KICKSTARTER

A dream-like sequence in a magical forest, Birth is an experimental, multimedia animated film that follows the fantastical journey of two unusual lovers. Their tale unfolds in a dangerous parallel world, where the hunters are hunted, and where love must literally transform to overcome deep obstacles. The unique texture of the imagery in Birth will stem from its collaged, illustrated backgrounds, which are then paired with live actors shot in a series of vignettes over the past several years. The story found its original seed and inspiration in the music of composer John Kusiak (www.kusiakmusic.com), whose work for documentary legend Errol Morris continues in the recent release, Tabloid.

The Birth team has about 40 days left to bring this piece to completion, but we can’t do it without your help! This Kickstarter fund will provide the financial boost needed to finish the film’s animated sequences, and bring this beautiful piece to a festival near you. Please take a look at our awesome giveaways on the right side of the page, and consider taking part in the vivid, imaginative journey that is Birth.

Meet the Birth Team:

Birth is the brainchild of writer/director Jessica Fox. Her credits include Bluebeard, a short film recognized at the Northampton Film Festival, Baltimore International Film Festival and the Boston International Film Festival; Spring Fling, a commercial for Scotland's Arts and Crafts Organization; The Last First Tour, a six-part band documentary featuring the Dresden Dolls; and Birth, a short animation nearing completion this year. Jessica has consulted for Harper Collins and was the resident storyteller and film director at NASA. Currently, she is directing a feature documentary called The Grand Guignol featuring Neil Gaiman and Stephin Merritt of the Magnetic Fields. She divides her time between the US and the UK.

The illustration and animation in Birth is the vision of Lawrence Sampson. Lawrence is a visual artist whose work encompasses sculpture, storyboarding, production design, illustration, animation, and directing. He excels at cultivating mood through meticulously designed environments, be they concepts for shoots in miniature or full-scale feature-film sets. He has built props and displays for clients ranging from Monster.com to the Museum of Science. He has also designed sets for numerous television commercials, and helped develop a distinctive look for two award-winning kids' programs on WGBH, Fetch and Design Squad. In addition, he has worked as lead production designer on a handful of feature films produced in the Northeast.

Birth is an ongoing collaboration between their respective companies, Mythic Image Studios (www.mythicimagestudios.com) and Devilfish Films (www.devilfishfilms.com). The project exists to date because of generous support from executive producer Ron Nordin, a Boston artist who saw great potential in Birth and helped fund the early live shoots, along with many hours of illustration and animation. Producer Barbara Seidl has also provided generous assistance to the project.