People like Lee Hardcastle are my heroes. Growing up in the era of practical special effects, I’ve always been amazed by artists who can take a seemingly inanimate substance (such as clay) and bring it to life like some modern day Dr. Pretorius (Bride of Frankenstein). Even now, knowing the secrets of that magic, I’m still amazed by the ability some have to make it work. Lee Hardcastle is one such alchemist whose work is currently got me spellbound, even more so given the subject of his short films… horror (cue lightning).
Beyond that, though, Lee is a really great guy whose just trying to make a living while loving what he’s doing. What’s more honest than that? As part of that dream, Lee is currently on a campaign to produce a series of short, movie-based films all year long and he’s offering everybody (including us strange kids) in on the action! As a fellow creative, and a fan, I was stoked to get a chance to speak with Lee and get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the magic man.
It’s a Surprise Sam Raimi Showdown! Ash Williams from Evil Dead 2 versus Peyton Westlake (aka Darkman)- who wins?
After a few violent pans, zooms and a touch of greenscreen; Westlake would send Williams to ER. Ash took it like a man but had a little cry while lying in the hospital bed.
Nice! Now that we’ve resolved that matter, what first got you interested in stop motion animation?
Lack of money and a lack of friends. One aspect that attraced me to film making more than anything else was the illusions you could create. I’m not just taking about straight up special effects, I’m talking about illusions created from editing and sound effects. Like how you could make it look like some one was puking by having them hunch out of frame and have a recorded sound effect of water splashing on the floor played over the top. That’s some serious magic! So, can you imagine what stop motion does for me?
Did you ever act out stories with your action figures as a kid? Who was your favorite (action figure)?
I did that LOADS! I had the Ghostbusters, every bloody kid did, woo hoo! No, you don’t understand, I was brainwashed with the Ghostbusters. In class 1, I got into big trouble for drawing a picture of the Ghostbusters saving Jesus from the cross. Peter was my favorite; I was confused why Bill Murray looked nothing like Peter though.
A lot of artists credit people like Will Vinton, Rankin Bass, and Ray Harryhausen as their inspiration. Who/what have you found to be sources of inspiration?
I suppose Wallace & Gromit has inspired me the most, the way that dog is able to speak without a mouth. I feel I pull micro bits of inspiration from many places at once… my biggest influence is the Adam & Joe Show from the 90s; they would make crude zero budget toy versions of popular films and it was the funniest thing on TV. That show really demonstrated that you didn’t need big budgets and pro-equipment to make a video, Adam & Joe have been the biggest influence on my life for sure and once at my old job I had to show “someone” to a studio, I didn’t recognize him at first because he had this big beard but I clicked that it was Adam Buxton from the show. I have never been so bloody star struck in all my life! Now, a whole year later after that, I kinda confronted them weird head demons and wrote him a letter telling what happened and how I wished I could have said something to him but just didn’t say anything at all. And he wrote back! Win!
Your first :60 short was based on Evil Dead. What made you select that specific film?
Bit of a long winded story but in a nutshell, I was under pressure and I picked the easiest film to do. 1 location, 4 characters… there should be 5 characters and an important tree scene in there but it’s seriously a miracle I achieved what I did. Plus it helped that I spent my late teens obsessing over the series, I even had an Evil Dead fan site– it’s still sort of up.
Many of the shorts you’ve done thus far are based on horror films or at least inspired by them (Chainsaw Maid 2). Have you always been a fan of the genre?
For as long as I can remember.
What’s your earliest horror movie memory?
This is an easy one, I had a thing for werewolves and I was incredibly young when my parents let me watch American Werewolf in London, it might have even been the TV premiere cause I remember my parents making a big deal out it. I want to say I was 3 or 4 years old when I saw it, not many people can remember that far back… It did frighten me, my parents simply told me after the film was over, yknow, when David is riddled with bullets – “Don’t worry, Lee. Werewolves only live in Scotland.” I remember that so clearly, I remember being so relieved that werewolves only lived in Scotland. Certain images from that film stuck with me all my life, especially when David is laying dead in the ally AND THAT MUSIC kicked in! I totally remember that feeling of being shocked and then suddenly this pumping party music kicks in? Bah ba ba bahhh, blooo mooon… cruel world.
The Evil Dead short was planned, shot, and edited all in 10 days to meet a competition deadline. Who was involved and how did you manage to pull it off?
Ah, you know about the 10 day situation. Don’t forget, I was also working 5 days a week at 10 hours a day on the side as my day job. I pulled it all together with shire determination and luck, my girlfriend made Ash’s & Scott’s shirts, I spent the first 4 evenings building the set and the models. Then the weekend came, I animated without sleeping. Did a little more animating on the Monday night, at the same time I organized a friend to record voices (Patrick Baker of Scramble Soho) and another friend to do the sound sound design, Tim Atkins.
Is that timeframe typical for a :60 short? If not, how much goes into each one?
Tricky question to answer, really depends on what you’re trying to achieve. I’ve spent a full day working on one shot that lasted 3 seconds and other days I’ve pumped out 20 sometime 30 seconds of animation, because some shots are easy and straight forward to shoot without any real brain power. Now that I’m working claymation full time, it does take me 10 working days at a nice steady pace to make one :60 episode.
How important are storyboards when creating each short?
Very important. You have to know exactly what you’re shooting and the length of the shot because there’s no way I’m gonna shoot more animation than I need! I also use my storyboard to keep me organised on the set, I have a big red felt pen that I use to put a cross on a completed shot.
Are there ever any major changes between the storyboards and what you end up shooting?
Not usually, the most common change that happens sometimes is that I realise I can get away without shooting something or I realise it’s not worth shooting.
Are you a Cheetos or a Pringles kind of guy?
Both, love junk food. It’s all the same to me.
You’re currently on a campaign to complete as many :60 short films as possible in 2011. How did this idea come about and why keep it at that length?
2010 was the year of the hairball schemes (so is 2011, funny enough). I wrote a script over summer for a feature length claymation film, but I don’t even have money to pay the rent so I just couldn’t do it and that’s when I aimed a little lower… a webseries.
You’ve also started a fundraising effort on IndieGoGo. What can people get for contributing to your claymation cause?
Answer:
The logo on some of your videos bears a striking resemblance to a certain “splatter-filled” video game from my youth. Are you a fan as well?
Indeed, but not a heavy fan. I just dig the whole nostalgia trip – arcade cabinets, pinball machines, skateboard graphics.
Given that these films are based on other franchises are there any plans to collect the shorts afterward and sell them?
Ha! I am an amateur, I haven’t a clue what I am doing. I’m not making this up, god’s honest truth but last Summer, Sam Raimi personally snapped up the rights to my Evil Dead film and guess how much money I made? NOTHING!! Not even an Autograph. I did something wrong there, didn’t I? I’m trying my hardest to figure out a way to turn my claymations into a salary, and this is a start for me. For now, buying the $20 dvd option on my funding page maybe the only way you can buy the episodes and my past work… I’ve never sold my work before, because you can see it all for free anyway on YouTube.
What’s the strangest thing you can remember doing as a kid?
I used to eat dirt… that’s a common one right? I stopped that trick when I gave myself worms.
