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Q&A YOO LEE

NECTAR

DIRECTOR AND WRITER OF

"THE NECTAR INSTEAD"

The concept of a fly trapped in a fly trap is both whimsical and thought-provoking. What inspired you to explore this scenario, and how did you approach blending humor with existential themes?

I like to think I have a sense of humor as a writer and I knew going in, I wanted The Nectar Instead to be funny, I mean really laugh-out-loud funny to make myself and the crew laugh while making it. It's the only way I knew to make the grueling process of making a the film, after just wrapping a bigger projection doable, without a break. The story stemmed from my own garage studio, battling fly and also I can relate the the protagonist, having an existential crisis. I know it's cliche but it's very true to what I do, I only write about what I know.

Stop-motion animation often requires meticulous attention to detail. Can you discuss any specific techniques or artistic choices you made to convey the fly's emotions and inner turmoil?

I am a huge dog lover and always have dog(s) as companion. I knew designing the characters, the wings could work like dog's ears to conven emotions. Excited/ panic flaps animated in ones' with straight lines verus curvy, flappy, slower wing flaps to convey when the fly is sad/ deflated. I looked at my dog's ears for the inspiration. Also, I find it's the limitations that often pushes me to be creative so having eye balls that glue on with wax to convey emotions was also way to express emotions: larger pupils to get the audiences' sympathy... etc.

HSF