One of the best things about filmmaking is that it is necessarily collaborative. Try as you might, it is (practically) impossible to make a movie by yourself…even if you write, direct, produce, etc. If you’re an animator — and, {cough, cough} a control freak — the temptation is certainly there; no actors, no crew, just you, your brain, and a computer. It’s strange. Trust me; I’ve tried it. (I wound up re-working the basic idea into a much leaner version and shooting it live action, a far more rewarding experience).

Without the fuel of other people’s input, the tendency is to overthink, overdo, and let frustration with the results beat the excitement right out of you. Writing short stories is a much more appropriate venue for flying solo, and is where I get my DIY jollies these days. Screenwriting comes close, but this is story-weaving with an eye toward the participation of many others… Are these characters an actor will enjoy playing? How will this play visually? And so on.

But the real payoff is in the making. Having talented and capable strangers take your material seriously, study it, and provide you with their ideas about it is one of the most exhilarating creative experiences I’ve ever had, and one I look forward to recreating on a larger scale soon. There’s nothing like, say, a wardrobe person telling you what a particular character might wear, and why. Fantastic! For someone who does most of his work alone (animating/writing), this kind of interplay is the real payoff. Winding up with a dang movie is a nice bonus too.