Channel Frederator Blog

“The Toll,” which has was been screened at more than 30 international film festivals since July 2006 and has won four Best Of Animation awards, one Best Comedy and one Best Animation runner up, will screen at SXSW and five other festivals the weekend of March 9, at locations in the United States, Canada and Europe: from CineQuest in San Jose, Calif., and DC International Film Festival in Washington to World of Comedy in Toronto and Festival BIMINI of Animation in Riga, Latvia.

“The Toll” is a computer-animated mock-umentary featuring a troll unburdening himself with comments on work, life and love that range from somewhat inappropriate to outrageously delusional. “Everything in ‘The Toll’ is about façades,” says Pike. “I think it’s resonating with audiences because deep down, we all know what it’s like to try to wear a mask, and to wish the mask was real. That, and it’s really funny.”

Dole, founder of Hatchling Studios, says the short film was created as “a calling card” for the studio and that it’s brought commercial work with Charmin, Reebok, PCConnection, NASCAR, Prudential Securities and Fisher-Price, development deals with major networks, and an animated pilot at MTV.

Keep watching this studio, as they are putting out some great work.
-Floyd Bishop