Creating CreatureVille

Using supplies from the woods surrounding their campsite, a group of kids created a tiny village called CreatureVille, a place for all of the world’s smallest critters. Filmed with only a handheld camera on the last day of a week long camping trip, "Creating CreatureVille" tells the story of the creation and running of this miniature village and its developing economy.

  • Maddie Rose
    Director
    Players, The Composer
  • Maddie Rose
    Producer
    Players, The Composer
  • AJ Ivkovich
    Primary Composer
    Players, The Composer
  • Ryan Brauckhoff
    Secondary Composer
  • Julian Ivkovich
    Assistant Director
    Players, The Composer
  • Jack Sadler
    Interviewee
  • AJ Ivkovich
    Interviewee
  • Julian Ivkovich
    Interviewee
  • August Sadler
    Interviewee
  • Donovan Sadler
    Interviewee
  • Will Sadler
    Interviewee
  • Persephone Sadler
    Interviewee
  • Aurora Sadler
    Interviewee
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 28, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Virgin Spring Cinefest
    West Bengal
    India
    August 20, 2021
    Award Winner
  • Golden Peacock International Film Festival

    July 20, 2021
    Award Winner
  • Mokkho International Film Festival

    Award Winner
  • London Indie Short Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    Semi-Finalist
  • Sydney Indie Short Festival

    Semi-Finalist
  • Hollywood International Golden Age Festival
    New York, New York
    United States
    Finalist
  • New York Istanbul Short Film Festival
    New York City, New York
    United States
    Finalist
  • Tokyo International Short Film Festival
    Tokyo
    Japan
    Finalist
  • Niagara Falls International Short Festival
    Niagara Falls, New York
    United States
    July 10, 2021
    Semi-Finalist
  • Anatolia International Film Festival
    Istanbul
    Official Selection
  • Venice Shorts
    Venice, California
    United States
    Official Selection
  • New York Tri-State International Film Festival

    United States
    Official Selection
  • Montreal Independent Film Festival Montreal Independent Film Festival
    Montreal
    Canada
    Official Selection
  • Chicago Indie Film Awards
    Chicago, Illinois
    United States
    Official Selection
  • Austin International Art Festival
    Austin, Texas
    United States
    June 22, 2021
    Nominee: Best US Documentary Short
  • Iconic Images Film Festival

    July 23, 2021
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Maddie Rose

Maddie Rose is a filmmaker from a small town in Southeast Wisconsin. After graduating high school, she has been dedicated to studying and creating films. She has done a variety of work as a videographer, including wedding videos, music videos, and virtual choir performances. She also recently assisted in filming the feature film Haunting Clara, a play adapted for the screen to help a local theater continue performing in spite of Covid. Maddie has been hooked on storytelling since she was a young child creating plays with her siblings on the little stage built into a corner in their basement. With great determination, she is working towards her goal of writing and directing feature films.

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Director Statement

Every year, my extended family goes camping “Up Nort’”, as we call it around here. My cousins started working on CreatureVille in 2019, I believe. Jack, the leader of the pack, continued to work on CreatureVille at home after our 2019 camping trip. By 2020, it had totally evolved. It went from bark walls and leaf roofs to wooden stores and soda can stoves.

As I’ve told Jack before, I think CreatureVille is just one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. Even better- hearing Jack talk about all the new additions he’s been working on. Last I heard, he was working on adding a system for running water and functioning lightswitches. The kid is incredible.

In 2020, my mom- the constant inspiration behind my good decisions- suggested I make a short documentary about CreatureVille in the last few days of our camping trip. I absolutely adore CreatureVille and filmmaking, so the only logical response was to say yes and make the film. The only equipment I had with me was my Rebel T6 camera (brought for nature pictures). That meant using the least wobbly chair and a stack of VHS movies to hold the camera for the interviews. We encountered a few other difficulties due to our lack of equipment, but while it might have been a little more difficult to film the way we did, I wouldn’t have it any other way- it was perfect for telling the story of CreatureVille.