Back when anything seemed possible, a Midland pairing of a 70-something first-time animator with a 20-something dance instructor to create an animated short on Super 8mm film seemed like any average Wednesday in Michigan.
Helen James came to the craft via a fondness for Kandinsky and a NFB based workshop with Lotte Reiniger. Her husband, Joe, created her A/B fullcoat editing table, and her friend Bonnie worked on the choreography and timing for the silhouette cutouts.
Frame by frame they created a short film based on a Norwegian folk tale about a troll who wanted to dance with the villagers of Hardanger. They were deservedly proud of the outcome.
I came upon the video that Helen gave me those many years ago and made a digital transfer before it, too, could vanish like so many impossible things.
Bonnie has moved to unknown regions of the great west for her dance, and Helen has joined her loving husband Joe in creating celestial memories and living in those of others.
The Hardanger Bonnet - from 1987 (Vimeo link):
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