Experiencing Interruptions?

Black Comedy

Your kid’s worst nightmare. Or maybe you yourself still get goosebumps when thinking of it: the creepy clown. A charming and funny entertainer, but what happens after dark?

  • Lieke Milder
    Director
  • in60seconds
    Producer
  • Amanda Nedermeijer
    Animator
  • Almar Sloot
    Animator
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short
  • Genres:
    Uncanny, Horror
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes 7 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 1, 2017
  • Country of Filming:
    Netherlands
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • KLIK Amsterdam Animation Festival
    Amsterdam
    Netherlands
    October 18, 2017
    World premiere
  • International Animation Film Festival
    Gdansk
    Poland
    November 10, 2017
  • Fake Flesh Film Fest
    Kamloops
    Canada
    October 27, 2017
  • Reel Teal Festival
    Wilmington - NC
    United States
    February 17, 2018
    North American Premiere
  • ANNY: Animation Nights New York
    New York
    United States
    March 14, 2018
  • Festival de Cannes - Short Film Corner
    Cannes
    France
    May 17, 2018
    French premiere
  • Le Plein Super
    Traveling from France to Portugal
    France
    April 1, 2018
  • VAFI & RAFI
    Varaždin/Rijeka
    Croatia
    May 28, 2018
    Croatian Premiere
  • Arts à Bord
    Canal du Midi
    France
    July 26, 2018
  • Cinekid
    Amsterdam
    Netherlands
    October 17, 2018
Director Biography - Lieke Milder

While growing up Lieke Milder was always busy creating – comic books, board games, songs, dances. Yet it wasn’t until her internship at animation studio in60seconds that all of her interests finally seem to come together in the art of animation. A real passion started to blossom, and after graduating Lieke explored the world of the explainervideo as motion designer and art-director at in60seconds.

Lieke currently works as a freelancer. Her productions are characterized by good timing, rhythm, a comprehensive overall mood and feel and the usage of image and emotion rather than words to tell a story.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

A couple of years ago I stumbled across a very nice song on a stock website. The song conjured up an uncanny image of a creepy clown in my mind. I knew I had to make an animation using this track.

I pitched the idea of the ‘Creepy Clown’ to my bosses and when approved I started making the animation as an internal project at animation studio in60seconds in Amsterdam.

Where normally music is composed during or after the production, I did it the other way around. I listened to the song very carefully and made up every shot and movement based on the various instruments and rhythm. The result is a story that neatly fits the music.

As to visual style - during the project I made a drastic change: from 3D surroundings, bright colors and a fatty clown it developed into a more ‘cartoon modern’ kind of style. I initially choose to work with 3D as I wanted to learn more about it, yet quirky/pointy 2D shapes ended up suiting the mysterious story way better.

Together with talented animators Amanda Nedermeijer and Almar Sloot we finished the animation in a pressure cooker. This was a nice experience, because we had to communicate well how to balance out the movements while animating. Each of us got their own characters to animate, so their personalities would really come to life. They did. So be prepared!