Late one January afternoon, in 1998, I was standing in line at the post office; shipping out copies of my film Loose Tooth to festivals around the world.
As I stood in line with my stack full of entries, I caught the glimmer of a tiny metallic paper clip attached to one of my entry forms. To pass the time, I pulled it free and started fiddling with it. I could see its tiny limbs and shiny surface in my mind’s eye; turning, bending, and hopping about. In that moment, I began to see the potential for creating a story and characters through the rising new medium of computer animation.
I'd had a calling to start my own company for years. And on April 7th, 1998 (my birthday) I sat down to create a business plan for something called an “Internet-based movie company”. For a couple of bucks, broadband customers around the world could watch original, high-quality short film content on their computers. No more standing in line at the post office. A whole new method of distribution was on the horizon and I had “caught the vision”. Now all I had to do was go make the movie.
With a limited amount of capital, I relocated to my home in Memphis and assembled a part time crew of about fifty talented individuals. For three years we labored away on Paper Clips; a film about courage, teamwork, and the importance of sticking together in the real world. Completed in March of 2001 the end result was spectacular; surpassing my expectations in many ways. And on September 1st, 2001, Paper Clips became the very first film commercially available for download over the Internet.
Today, both iTunes and the iPod have become pop culture phenomena. Podcasting is all the rage. Even feature films are now available for download. As these new platforms come into focus, so do new opportunities for growth and creative expression. These exciting developments will allow content creators to focus on what they do best - creating great content.
This being said, I hope you’ll take a look at some of the cool new things up for grabs on creativeforces.com. Both Paper Clips and Loose Tooth are now available for your video iPod. The H.264 transfers for these films came straight from their original masters. They look and sound incredible on any monitor capable of 640x480 pixel resolution.
Our weekly podcast is a free gift to those interested in learning more about the art of animation and professional film production. It’s also a great resource for professionals in the industry and for those seeking inspiration and networking opportunities.
Last but not least, make sure to take a peek at the trailer for Streaker, our very first feature film. Completed in August 2006 for about the same amount as Kevin Smith’s Clerks, Streaker was recently submitted to the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.
With all sorts of exciting new things headed your way in the coming months, I do hope you’ll come back often and say hello. Your support and interest are most appreciated.
Best wishes for safe and joyous holiday season,
Lee McCaulla
November 15, 2006
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