Private Project

Sucky

Trudging through the daily grind, a trio of average joes chance an opportunity of winning the lottery. What could go wrong?

  • Tommy Simms
    Director
    Top Secret Jazz, Sheep Shed, She Was Crying Sugar, Killing Time
  • Joe Ludwig
    Director
    Top Secret Jazz, Sheep Shed, Killing Time, Denny
  • Sean Lehner
    Writer
  • Tommy Simms
    Writer
  • Joe Ludwig
    Writer
  • Sean Lehner
    Producer
  • Tommy Simms
    Producer
  • Joe Ludwig
    Producer
  • Sean Lehner
    Key Cast
    "Setback Sean"
  • Mike Roy
    Key Cast
    "Miserable Mike"
  • Corey Murphy
    Key Cast
    "Cursed Corey"
  • Tommy Simms
    Key Cast
    "Jack Potter"
  • Sam Ludwig
    Key Cast
    "Hangry Man"
  • Riley Gwilliam
    Key Cast
    "Callous Cashier"
  • Caliel-V
    Key Cast
    "Souped Up Carlos"
  • Kakia
    Key Cast
    "Romantic Ramina"
  • Jon Henry
    Key Cast
    "Stirred Up Suitor"
  • Michael Viers
    Key Cast
    "Baron Barkeep"
  • Joe Ludwig
    Cinematography
  • Tommy Simms
    Cinematography
  • Tommy Simms
    Editing
  • Tommy Simms
    Animation
    Top Secret Jazz, She Was Crying Sugar, Reanimation of The Imagination, The Legend of Leatherface Larry
  • Tommy Simms
    Visual Effects
  • Joe Ludwig
    Visual Effects
  • Ann Vollrath
    Visual Effects
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Music Video, Short
  • Genres:
    Comedy, Sci-Fi, Narrative, Music
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 27 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 13, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Tommy Simms, Joe Ludwig

"Sucky" co-directed by Tommy Simms & Joe Ludwig

Tommy Simms is an interdisciplinary artist and award-winning filmmaker, specializing in stop-motion animation. Earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, his senior animation was showcased at the Festival de Cannes. For years, he taught classes online and at art camps across the United States, inspiring younger generations with puppetry and stop-motion. Ranging from cartoons to live-action, Tommy's work has been featured in film festivals around the world, on PBS, in theatre productions, and at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. His animated adventures continue through the production of independent films and music videos.

Joe Ludwig is a visual storyteller based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, specializing in narrative music videos and live event videography since 2013. His work has been shown in film festivals around the world. In 2013, he created the video for a Kickstarter campaign that successfully raised +$72,000 to save the historic Towne Cinema in Watertown, WI.

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Director Statement

And you thought your day was bad… Set to the tune of Fuzzysurf’s identically titled song, “Sucky” chronicles the mayhem one unlucky day can unleash as the band members navigate a series of unfortunate events. Our goal was to showcase the plethora of adversities that could unfold in any given scenario, no matter how small. Spilled coffee, lost cellphone, car theft; it's not long before these minor inconveniences escalate to catastrophic proportions. Filmed entirely around Milwaukee, Wisconsin, we envisioned what would be the worst possible scenario to end an exhaustingly problematic day. Stop-motion animation is merged with live action footage to create an unbelievably explosive climax that emphasizes the grand in finale.