Although his animated film won no awards, judges at an international animated film competition in Germany last week told Chris Miller '97 that his work had unofficially placed among their 20 favorite animated films.
Miller and his five-minute Sleazy the Wonder Squirrel film returned recently from a week in Stuttgart, Germany, where they competed with animated works from around the world for a $30,000 prize.
Miller's entry competed at the week-long Stuttgart International Animation Festival with approximately 70 other international works in the young animators section which included six entries from the United States.
Miller said his film was well-received by an audience of approximately 500.
"They laughed at all the right places," he said.
The Sleazy film played on a large screen after a spotlight introduced Miller to the audience, Miller said.
Miller said seeing the international audience reaction to his film and seeing all the other entries was educational.
"I learned what makes a successful animated film, which could help me if I make another one," he said.
Noting that his film was better received when it played at a similar exhibition New York, Miller explained that English was a second language for many audience members.
Miller said he spent much of the animation festival watching other entries in the competition.
"Basically they showed films in three buildings continually from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. everyday, and you could just choose which ones you wanted to see," Miller said.
In addition to the exhibitions at the conference, Miller attended workshops with other animators. All but one of this year's Academy Award nominated animators attended the event.
This year's Oscar winner, Rick Park, creator of the Wallace and Gromit claymation films and someone whom Miller considers to be a great influence, was visiting India at the time of the festival. But Miller did meet Park's co-writer
Miller said he is considering making a seven-minute Sleazy film as part of a two-term honors project in animation.
A student from Switzerland won the competition with an 18-minute film called "We Lived In Grass." "It was very good," Miller said. "He got $30,000."
