WXFF22 Filmmaker Spotlight: Shan Zhang
We spoke with Shan Zhang, whose claymation short film Rabbit is featured in Women X Film Festival this year as part of the “Turn the Big Light On” slate of films. Rabbit has been nominated for the festival’s Best Student Film and Best Animated Film awards.
Your short film Rabbit focuses on a creature that wakes up on an alien planet inhabited by rabbits, is there anything that drew you to these plot points specifically?
I’ve been exploring the topic of dreams frequently in my past works. Inspired by some of my own dreams, they often share an eerie, unnerving texture. In my film Rabbit, I created a landscape within an expanding darkness, without an entrance or exit. As for using rabbits as a significant subject, I’ve always been drawn to the formal and symbolic potential of this animal. To me, its form is very feminine and soft, but there’s something both fragile and malicious beneath. By dramatically increasing the size of rabbits in comparison to the little creature in the film, it brings out the dichotomy between innocence and evil even more.
Is there anything about the filmmaking process for Rabbit that stands out to you? Any challenges you had to overcome, or things you anticipated would be difficult but were easier than you expected?
Rabbit was my first attempt on clay-morph stop-motion animation. I used to work more with digital media and compositing, so having to work with solid materials like clay was a challenge for me. Oftentimes, a visual effect that could be achieved easily in digital form or sketches becomes almost impossible due to physics or material limitations. I was quite worried about the timing and pacing of the animation before I started because it was difficult to control the changes between each frame to make transitions look smooth. The final outcome has a slightly faster pace than I anticipated, but somehow it fits with the suspenseful tone of the film.
What is something you hope viewers take away when they watch Rabbit?
There’s no specific message that I wanted to convey when I made Rabbit; it’s more of a demonstration of a dream-like viewing experience. I hope audiences can have an immersed experience in the visual environment that I created.
What inspired you to make a thriller/horror film? Is it a genre you’d like to explore again?
I think the thriller/horror aspects of my film Rabbit are more on the aesthetic side. I like to explore eeriness, darkness and surrealism in my visual creations. While Rabbit portrays a dream-like experience, I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as a nightmare. It contains not only suspense, but also a touch of intimacy and harmony with the dream.
What are you most looking forward to at Women X Film Festival this year?
I’m very drawn to what other filmmakers have been working on. To me, it has always been fascinating to be inspired by the variety and richness of films made by fellow filmmakers. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend the festival in person, but I’m looking forward to it taking place!
Is there anything specific you look for when choosing festivals to submit your work to?
I am aware of the overall tone/vibe of the festivals when I browse through them. My films are more experimental and visual than traditional and narrative, so choosing festivals that cherish visual richness and experimental qualities is significant to me.
Has your work been influenced by any particular films or filmmakers?
Aesthetically, I take inspiration from a lot of experimental music videos. I am a big fan of director Michel Gondry; the absurdity and melancholy within his works never ceased to amaze me. As for stop-motion animation, I’m inspired a lot by filmmaker and artist Allison Schulnik. Her clay animations opened a whole new field of possibilities that could be achieved with this specific material.
Are there any upcoming projects that you’re working on or are particularly excited about?
I am currently a rising senior in college and am about to start on my senior film, which will be a music video combining live-action and animation sequences. It tells the story of a teenager with three ears encountering imaginary creature friends while searching for poetic death. It is also a homage to Edward Yang’s A Brighter Summer Day and Shunji Iwai’s All About Lily Chou-Chou.
Do you have any interests or hobbies that help you “decompress” from the filmmaking headspace when you need to?
Growing up in China, I’ve always been a huge fan of Mandarin pop music, especially from the early 2000s. Before COVID-19, I used to go to a lot of concerts and let myself get immersed in the music and the crowd. While the opportunity is less available nowadays, I still spend my spare time listening to music, and sometimes it inspires me to write, draw, or create something new.
Have you found it difficult to keep a work-life balance? Or are you someone who enjoys staying busy with work and projects?
As a college student, it’s always busy after school starts. I am a rather organised person who really wants to stick to all the plans and get everything done with both quality and efficiency, so sometimes it can be stressful. However, I always try my best to keep a work-life balance by hanging out with friends, listening to music, and travelling. If stress accumulates to a certain level, you can’t function well enough to make good work!
