10. What makes this a great craft through which to realize your vision on film?

(see #8)

11. Why is it great for horror in general?

The medium itself has an inherently creepy feel to it. It's uncanny and disturbing to watch puppets move on their own. If the medium itself creates this aesthetic, imagine what can be done with specific "horrific" visuals, designed to enhance this experience! It has a nightmare-quality that cannot be duplicated in any other artform, including computer graphics. While computer images may be designed with horrific elements, the fluidity is more dreamy than nightmarish.

12. How were you trained?

I attended the School of Visual Arts for training in film. The sculpting came kind of naturally, and I've just continued to develop it over the years. I had no training in stop-motion, and kind of jumped into this project knowing that it would be a constant problem-solving endeavor!

13. Do you have heroes, others you look up to for inspiration?

Ladislaw Starewicz. He was a Russian born animator that moved to France in 1917. He continued creating puppet films, including what I feel to be his masterpiece, THE MASCOT, a tale of a stuffed toy dog and his trip through Hell to retrieve an orange for a sick girl! Watching his films is an awe inspiring experience, from his amazing surreal images to the countless numbers of actions on the screen occurring simultaneously! Jan Svankmajer, the Brothers Quay, the Bolex Brothers, and Tim Burton/ Henry Selick cannot be forgotten. And of course, Fred Stuhr, the genius behind the stunning TOOL music videos, who tragically died a few years ago.

14. What have they done for the craft?

They've all created amazing works that continue to entertain and inspire -- and that's the most important thing that one can do for an artform -- inspire others to continue.

15. Has there ever been a golden era for this craft or is it yet to come?

The "golden era" was probably 1993, when Tim Burton and Henry Selick unleashed THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS. That film was the apex of stop-motion techniques, and was high profile enough for the public to recognize and enjoy.

16. What inspires your particular visual style?

German Expressionism, and its short lived cousin American Expressionism, have probably influenced me more than any other source. I find the idea of "psychic acoustics", that is that the environment taking on the characteristics of a the protagonist's anguished mental state, to be very inspiring and visually dynamic. Edvard Munch (The Scream) is probably the best known painter that used that technique. When I sculpted the Poe Puppet, I had both his works and those of Ivan Albright (The Picture of Dorian Gray) on my workbench. Other painters that I am indebted to include Beksinski, Bosch, Bacon, and many Symbolist and Romantic artists, including Bocklin and Friedrichs. The contemporary illustrators Brom and Ian Miller are also favorites. Through "creative evolution", with the addition of high-key theatrical lighting effects, I've synthesized all of these influences into the style of the film, which I call "Neon - Gothic"!

19. Is it hard to break into this craft?

You need persistence, unwavering faith in your vision and a Bolex! Is it hard to do? Yes, but if you can create the work, you can break into the field.

20. Are there many opportunities for distribution? What venues are open to filmmakers in your line?

There are more opportunities today than there ever have been for short films. Due to its nature of split "chapters", DVD technology is the best format today. You can jump from the menu to any short on the disc, without fast-forwarding and trying pinpoint what you want to see on a tape. Cable TV is also good, as are animation anthologies that get limited theatrical releases. The Internet is also obviously an option, but the technology for most of the public to enjoy a hassle-free quality viewing is still on the way.

21. What do you think of the Internet as a venue for this craft?

(see #20)

22. Has the takeover of CGI hurt or enhanced this craft? Or both?

Realistically, yes, CGI is killing the art. Off the top of my head, everything from MARS ATTACKS, JURASSIC PARK and the PILLSBURY DOUGHBOY have moved from stop-motion to CGI. In the end, I don't think that it comes down to the public's tastes. I doubt that most people even care! -- it relies on the industry. And the industry is moving away from it. Sure, you've got CELEBRITY DEATHMATCH and CHICKEN RUN, but CGI outnumbers stop-motion 100 to 1. If you see a painting that you like, are you concerned if its an oil or an acrylic? What matters to the general audience is the viewing experience. Is it good or bad? I happen to love CGI. It's a different medium, a different tool, and some great things can be done with it. Stop-motion has always had an erratic history. It's labor intensive and archaic, but like a fine piece of hand carved woodwork, there will always be artisans to carry on the tradition.

23. What would you like to see as the future of this craft?

(see #22)