The Big Lie That Solves Everything

In the spring of 2005, I flew from Chicago back to Washington, DC to produce my third short film with Tohubohu Productions. This was the second film we'd created for the 48 Hour Film Project, and we were coming off our recent win of Best Romance (our drawn genre) in 2004's National Film Challenge with Screening Process, so we decided to get a little more adventurous.

The result, The Big Lie That Solves Everything, didn't win any awards but still stands as my favorite of the films I produced with Tohubohu. The Big Lie tells the story of a genie living in modern-day America that grows disillusioned with the wishes people make and decides to quit. A few months later he's approached by a new would-be employer whose offer is, shall we say, tempting...

The genre we drew was fantasy, so I stepped up to the plate and helped shape the tone of this one more than its predecessors. I guided the writers, filmed a pick-up shot or two, and actively molded the feel of the piece. Once again I designed the logo and the credits, helped with shot logging, capture and editing, and of course the director and I snuck another brief cameo into the film. (Look for us walking through the park arguing over – what else? – the movie.) I named the the piece after a song by Scott Andrew LaPera and the Walkingbirds, which they graciously allowed us to use as our opener.

The Big Lie That Solves Everything was shot using two Sony DV cameras, then edited using Final Cut Pro HD. The logo animation was done using Adobe Flash MX 2004.