JP Somersaulter's Dot to Dot Cartoon Cartoon

Transcript (Download)

You're a bit early, aren't you? I'm still in the tub.

Did we have the titles yet? I didn't even hear the tube beep.

Hello, I'm JP Somershalter, and this is my second cartoon cartoon.

Sorry, I'm not dressed.

You were a bit early.

I'm a little late.

Unfortunately, last year I started running 10 minutes late and I still haven't caught up.

10 minutes? Oh darn.

And this is only a seven minute cartoon.

Can you excuse me while I dress? I know.

Why not connect a few dots? And leave me alone.

Have it helped me? Back so soon? I'm still not ready.

Not as young as I used to be.

Do you realize what it takes for me to move? 24 frames per second, one drawing every two frames, 720 drawings per minute.

Now in my youth, well, I could really move.

Flip, Somersault, Handspring, Hula Hoop.

Here's a photo of me when I was young.

Pretty good, eh? I was thinner then.

Now who could that be? Let's find out, shall we? Run, run as fast as you can.

You can't catch me.

I'm the Chichi Bread Man.

Run, run as fast as you can.

You can't catch me.

I'm the Chichi Bread Man.

I wish I could do that.

He has perfect form.

He's a strange piece of food.

Of course, we had to bake 50 ,000 separate gingerbread men to create those three Somersaults.

Luckily, my partner Lillian and I love gingerbread.

Why do you think we made that film? Somersaulting is hard work for an old man.

Could you help me? I don't feel like drawing.

Ready, set, go.

Well, oh, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.

But enough of this nostalgia.

How was your dot connection? Not much luck? Let me show you the cartoon method, OK? It just takes a little imagination and some concentration.

BELCH WHISTLE WHISTLE WHISTLE Don't.

Don't make me go.

Hey, you, you gotta get going.

No, I can't go on.

Hey, you, you, get moving.

No, no, no, no.

Hey, you, you, get going.

No, I'm afraid.

Hey, you, get moving.

WHISTLE APPLAUSE That's the beauty of filmmaking.

You can show anything, like, for instance, my history with dots.

I've had an interest in dotology ever since I can remember.

Of course, that was mainly due to the influence of my mother.

Even as a tot, I connected dots.

As a toddler, I connected everything.

In third grade, the kids thought my ideas weren't really far out.

But I didn't care.

I imagined becoming a micro -dottologist.

Or perhaps a great teacher.

Don't forget to dot your eyes.

I dreamt of becoming an artist, like George Sadat.

Of finding new astronomical connections.

Of perfecting my dots and lines and getting my doctorate.

You know, my PH dot.

My obsession with dots became a burden to my family and threatened our home life.

When I was 12, we moved to America.

As a teenager, I was idealistic.

I wanted to change the world.

But it was my face that changed, and dots became my enemy.

I was disillusioned.

I even went into a disconnecting phase.

But nothing could disconnect my love of dots.

And I still secretly dreamed that someday I'll be dotted by the Queen.

JP? What? Oh my gosh, it's the Queen! Oh, it's not the Queen.

It's my filmmaking partner, Lillian.

Hello, Lillian.

These are my friends, the audience.

Hello, audience.

Thanks for keeping JP company.

JP, look! I've brought you a present.

It's something you can really use.

A set of dot and tods, patented body dots.

They'll punctuate your long, slow lines and give you new vume and vigor.

Oh boy, do I feel young.

With these dots, I can transform myself into our cartoon characters.

Like Yo -Yo the Clone.

I can even be the world's greatest inventor, the caveman who perfected the first dot.

I can really move.

It's great to be in shape.

It's a message in dots and dashes.

What does it mean, JP? I don't know.

The dots have stuck to my pants.

The dots say it's time for you to dash.

Wow, this is great.

I love experimental animation.

Let's form a love connection.

I'm a still cartoon.

Can you help me some assault? Thanks.

Identifier

F.2016-01-0193

Date Of Production

1989

Abstract

JP Somersaulter's Dot to Dot Cartoon is a waggish animation about connecting the dots. Written and narrated by director JP Somersaulter himself, the film takes the viewer on a fanciful journey through the mind and imagination of JP. Using cut-out animation, additive animation and madcap sound effects, Somersaulter-Moats and Somersaulter follow a cartoonified JP as he talks about connecting dots both literal and metaphorical.

Run Time

0:07:27

Format

16mm

Extent

275 feet

Color

Color

Sound

Optical

Reel/Tape Number

1/1

Has Been Digitized?

Yes

Language Of Materials

English

Element

Print

Genre

Experimental

Form

Animations

Subject

Drawing
Creativity

Related Collections

Somersaulter-Moats and Somersaulter Collection

Distributor

Pajon Arts

Main Credits

Somersaulter, JP (is director)

Somersaulter Moats, Lillian (is director)

Somersaulter, JP (is producer)

Somersaulter Moats, Lillian (is producer)

Somersaulter-Moats and Somersaulter (is production company)

Additional Credits

Somersaulter, JP (is writer)

Moats, Michael (sound)

Somersaulter, JP (is animator)

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