Channel Frederator Blog

Kirsten Lepore

Channel Frederator’s first featured filmmaker Kirsten Lepore’s artistic talents stretch across the arts (songwriting, directing, and animating to name a few). Her work was brought to our attention from different areas of the web - ranging from food websites to personal blogs. Despite the Internet explosion her work has undergone and being busy with new projects, she still found time to discuss this week’s films, neurotic narwhals, and her love affair with food.

Channel Frederator: Where did you study animation?

Kirsten Lepore: At the Maryland Institute College of Art – although I was toying around with animation as early as 5th grade when I tried to shoot stop-motion on an 8mm camcorder using jelly beans as my characters.

CF: Did you have any instructors that were particularly influential?

KL: My 2D animation professor, Laurence Arcadias, at MICA was a big help to me during my time at school. She even helped me get the studio space that I created “Sweet Dreams” in. And she’s always given me great critiques on my works.

CF: Who or what has influenced your work the most?

KL: Hmm, that’s always a toughy. In college my friends and peers provided me with tons of inspiration, and my sisters (who I believe to be the funniest human beings in the world) are constantly influencing my work. As far as other animators go, I’m a huge fan of Paul Driessen, PES, Andreas Nilsson, and old Fleischer Bros films.

CF: Who would you like to work with in the future?

KL: If I could pick anybody? Probably PES, Andreas Nilsson, or BLU… and I’d love to work with Garrett Davis again on another animation.

Garrett Davis and a stack of “Story of North America” drawings

CF: “Story from North America” has received some pretty deep analysis from viewers. What (if anything) did you want to accomplish with “Story”? How does that contrast with how it’s been interpreted?

KL: S.F.N.A. was initially meant as a fun animated story that would visually illustrate the song (which came first). We weren’t really trying to make a statement or send some big message, we just wanted to create something funny, entertaining, and crazy. Most people get that impression after watching the piece, however, as you’ve seen, a few people have offered up their own lengthy interpretations, which is kind of flattering in a way considering they’d even take the time to analyze the work that much in depth.

To be continued…

While awaiting the second half of our interview with Kirsten, why not re-watch this week’s Channel Frederator featuring three of Ms. Lepore’s films?

– Bailee Desrocher