So over the course of 2020, a plethora of indie artists and I collaborated together on an experimental ensemble documentary called Romantic Chorus. Directed by Jeff M. Giordano and made by a team of vastly creative animators and filmmakers, the film itself was intended as a series of recorded interviews on relationships and love, all of which were brought to life through the talented works of brilliant animators (some of which are still in college). Having been through the film's short albeit wonderful production that kept many hungry creatives satisfied during the pandemic, I can safely say that the end result is worth checking out.
The film itself is broken up into four specific themes of monogamy, sex, fear and technology, all in chronological order. While seemingly simple at first given the general ideas on expectations over fantasies, the documentary ends up going into even deeper humanistic themes of paranoid thoughts on the future, the implications of children growing up in a heavily technological world, and even how society puts these ridiculous expectations on your status. At times the flow can be a bit overwhelming, but thanks to the general anthology structure, it ends up being forgiving to those who feel confused at points. I would even argue that you could rewatch the film with your ears only, so you can fully dissect what each individual person means in how much they are fearful of their own lives. One could argue that visuals should make this film into more of a secondary viewing than a primary, since you could spend your Sunday afternoon walking around a park whilst listening to the film as opposed to viewing it, and your experience will be the same, but not quite as substantive without the animated accompaniment.
As for the animation itself, what's interesting to note is that the production timeline lasted for about four and a half months, meaning that me and the other animators worked under our own schedules and timeframes just to complete our individual sequences on time. With every piece in a different style, ranging from traditional stop-motion, to digital 2D work, to experimental computer graphics, to even some rotoscoping, the amount of free range we were all given during the tense production was a breath of fresh air. Our intent was to create work that either fit the specific soundtracks to a T or go off on random tangents to allow our own minds seep into the interviews. It can be understandable that some moments may feel perplexing upon first viewing, but the more they flow, the more they allow the audio context to blend in with the visual subtext. Besides, we all believe that interpretation matters in this project more than a literal showcase. Considering how much more we animators still have countless concepts to explore, we haven't scratched the surface yet in what we have planned.
So in the end, not only has the work on Romantic Chorus paid off, but we all believe that this film's content is enough to garnish a cult following of critical thinkers. Considering how easy it is for some films to give a more literal perception in their narratives and message than others, we of the RC team believe that interpreting this film on your own merits warrants it a legacy in its own right. But even beyond that, what you see in the film should be enjoyable enough on its own so that you can be entertained on more than just one level. Here's to a possible future of success for this film, and check it out whenever you can!
The film itself is broken up into four specific themes of monogamy, sex, fear and technology, all in chronological order. While seemingly simple at first given the general ideas on expectations over fantasies, the documentary ends up going into even deeper humanistic themes of paranoid thoughts on the future, the implications of children growing up in a heavily technological world, and even how society puts these ridiculous expectations on your status. At times the flow can be a bit overwhelming, but thanks to the general anthology structure, it ends up being forgiving to those who feel confused at points. I would even argue that you could rewatch the film with your ears only, so you can fully dissect what each individual person means in how much they are fearful of their own lives. One could argue that visuals should make this film into more of a secondary viewing than a primary, since you could spend your Sunday afternoon walking around a park whilst listening to the film as opposed to viewing it, and your experience will be the same, but not quite as substantive without the animated accompaniment.
As for the animation itself, what's interesting to note is that the production timeline lasted for about four and a half months, meaning that me and the other animators worked under our own schedules and timeframes just to complete our individual sequences on time. With every piece in a different style, ranging from traditional stop-motion, to digital 2D work, to experimental computer graphics, to even some rotoscoping, the amount of free range we were all given during the tense production was a breath of fresh air. Our intent was to create work that either fit the specific soundtracks to a T or go off on random tangents to allow our own minds seep into the interviews. It can be understandable that some moments may feel perplexing upon first viewing, but the more they flow, the more they allow the audio context to blend in with the visual subtext. Besides, we all believe that interpretation matters in this project more than a literal showcase. Considering how much more we animators still have countless concepts to explore, we haven't scratched the surface yet in what we have planned.
So in the end, not only has the work on Romantic Chorus paid off, but we all believe that this film's content is enough to garnish a cult following of critical thinkers. Considering how easy it is for some films to give a more literal perception in their narratives and message than others, we of the RC team believe that interpreting this film on your own merits warrants it a legacy in its own right. But even beyond that, what you see in the film should be enjoyable enough on its own so that you can be entertained on more than just one level. Here's to a possible future of success for this film, and check it out whenever you can!
