Pure Animation for Now People by Mark Neeley

US independent animation creator Mark Neeley is no stranger to Zippy Frames. His animation short 'Fragments' (watch it here) brought our attention back in 2020; he comes back with his new personal indie short, the one-minute film, 'Pure Animation for Now People'. A project that exhibits the same degree of well-brought animation anarchy and unexpected richness of detail -in movement.

We took the chance to talk to Mark Neeley about the film, now released online:

ZF: I liked the 'now people' in your title. How did that (the title) come about? And what was the genesis of the project?

MN: The title is a play on an album title by Nick Lowe, called 'Pure Pop for Now People'. I always thought it was very clever how it's steeped in sarcasm, but also fits the music perfectly. I liked the idea of using it for my film with a similar level of humor, as it sounds very grandiose, yet it's a microfilm at just one minute long. "Now" was sort of this buzzword used in the counterculture language in the sixties and early seventies, this adjective used for music and film represented this new wave of something fresh, hip, and culturally different. I found all of these elements very interesting.

ZF: You like to put a lot of imagery juxtaposed; your film is full of images. Did you use a storyboard for this one or did it all come naturally to you, in the animation process?

MN: It was a bit of both. I typically start with a rough storyboard, but I keep it a bit open-ended as a lot of improvisation happens during the animation process. That was the case with this film as well.

ZF: Is this a hand-drawn animation, 2D computer animation, or a mixture?

MN: It's entirely hand-drawn. There is one multimedia sequence that features the 8mm film footage and photographs interlaced in the animation, which was edited by Matt Stalf, who is a great cinematographer. I sourced those pieces from some friends whose work I admire. 

ZF:  Tell us more about the soundtrack by Mark Mothersbaugh. What was your process of engaging with his music, and how did you both work together? 

MN: Honestly, my admiration for Mark Mothersbaugh goes back to before I really even understood animation or music. I would see his names on the credits of cartoons I would watch growing up. He was doing that before composing soundtracks for Hollywood films. Later when I got into music, I loved Devo and learned more about Mark and how he was also from Ohio. And how he's also a visual artist himself, and I would find all these little obscurities, such as a cassette called Muzik for Insomniaks that I always loved. I got to interview Mark (who is now in his mid-seventies) for a publication last year, and it was a really great conversation about his whole career, including his love for the golden-age Hollywood composer Raymond Scott. Mark took an interest in my own animation, which seemed very genuine. Later, once I decided to just make 'Pure Animation' one minute long, I thought why not, I'll reach out to Mark. He is so prolific, I didn't even expect a response. But to my surprise, he said yes. Once I sent him the finished film, he sent the music back and I thought it was just perfect.

ZF: Obviously, it's less exhausting to do a one-minute film than a six or seven-minute animated film. But are there any pitfalls you may fall into when you're making a very short film?

MN: There were definitely a lot of challenges. I ended up cutting a lot of scenes in an attempt to make everything fit in such a short sequence. At times I would attempt to include components that were more narrative-driven, but it didn't work within that framework.

ZF: What is nature for you? You have a lot of images of the natural environment vs. the office. 

MN: I live in a temperate climate where the winters are very cold and snowy, and the summers are very hot and humid. When I started making this film, my son was around a year old. I think I was thinking a lot about how important it felt to be out in nature with him, but the frustrations of being unable to with all of the extreme weather changes. And as an animator as well, a lot of my time has been spent either parenting or working away in my studio. I definitely wasn't going for any kind of philosophical meaning with that scene, but I do think that the significance of experiencing nature was something on my mind because of those factors.

ZF: This is your first personal film since 'Fragments'. How do you see your process as an indie animator throughout these years? Do you experience the same difficulties and what's next for you?

MN: The way I animate has never changed. What did change is I never knew that my freelance career would take off the way that it did since Fragments. I have made a lot of music videos in that span, as well as work for Aquarium Drunkard, and a lot of promotional/advertising work. I've been lucky to find people and organizations who appreciate what I do, and I get to work with subject matter that I'm passionate about. All of a sudden I looked up and it had been four years ... I really wanted to make a personal short film again. And I definitely want to make shorts more consistently in the future, while balancing the other work. That is definitely a goal. I already have some vague ideas for the next one, perhaps featuring a jazz soundtrack, similar to the way John and Faith Hubley utilized jazz in their work. 

Watch 'Pure Animation for Now People'

About Mark Neeley:
Mark Neeley is an analogue animator & designer from Cincinnati, Ohio. His short film 'Fragments' (2020) was the winner of the PBS Reel 13 program and had a long run on the film. festival circuit. Commercial work in the forms of music videos (recent ones include Allah-Las and Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats) and creative promotional material are his specialties. Frequently working at the juxtaposition of sound and vision, Mark also animates the 'Aquarium Drunkard Picture Show' and frequently collaborates with musicians and record labels. His hand-drawn illustrations have also been featured in outlets like clothing collaborations with major brand Madewell.

 

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