Six Points with Nick Fox-Gieg
Submitted by smithct on Wed, 03/31/2010 - 14:20
This April, SFJFF brings you another animated short from director Nick Fox-Gieg. The Option of War adapts an early Kafka story, and screened as part of SFJFF's Jewtoons series in 2009. Nick spoke to SFJFF about the film, its inspiration, and some of the challenges he had making it.
What inspired you to make this film?
This was my graduate thesis at Cal Arts. I was familiar with the Kafka story it's based on, and I was vividly reminded of it when driving through Mexico's Oaxaca State at night in 2002. I'd already started work on it when the Iraq War began, and that couldn't help but strongly influence the direction it took from there.
What was your greatest challenge during the filmmaking process?
It was my first time working in HD, so there were a lot of unexpected technical obstacles. Fortunately, I was able to finish the film at the National Film Board of Canada's headquarters in Montreal, so I had access to some excellent advice and support.
Any thoughts you’d like to share about screening this film in a Jewish context?
The Kafka story's title is "Jackals and Arabs" ("Schakale und Araber"), and I believe its meaning is entirely innocent for the context of a Czech Jewish writer in 1917: it's a Silk Road-style merchant caravan that encounters the Jackals in the original, rather than the convoy of soldiers in my film. Kafka's context isn't ours, though, and it was clear to me from the beginning that the story would need to be revised as a result.
What film/media has inspired you lately?
I'm really excited about the animation possibilities now that match-moving software--used to create the amazing hand-held shots in films like "District 9"--is becoming affordable for low-budget filmmakers. I've also just finished playing "Bioshock" (yeah, I'm aware I'm slightly behind the times), which is the first video game I've seen that maintains a strong narrative throughout, and not just at key plot points.
What do you do when you’re not filmmaking?
I teach at York University, and I play keyboards, and then I generally run out of time.
Lastly, gefilte fish: delicious, or disgusting?
Depends on how it's made. We've got my Bubbie's recipe on file somewhere, for anyone who's interested.
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