Clown Carpool (2024)

The film I directed for a SCAD class, where we had just under ten weeks to pitch an idea and fully produce it with a small team. My film, based on a concept I’ve been working with for a few years about young adults attending an accredited, four year clown college, won over several other incredible pitches, and my team ended up producing a work I’m truly proud of.

Clown Carpool is a hybrid 2D/3D film about Henri, a jester major at a local clown college who’s signed up for a carpool to get to class on her first day. The organizer, Candles, takes her on a whirlwind tour of their small town, picking up clowns of all shapes, sizes, and majors from their colorful houses until the car is full to bursting! Will Henri fit in with her new classmates, or is this freshman doomed to fizzle out?

As a first time director, I led my team in navigating numerous challenges, from organizing concurrent 2D and 3D production pipelines to coordinating schedules with a composer and sound designer. Our core team was myself and seven classmates, but we opened the production to about thirty volunteers from departments all across SCAD, who helped with everything from 3D modeling, texturing, and rendering to 2D cleanup and color. Because of the tight deadline for the class, I directly contributed in nearly every department, from prop design to compositing. I felt the weight of my responsibility heavily, but always stayed true to my vision. I learned so much, and truly fell in love with directing! I’d love the opportunity to direct more in the future, and learn from other established directors.