Every Monday or so, Chris Robinson asks an animator how they made a particular film. This week: In advance of her appearance at GLAS 2018, Sawako Kabuki talks about her provocative student film, 'Anal Juice' (2013)
Sawoko Kabuki is a graduate of Japan’s Tama Art University. Her brightly coloured, in your face films are often unharnessed expressions of sexuality, heartbreak, identity, despair, bulimia and enemas. You get the picture.
One of her first films to hit the international film festival scene was the student film, Anal Juice, a blistering response to be jilted by an ex-boyfriend.
So, how’d you make this?
After breaking up with my ex-boyfriend, I was heartbroken but I had to think about the theme for my next animation film. Just then I had a dream of this ex-boyfriend. This animation film is based on that dream.
It was drawn by paper with hand, edited with Photoshop and After Effects. This is a graduation work of the university.
Why this technique?
There is no reason. I knew only this technique. (2D animation)
By the way, my ex-boyfriend used to like enemas. So in this song, the word of "ass" and its related words are fluttering. All of these are linked to the memories of him so I decided to use this song. In that dream the face of my ex-boyfriend was not clear, so in this animation, his face is drawn just like "ass”. 。
How long did it take?
I can’t remember exactly. Maybe about two months to four months.
What was the most challenging part of the process?
As I said before, this was a story based on the dream I saw when I was dumped by my ex-boyfriend, so I had a hard time to face it.
Is there any part that now makes you cringe a bit?
Everything is so. But there is also a sense of accomplishment.
Do you feel better having made it?
Yes. It was so-called detox for me.
However, even if I see this animation now I feel like crying.
A well-known figure in the world of independent animation, writer, author & curator Chris Robinson is the Artistic Director of the Ottawa International Animation Festival.
