FAQ

Q. When was the film completed?

It was complete as of January 3rd, 2020! We were very excited that this coincided with the 100 year anniversary of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari being released - widely considered the first horror movie, and one of our influences.

Q. When did this project begin?

Our story and first sketches started taking shape in July 2012.

Q. Why did the film take so long to make?

There are several reasons, really.

The main reason is that everything in animation needs to be decided upon and created from scratch. In our case, a lot went into designing each element to highlight the chosen time period and style.

As an example, when we set out to create our laboratory set, we started with lots of questions - “How would our characters go about designing and inventing?” “How long has the space been inhabited, and how was it used previously?” “What is the balance between things looking ‘in-world,’ versus looking like a film set built with minimal resources?” Answers to questions like these informed our film, and we love that about it.

With so many decisions being made, it’s important new choices don’t conflict with pieces currently in place…but also that the things we’ve done already don’t hold us back from exploring better options as they come up.

Sound like walking a tight-rope? It is! Only over a span of years, and without knowing how things will look on the other side. So far so good, though! “The Mechanical Dancer” came together as we worked full-time jobs, followed career opportunities around the country, attended each other’s weddings, took care of family in good and rough times, and generally tackled life. We’re pretty normal(ish) in that way.

We’re just driven to tell stories too.

Q. Is there anything I can do to help you?

Our immediate answer is always to share our project. If you know someone who likes animation, horror films, or artists dedicated to making stuff they’re proud of, let them know about “The Mechanical Dancer.” They might see something they love, and you’ll look cool for knowing about us first.

Thanks for reading. Email additional questions to thundercrabstudios@gmail.com