Interview with “Lucy & The Limbs” director Edlyn Capulong
Recently Sheridan graduate Edlyn Capulong released her final year film Lucy & the Limbs online. The film, about a lonely girl who finds solace with a very strange set of floating friends, is a beautiful mix of 2D animation and hand-built sets to give a warm and compelling look, with a surprising and comically dark ending. After being screened at multiple festivals and collecting awards at some of the most prestigious festivals, Skwigly were able to have a chat with the director and discuss just where this quirky little idea came from.
Can you tell us a bit about your background prior to Sheridan?
Everything kinda just happened, or seemingly fell into place. I was always interested in art, but not as anything more than something I did in my spare time. I took art classes in high school but they always seemed sort of like “easy pass” or “throwaway” classes? Unfortunate, but that’s the way public school viewed the arts when I was going through it. I didn’t know you could really pursue a career in it, and it wasn’t until high school when my art teacher told me to apply for Sheridan’s animation program. I hastily put a portfolio together last minute, seeing as I had nothing to really lose, and I honestly (honestly!) was so, so lucky. I got into the program with only .1 above the cutoff score.
Where did the idea for the limbs come from?
I was incredibly inspired by Alex Grigg’s short film Phantom Limb as well as Charles Huettner’s short film The Jump. I’ve also always been fascinated with body horror and I like animating drippy, goopy things so that’s pretty self explanatory.
Without wishing to give too much away, how did you come to the idea of the brilliant twist ending?
Hah! It actually came to be when a friend and I were joking about how to end the story and he suggested something super morbid. I ended up really liking the idea and taking it a step farther… maybe too far? I don’t know, I liked it.
The film mixes constructed scenes with hand drawn characters very effectively, why did you choose to combine these two techniques?
I really like hand-drawn animation, and I also really like building things. Best of both worlds.
The colour scheme and attention to lighting seemed quite crucial in this film, can you tell me a little about your process when it came to these aspects of your film?
Well I planned out all the colors first-hand. Drew a lot of inspiration color-wise from Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom. Then I basically painted and lit the sets to be as close to the colors I initially planned out. And of course, Photoshop helped with the final color correction, haha.
Were you responsible for most of the animation and making the set yourself?
Yes! I did have some wonderful helpers who helped color and animate shadows (whom which I definitely wouldn’t have finished my film without!) but yes, everything else was me.
You work in a variety of different techniques but your individual style shines through, what inspires you and where have you drawn influence from?
I am inspired by pretty much everything. I feel like I spend too much time on the internet, but there is just so much new stuff being created every day, all the time. I’m inspired by my friends and co-workers who are all incredibly talented artists. Charles Huettner, who I mentioned earlier was a huge influence when I was in college. The summer right before college I got super into Adventure Time and I remember it being so, so revolutionary in terms of animated cartoons at the time it came out. The pilot was very… out there, and kind of ridiculous, but I fell in love with it so hard. I’m rambling and maybe am getting a bit off-topic, but as far as inspiring goes, I have a few musician friends back in my hometown, and they play around with their music not to ever make it big, or gain a huge following, but for the sake of creating something new or something they or their friends will like. Art for art’s sake. These days, it’s more pleasant for me try to make art I personally like and find appealing.
How has the festival response to the film been?
Pretty good. I got into the Ottawa International Animation festival and ended up with an honorable mention so that was pretty sweet.
Since graduating from Sheridan what have you been working on?
Job-wise, I’ve been working at Jibjab Studios here in Los Angeles. A really close friend of mine and I just finished up an artbook together! Which was very exciting. Other than that, I’ve just kind of been working on small things for myself.
What are your hopes for the future? Do you have another film planned?
I want to make another film! But it requires a lot planning during my spare time, and I have too many ideas floating in my head but nothing completely concrete. Hopefully I can figure that out soon!
For more work from Edlyn Capulong visit edlynbot.com