This short documentary, part animation and part live action, is a portrait of Canadian cartoonist Seth, best known for his Palookaville comic books. Throughout his works, Seth transforms an poignant inner life into observant and witty graphic stories. Incredibly prolific, he produces semi-autobiographical comics, award-winning commercial work, as well as what he calls his “little hobbies.” Here, director Luc Chamberland sheds light on his articulate character, mixing insightful biography with vivid animation in an artful fusion of filmmaking techniques that perfectly captures Seth’s manifold creative universe.
A documentary about the Canadian cartoonist Seth. Ideal for classroom discussions, research projects and activities related to Canadian art and literary figures. This documentary features both live-action and animated portions: Why do you think the filmmaker made this choice, and how do these elements complement each other in shaping the film? Choose one of the animated shorts, and then write about how it connects to larger themes or ideas explored in the documentary. During the film, Seth speaks about how his art changes when he is creating art for himself versus for an audience. As an exercise, create a piece of art such as a story or a comic just for yourself, and then create a piece you intend on sharing with your classmates. Afterwards, contemplate the differences between the two pieces; how did the content change? How did your creative process change? Was there one you preferred? Explain your answers.