Stop-Motion

Yes.

Gently.

Tilt it slowly.

Little.

Take the frame.

Same direction?

Yes.

Ease it.

Not too much.

Little.

Yes.

It's not working.

We need to do it again.

A bit smaller, poppet. Okay.

Maybe...

Maybe I can help you come up with some ideas.

Sit.

So, tell me about your idea.

Well, uh...

Yeah, because you work with your dad,

working for dad. Yeah. I want to finish my home.

Yeah, we haven't worked on it for 10 years.

Yeah, I'm always developing,

and I'm trying anything, ya know.

- Yeah. - But I do get paid

to produce music.

Hey. She emerges from her cave.

Ella, look at you.

So, this is one that we did last year.

The client was a bitch.

Is this new stuff?

Uh, well, this one's new,

and this one's new.

- Oh, wow, it's really good. - Oh. Thanks, babe.

You want a drink?

Um. I'm okay. Thanks.

What are you...?

What are you doing?

I need to go.

Playtime is over.

Come on. I need to get back before she wakes up.

I feel so used right now.

No, no, no.

No, stay.

Get off me. I've got work to do.

No, you haven't.

When you think you'll finish this film of yours?

It's not my film. It's my mom's.

She's a legend. That's true.

Her hands are getting worse.

I promised I'd help her finish this last film.

So, she's the brains, and I'm the hands.

That's the way it is.

You don't want to make your own films?

Find your own voice, ya know?

I don't have my own voice.

Poppet!

Poppet!

Wake up, poppet!

Time to work.

Are you tired, poppet?

Are you a little bit grumpy this morning?

No, I'm fine.

All I want is to finish this film...

before I die.

Is it such a burden?

Left 2 millimeters.

- What? - Head left 2 millimeters.

Head left 2 millimeters!

Take the frame.

Left, half a millimeter.

What is wrong with you?

Half a millimet...

millimeter.

Leave it.

Back to where you were.

Put your hands on the puppet.

Leave it there.

Don't you dare move!

Don't move a muscle.

Don't blink.

Don't you dare...

move!

Don't move a muscle!

Mom.

Mum.

Mom.

Don't move.

Mom.

Well, she's not responding to any stimuli.

We'll take her to ICU, and have her for a CT scan.

She's in a coma.

Has she had a stroke in the past?

Ella, has your mother had a stroke in the past?

She has arthritis in her hands, and, uh...

She doesn't look real.

Ella.

Look, you can stay here as long as you like. Okay?

You shouldn't go back to that place.

Ella.

Ella, you okay?

I need to finish it.

This is it.

Most people have moved out now.

We're gutting the place, so it's going to be empty for a while.

They're all the same. Sh.

Can I see this one?

I mean, it's a pretty good studio.

I'd only hope for you to use this as a space.

You can come back to mine at night.

Tom.

All right. Well.

I'll stay with you, then.

You'll distract me.

No, I won't.

I have to work.

I'm not stopping you.

All right.

Uh, so, I'll see you later, then?

Bring you some dinner.

I'm looking after you now.

Good luck with the film.

Excuse me.

Wait!

What's all that stuff?

I'm making a film.

Is it a cartoon?

It's called stop-motion animation.

Can I see?

Hey, hey, hey, hey!

That's not a toy.

It's okay. It's just. It's delicate.

Look, I'll show you how it works.

So, here's Mrs. Cyclops, and inside her is an armature.

An arm chair?

Armature.

It's -- It's like her skeleton.

- Armature. - Here.

Say, that's inside that.

See, I move her a tiny bit like this.

And then, I take a picture with this camera here.

Click.

I'll move her again.

Click, and again, click.

And when you play it all back,

it looks like she's moving.

- That's right. - Yeah, that's a cartoon.

It must take ages.

It does.

Why bother?

Well, because I like it,

and I'm good at it.

And...

And it feels like you're bringing something to life.

It's about a Cyclops.

She traded one eye with the gods to see her destiny.

But she saw her own death.

What do you think?

Hm?

Well?

It's a bit boring.

It's not finished, and it's not boring.

Well, how do you think I could make it better?

I'm serious. How would you do it?

Make a new one.

- A new one? - Yeah.

I know a better story.

You want to hear it?

Go on then.

There's a girl in the woods, and she's scared.

Why is she scared?

Because she's lost.

And what's so scary about that?

There's someone coming.

Who's coming?

What's that stuff?

Uh, it's called Mortician's Wax.

They use it to fix up the faces of dead bodies for, like,

when the families want to see.

You should definitely make a girl from this.

- Yeah, right. - Like, definitely.

Look, I've got to get on now, so...

What else do you got here?

It's been really nice to meet you.

How long are you going to be here?

I don't know.

Someone's been busy.

Ella.

Give me your hand.

We'll go back to mine. You need a break.

You'll feel better after some food.

I'm not hungry.

Look at that. Huh?

There's someone coming.

Hi.

Are you looking for, Tom?

He's not here.

I came to see you, actually.

Tom told me about your mom.

I just...