A NSFW short animation! Malcolm Fetcher is a neurotic, middle-aged teacher lost in a dull marriage with his wife of twenty years. As he faces an all-consuming identity crisis, their marriage disintegrates and he is forced to express a deep, hidden desire... A hit at prestigious fests like Zagreb, Annecy, Ottawa, and Sapporo, winner of the the UK's BIFA Prize, and nominated for a prestigious Annie Award, Terri Matthews graduation film from London's National Film and Television School depicts a man grappling with his repressed sexual proclivities, doing so with both humor and ultimately empathy.
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THE WRONG END OF THE STICK
Directed by Terri Matthews
"Wanting to tell a “grippingly-awkward, darkly-comic, crazy-story for an adult audience”, Matthews hoped that her short would not only go someway to filling the gap in mainstream British adult animation, but would also act as a calling card for the work she wanted to make in the future. Looking to make her audience squirm, laugh, then squirm some more, "The Wrong End of the Stick" is the literal interpretation of the shaggy dog story, leg humping and all.
Inspired by Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) and The Amazing World of Gumball, Matthews admits she was “really interested in the idea of rooting animated characters in a mundanely familiar and accessible live-action world”, when we asked her why she chose this story. “For The Wrong End of the Stick to really work, it was incredibly important to create engaging, down-to-earth human characters that audiences could really embrace through the moments of surprise testicles and horny dogs expressing their natural urges”, she adds. “Animation-wise, that meant no squash and stretch or cartoony performances: just subtle, understated animation and plenty of awkward staring”.
With the animation films coming out of the NFTS garnering more and more critical acclaim, Matthews felt the pressure of pushing boundaries and trying something not seen from the school before. “I’m a 2D Animator but I wanted to take the opportunity to direct a live-action shoot (albeit a strange one without actors for much of the time) and work closely with a Cinematographer and Production Designer”, she explains. “Sometimes audiences focus more on the content of the film and overlook the technically complex 2D animation and live-action technique. Still, I’m extremely proud of what we managed to achieve (even if we didn’t win a BAFTA)”. - S/W Curator, Rob Munday
CREDITS
National Film and Television School
Directed by: Terri Matthews
Produced by: Sam Bank
Story by: Terri Matthews and Chris Cornwell
Screenplay: Chris Cornwell
Nick Ball as Malcolm Fetcher
Mandy Dassa as Beverly Fetcher
Lead Animators: Terri Matthews, Bram Donders, Tom Lucas, Reg Isaac
Retake Animator: Adam M. Watts
Animation Assistant: Kamila Konczewska
Cinematographer: Krzysztof Trojnar
Production Designer: Owen Robertson
Editor: Dennis Mabry
Sound Designer: Max Davey
Composer: Marina Elderton
VFX Supervisor: Saruta 'Puff' Pisanwalerd
Lead Compositor: Bas Chatmaleerat
Colourist: Carl Thompson
Production Manager: Sarah Evans
Production Coordinator: Florencia Casas
Reproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmaker.
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