The Grave of Saint Oran
Director: Jim Batt
Australia, United States, 2020, 9 min
Shooting Format:Digital
Festival Year:2022
Category:Animation
Genres:Drama, Fantasy
Cast:Neil Gaiman
Crew:Producers: Josie Hess, Jim Batt. Lead Animator : Josh Mahan; Artwork: Ellen Barkin; Score: Jherek Bischoff; Sound Design: John Kassab
Email:graveofsaintoran@gmail.com
Synopsis
Narrated by the masterful Neil Gaiman and based on his poem In Relig Odhrain, this is a tempestuous tale of sacrifice and faith.
Director Jim Batt brings Gaiman's poem to life with beautifully illustrated paper cutouts, meticulously animated using stopmotion techniques and in camera visual effects.
About the director
Based in New York & Melbourne, Emmy-nominated director Jim Batt is drawn to strange stories & unique imagery, working with people including Neil Gaiman, Jay Z, Laverne Cox, and regular collaborators Molly Crabapple & Kim Boekbinder. His award-winning work has shown around the world from the screens of Times Square to the Sydney Opera House and at festivals including Sydney Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, ENCOUNTERS, Fantasia, Stuttgart Animation Festival, Raindance, Australian Centre for the Moving Image and more.
Filmmaker's note
Narrated by master storyteller Neil Gaiman, the film is based on his poem 'In Relig Odhrain', and was brought to life with beautifully illustrated paper cutouts meticulously hand animated frame by frame. We believe in the tactile magic that happens when real light hits actual paper, so the whole film was shot in camera with minimal digital interference, using in camera effects. We ran a successful kickstarter campaign and with the generous support of our backers, raised enough funds to work on the film for over 9 months, and custom build a gigantic multi-plane rig to shoot it on. We're proud of this odd little film.