Look Who’s Hiding In The Grass
toad
How we made the sound for “Toad”
I haven’t been well the last few days, mostly sleeping and dreaming.
One day I was remembering an old friend of ours, who still is very dear to us, but to whom we haven’t spoken for a long time.
Around the time we hung out, I was trying to make a film about a Toad that sat underneath a giant tap to keep itself alive. I needed a soundtrack, so I stealthily rigged up the old Juno and programmed it up with a crazy organ noise. S’ was out at the previously mentioned friends house and came back in a rather chilled mood. Unprompted, she sat at the keyboard and straight out played this, I had the 4-track ready to go and caught it.
Many years later I finished the film, and here it is.
I watched it a few days ago and realised that behind the toad thing it’s a concealed love letter from us, to our dear friend.
This post is for her.
Toad now on Vimeo
Toad from Paul Greer on Vimeo.
This was a project that was very long in the making. It began as very heavily storyboarded drawn piece based on a poem and the piece of music I had.
It slowly degenerated into the above.
Made in Maya.
So recently I submitted it to a few festivals with the following synopsis:
“God’s taps gleamed far above, like Chomolungma’s peak, but they leaked . The Devil’s toad sat by the death plug unable to progress beyond early meiotic division. Although distressed by Charons pet nymphs, it gained succour from the drip and stole time before new washers arrived.
Short psychedelic whimsey.”
Re-posted Toad
I’ve redone Toad with titles and have come up with a 49 word synopsis:
“God’s taps gleamed far above, like Chomolungma’s peak, but they leaked . The Devil’s toad sat by the death plug unable to progress beyond early meiotic division. Although distressed by Charons pet nymphs, it gained succour from the drip and stole time before new washers arrived.
Short psychedelic whimsey.”
It’s at MySpace and YouTube. Any ratings or comments given will be rewarded with kind thoughts and loving regards.
Toad
16 years later and I managed to get my shit together and make myself another animated short.
Time has been limited, so although a bit low on the content side, it’s mostly gut instinct, with hardly any sensible thought getting in the way.
It’s called “Toad” and you can see it at either MySpace or YouTube, depending on which side you like your corporate bread buttered.
Hopefully, it ‘s the first of a few, and next time, I might even start with a script.
Paul Greer 