Made In New York: Best of NYC Indie Animation

Made In New York: Best of NYC Indie Animation

Just as New York has long been the capital of America’s artistically ambitious “Second Cinema,” a scrappy foil to the Los Angelino industry of streamlined entertainment, it is also home to a counter-tradition of independent animation that has nothing to do with what happens out there in Burbank at the House of the Mouse. Two abundantly talented stalwarts of the NYC animation scene, Bill Plympton and Signe Baumane, have teamed to assemble a program of some of the finest (and most outrageous) work to emerge from artists living and working in the Big Apple.

“What makes NYC indie animators so special? Sense of timing. This program showcases just a sliver of the best NYC indie animation: some of the films are Oscar winners, others are made by animation newcomers, but they all share the sense of wonder, adventure and perfect NYC timing to make you laugh, cry and be entertained.” —Signe Baumane

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Made In New York: Best of NYC Indie Animation
  • Bathtime in Clerkenwell

    Directed by Alex Budovsky | 3 mins | 2003
    This animation is based on Stephen Coates' composition under the same title and is about The Great Revolution of the British Cuckoos, who bravely took over London, forcing all the people to move inside the cuckoo clocks. This film was totally improvised, ...

  • Buzzkill

    Directed by Peter Ahern | 5 mins | 2022
    After hitting it off on a blind date, Rick and Becky decide they're ready to go steady. But as the night heats up, an unexpected discovery reveals first impressions can be deceiving.

  • Everybody's Pregnant

    Directed by Debra Solomon | 7 mins | 1997
    A rough ride through the rocky terrain of modern day baby-making.

  • Fantaisie in Bubblewrap

    Directed by Arthur Metcalf | 4 mins | 2007
    The final minutes of a society of vocal bubblewrap as it faces its apocalypse.

  • Frank Film

    Directed by Frank and Caroline Mouris | 9 mins | 1973
    Winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, Frank and Caroline Mouris' kinetic short charts Frank's journey from daydreaming kid to groundbreaking artist.

  • Frog

    Directed by Christopher Conforti | 4 mins | 2005
    A frog, in his attempt to escape the scorching heat of the sun, finds himself in a series of even worse situations.

  • Guard Dog

    Directed by Bill Plympton | 5 mins | 2004
    Why do dogs bark at such innocent creatures as pigeons and squirrels… what are they afraid of? This film answers that eternal question.

  • Life In Transition

    Directed by John Dilworth | 4 mins | 2005
    "Life in Transition" is a visual and symbolic journey depicting the continual
    transformations of life.

  • Rocks in My Pockets

    Directed by Signe Baumane | 89 mins | 2014
    Armed with a surrealist sensibility and a wicked sense of humor, New York-based Latvian animator Signe Baumane has long probed the thorny parts of life as a woman. Here, hand-drawn imagery combines with papier-mache sets and stop-motion techniques in an ...

  • Teat Beat of Sex

    Directed by Signe Baumane | 4 mins | 2008
    It is a take on sex from a woman’s point of view. Shocking!

  • The Opposites Game

    Directed by Lisa LaBracio and Anna Samo | 5 mins | 2019
    "What is the opposite of a gun? A classroom erupts into a war of words
    as students grapple with this seemingly simple question in Lisa LaBracio
    and Anna Samo’s adaptation of Brendan Constantine’s “The Opposites
    Game”. Entirely hand-crafted b...

  • There's Too Many of These Crows

    Directed by Morgan Miller | 4 mins | 2016
    A hungry poacher and his wife trigger a series of reprisals. A short film about aggression and escalation.

  • The Lost Tribes of New York City

    Directed by Michael Capobianco, Andy London, and Carolyn London | 3 mins | 2009
    Urban Anthropologists, Andy and Carolyn London interview some of New York City's more overlooked citizens.

  • Warm Reception in L.A.

    Directed by Candy Kugel and Vincent Cafarelli | 5 mins | 1987
    A story of an author's struggle for success - the glamor and dreams of Hollywood and the check that's on the way.