I could see the smallest things

In the second half of 2024 I took part in Studio Camera Lab, a talent program for lens-based artists. Here I explored the possibilities of live animation, using a short story by Raymond Carver: I could see the smallest things (1981). Experimental animator Sverre Fredriksen coached me through the process.

The story is about Nancy, a middle aged woman living in an American suburb. She wakes up in the middle of the night because she hears the gate of her garden unlatch. She tries to wake her husband Cliff, an alcoholic who is fast asleep. Nancy can't go back to sleep and eventually goes outside to close the gate, where she finds that she experiences everything differently in the stillness of the night. There is also an encounter with her neighbour and former friend Sam, who is also up to kill the slugs that are eating his rosebushes.

I greatly admire Carver’s work, particularly his concise, impactful sentences. His stories often convey deep emotion through the smallest details observed by the narrator. I thought this story would make an excellent basis for a short film that pays tribute to the quietness of the night. For me, I Could See the Smallest Things touches on themes of control, which are inherently connected to the medium of puppetry. I was eager to explore how puppetry could add an extra layer to the story.

I ended up doing many experiments, using puppets, masks, 2D-animation, overhead projections and even a performance by real slugs! Sound design proved to be a very important part of bringing the world to life, and Ruud van der Made and Matthijs Blomjous have done a beautiful job there.

These experiments are a starting point that I hope to soon develop into a short film. I think there is great value in live performed animation, of which I have now started to find the possibilities.