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Impromptu

2013 10 min
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This short animation takes a look at the redemptive power of food, wine, music and love through the eyes of our protagonist, Chuck. A husband and father, Chuck is jovially cooking dinner and listening to Chopin when his wife Sylvie spontaneously invites a group of boisterous colleagues over for dinner. The festivities begin to spiral out of control, and Chuck must find his way through a planned diner à deux that has turned into pandemonium. Filmmaker Bruce Alcock follows the fine tradition of beloved food films such as Babette’s Feast, using the preparation of a meal as a vehicle for …

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This work deals with mature subject matter. Viewer discretion is advised.
Impromptu

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This short animation takes a look at the redemptive power of food, wine, music and love through the eyes of our protagonist, Chuck. A husband and father, Chuck is jovially cooking dinner and listening to Chopin when his wife Sylvie spontaneously invites a group of boisterous colleagues over for dinner. The festivities begin to spiral out of control, and Chuck must find his way through a planned diner à deux that has turned into pandemonium. Filmmaker Bruce Alcock follows the fine tradition of beloved food films such as Babette’s Feast, using the preparation of a meal as a vehicle for exploring the grand themes of love and life through simple yet evocative line drawings.
This work deals with mature subject matter. Viewer discretion is advised.
  • director
    Bruce Alcock
  • producer
    Tina Ouellette
    Annette Clarke
    Michael Fukushima
  • writer
    Ed Riche
    Bruce Alcock
  • cast
    Robert Joy
    Otto Alcock
    Liz Solo
    Mary Lewis
    Sean Panting
    Brian Marler
    Jane Dingle
  • art direction
    Bruce Alcock
    Cesare Battista
  • animation
    Bruce Alcock
    Cesare Battista
  • additional animation
    François-Marc Baillet
    Jerome Metraux
    Michael Mann
    Ken Meyer
    Zachary Green
    Kyle Sharpe
    Lokesh Reddy
    Wes Sargent
    Ian Godfrey
    Nathaniel Akin
  • stereo consultant
    Francisco Massanet
  • editing
    Cesare Battista
  • production manager
    Elizabeth Murray
    Lynn Andrews
  • production coordination
    Allison Barry
    Chris Brodie
  • production accounting
    Kathy Watt
    Fion Yung
  • French versioning director
    Benoit Rousseau
  • translation
    Paul Gagné
    Lori Saint-Martin
  • sound design
    Alex Hall
    Wayne Kozak
    Chris McIntosh
  • sound recording
    Don Ellis
    Scott Yates
  • sound studio
    Leo Bruce
  • continuity
    Lynn Kristmanson
  • technical co-ordination
    Steve Hallé
  • infographics
    Éloi Champagne
    Randall Finnerty
  • mix
    Jean Paul Vialard
  • administration
    Victoire-Émilie Bessette
    Rosalina Di Sario
    John William Lutz
    Vanessa Larsen
  • marketing manager
    Melissa Wheeler
  • musician
    Bill Brennan
    Paul Bendzsa
    Duane Andrews
    George Morgan
    Bruce Alcock
  • executive producer
    Tina Ouellette
    Bruce Alcock
    Ravida Din
    Roddy McManus

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Education

Ages 18+
School subjects

This animated short is ideal for psychology students learning about personality, temperament, conflict, and expectations in adult relationships. Where do you rate the main characters on the spectrum of introversion–extraversion? Why? Explain how line, colour, sound and music contribute to the characters’ personalities. How do the characters’ dialogue and the actors’ performances contribute? Is the couple’s underlying conflict resolved? Why? What conclusions do you draw about the nature of their relationship? How accurate can such a conclusion be?

Impromptu
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