The Weathering is an interactive, web-based narrative film about a woman who, after the death of her husband, obsesses over finding his spirit and connecting with him in the afterlife. Her inability to accept his passing leads to unforeseen consequences; namely a visit of supernatural origin and a reminder that some fates are worse than death. Stop motion puppetry and animated illustrations bring to life this grim yet inherently touching account of the power and price in loving what can be lost.

 

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          This project took about four months for me to make from start to finish, working by myself out of my little one room studio in Kansas City. I have always been drawn towards gothic horror stories; there is something about the sensationalized terror, the romantic paired with the grotesque, and the tragic characters with cautionary tales carrying out their unfinished business that all exist within this genre.

           Through this project I wanted to explore a multimedia approach to storytelling through an interactive film that incorporates audience participation and stop motion animation. I enjoy challenging my audience to interact with my animated characters and their stories in ways that they may not be familiar with. I am always interested in different ways that my characters can be allowed to affect my audience’s emotional and physical space; to challenge the passive relationship we have with narrative content on screens. Using a website with interactivity and an interdisciplinary approach to storytelling allowed me to do just that.

          I also wanted to tell a story about death, mourning, and the importance of coming to terms with the mortality of our loved ones and, in time, ourselves. It is film ultimately about the courage it takes to love what can be lost, and how to come to terms with the inevitable.

 

It was said best by poet Judah Halevi -

“Tis a fearful thing to love what death can touch”.

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