A Falling Loop

A Falling Loop is an experimental short with a mission to unite artists and musicians to strengthen our global community, to engage Midwest rural communities, and to pair animation with new music and guitar. Engaging Midwest rural communities to participate in A Falling Loop included collecting drawings and audio from community members. The images collected were reimagined and brought to life by animator, Ida Lasic. According to Ida, “in A Falling Loop, community drawings of the flora and fauna of homelife were taken into the 3D plane, transforming them into the textures of wild nature from the dancing stickmen to the corn, to the vast pale blue fields”. Audio was collected from more than 40 guitarists, and Miles explained that in the process of electronic composition, “the guitar was sampled and synthesized into new digital landscapes and rhythmic eruptions” to accompany the guitar. Participants on the project join from Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia, Germany, Malaysia, Mexico, Serbia, the UK, and the United States–including guitar programs at the State University of New York in Fredonia, the University of Louisville, and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. The project was funded in-part by the Indiana Arts Commission, the Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement, and the Twisted Spruce Music Foundation.

  • Nathan Fischer
    Producer
    Parts, Together
  • Ida Lasic
    Animator
  • Miles Jefferson Friday
    Composer
  • D. James Tagg
    Audio Engineering
    Parts, Together
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Experimental, Short
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 49 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 24, 2022
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography

For twenty years, Nathan has built a career that has taken him full swing around the world. Currently, he is President of the Twisted Spruce Music Foundation, and works for the Office of Entrepreneurship and Career Development at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

A guitarist by training, Nathan has performed on five continents and held teaching positions in Egypt, Malaysia, and Las Vegas and New York in the United States. His creative work has moved to a space that combines new music, experimental animation, and community building.

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Director Statement

As a filmmaker, my aim is to create stories that connect with audiences from diverse backgrounds and cultures. In A Falling Loop, I wanted to explore the theme of flora and fauna, and how it intersects with inclusivity, diversity, and community.

To bring this story to life, our team experimented with animation techniques that allowed us to incorporate art contributed by isolated and underserved communities in the Midwest. By doing so, we aimed to create a more inclusive and collaborative creative process, where everyone has the opportunity to participate and share their unique perspectives.

The visual style brought forth by Ida Lasic, incorporates experimental animation, which creates a dynamic and captivating viewing experience. The music, composed by Miles Friday is an electroacoustic work that weds professional performers with audio samples from non-professional sources. Through this film, we hope to inspire viewers to embrace a new perspective of flora and fauna, individuality, celebrate diversity, and find common ground in the power of animation and music.

I believe that art has the ability to unite people from all walks of life, and my goal as a filmmaker is to use my craft to amplify underrepresented voices and create meaningful connections across cultures and communities. My hope is that this film will spark conversations about the importance of inclusivity in the arts and inspire a new generation of filmmakers to create stories that reflect the diversity of our world.