Experiencing Interruptions?
Password

Tulipomania: You Had to Be There

Magnification doesn’t always yield detail.
Maybe you had to be there…
When the observer and the observed exchange places – at what point do we hold ourselves accountable?

You Had to be There is to be re-released for a new album inspired by an invitation to work with author Jeff VanderMeer as part of the publication of the fourth book in the acclaimed Southern Reach series titled Absolution. VanderMeer was inspired by Tulipomania's recent release Dreaming of Sleep – Tulipomania in turn was inspired by VanderMeer's book Absolution for the upcoming album of re-mixes and new tracks, to be released in late October, 2024.

The animation was created frame by frame including animated lip sync as well as vintage found footage in an exploration of varied states of disintegration and recombination created on thousands of individual sheets of black or white paper.

  • Cheryl Gelover
    Director
    Co-Director, Animator, Musician
  • Tom Murray
    Director
    Co-Director, Animator, Musician
  • Cheryl Gelover
    Animation
  • Tom Murray
    Animation
  • Tulipomania
    Music
  • Tulipomania
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Experimental, Music Video, Short
  • Runtime:
    3 minutes 45 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 1, 2022
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    D-SLR
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Leeds International Film Festival
    Leeds
    United Kingdom
    November 17, 2022
    UK
  • StopTrik International Film Festival
    Maribor
    Slovenia
    October 8, 2022
    Slovenia
  • Anifilm
    Liberec
    Czech Republic
    May 7, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Animaze
    Montreal
    Canada
    September 17, 2023
    Canadian
    Honorable Mention
  • Tallgrass Film Festival
    Wichita, KS
    United States
    October 7, 2023
    US Premiere
  • Malatesta Short Film Festival [cinema libre]
    Cesena
    Italy
    September 1, 2023
    Italian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Insomnia International Open AIr Animation Festival
    Kaluga region
    Russian Federation
    July 12, 2023
    Russian Premiere
    Official Selection
Distribution Information
  • Tulipomania/Cheryl Gelover
    Sales Agent
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Cheryl Gelover, Tom Murray

Tulipomania has alternately been categorized as ‘cult synth punks,' ‘glam-leaning,' ‘postpunk,' ‘art-rock' and ‘muscular chamber pop.'

While band members Tom Murray (lead vocals, bass,
percussion) and Cheryl Gelover (synthesizer, background vocals) enjoy deciphering efforts to categorize their sound, they decline to offer a specific label of their own.

The two first met in Art school, and found themselves collaborating on projects for Experimental Film and Animation classes –Tulipomania grew along with those experiences.

Described as “artistic and inventive” and “gorgeous,” music videos created by Tulipomania have been featured in film festivals worldwide, including the London Short Film Festival (England), Leeds International Film Festival (England), Aesthetica Short Film Festival (York, England), Encounters (Bristol,England), Zubroffka (Poland), AniFilm (Liberec, Czech Republic) and StopTrik (Croatia, Poland).

A complete list of festival screenings is available on request.

Recently, the pair created two music videos for Cabaret Voltaire co-founder and frontman Stephen Mallinder's recent solo release titled tick, tick, tick – out now on Dais records.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

We will be releasing an album to coincide with the publication of the fourth book in Jeff VanderMeer's acclaimed Southern Reach series. This album was created after receiving an invitation from VanderMeer to feature our music after it inspired him while writing the new novel Absolution.

The songs " You Had to Be There", " Shines On" and "Then and Only Then" as well as our animated music videos for these tracks will be featured and included with this new album release, scheduled for late October, 2024.

We are thrilled that Jeff VanderMeer has written album liner notes explaining how our music influenced and inspired his new novel. Four new songs inspired by the novel Absolution as well as remixed tracks will be featured as part of the new novel's publication.

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374616595/absolution