Weird Willow
- Laura Von Talbot
- May 21
- 10 min read
Updated: May 22
2014 is when I originally wrote 'Weird Willow'. Production for my stop motion film started early 2024. This is a post about my journey so far, where 'Weird Willow' came from and where I'm up to now in 2025 with my 2D Stop motion film.This post will start from 2014, and will lead up to 2025, Present day.
2014
Beginning of Weird Willow.
In 2014 I wrote a poem called 'Weird Willow'. The inspiration came after the sudden death of Robin Williams, someone I had admired from a young age. In a world of mundane and regular, he always stood out to me growing up, and was one of my favourite actors as a child. He was hilarious, talented, zany and, of course... Weird.
I felt inspired to try and create something that embraced being yourself, where weirdness is something to be celebrated. I wrote the poem with messages I stood by - to 'be yourself', don't listen to negative people. Be uniquely you. I'm not a 'proper' writer. I'm not the best when it comes to grammar and spelling, but I love making up characters, and I think we all have a story to tell. I've always enjoyed creating poetry and short stories from a young age, regardless of whether or not what I've written is any good, I've always found joy in the process
I wrote Weird Willow in my bedroom, it took me about 4 or 5 hours, and it was sometime in September 2014. I usually kept any poetry or stories I've written quite private, (who would want to read them anyway?) but, I thought this was cute. Maybe I could turn it into a book or something. I needed a second opinion. I went downstairs with my scribbled on bit of paper, full of inky mistakes. I lived with my parents at the time. My Dad was in the living room, I asked if he wanted to hear it, he said yes, and he sat and listened as I read the story. When I finished reading, he was tearful, and said 'excellent'.
This was such a good response for someone like me, who isn't a writer, and enough encouragement for me to do something with my poem. If my Dad hadn't have responded so well, I would have disregarded it, found it embarrassing and moved onto something else. I've always been supported and encouraged.
I was eager and willing. I was 24 and making my first proper book. I'd made comic books in uni, but not a children's book. Nothing I had made prior to this had made me excited.
I created some rushed and out-of-proportion illustrations. Nowadays I would correct any mistakes on photoshop, and improve the line-work with a drawing tablet. I'd spend days on one drawing, getting everything to the best standard I could.
I didn't own a drawing tablet then, so generally didn't correct any of my line work. I'd bash out a load of drawings, scan them all in, and colour everything using the touch pad on my laptop. No depth or shadow, just block colour. I didn't have a good eye for bad proportions, or a good eye for bad art, for that matter. I thought once the colours were on my drawings they would look good. This is of course wrong, but I just loved drawing.
I had made some illustrations to go with my poem. She was rough and ready. Very rough.
I tried to remember how to use Indesign. The last time I'd used Indesign was to make a booklet for my dissertation in Uni, and it wasn't very good. Infact, a friend had helped me with this as I didn’t have a knack for layouts. I hadn't made an actual book before. I tried to find what I could on google, but I still didn't understand page 'bleeds'. Pages where the illustration was displayed across the centre fold were a bit of a mess. Willow's face was even duplicated in the centre of one spread, giving her two noses. I didn't understand how to fix this and the proofs kept coming back looking bad. Regardless of all the mistakes, I got it printed and couldn't wait for the copies to arrive.
I got 20 copies made. I was told there were grammar mistakes after I'd got it printed. My first press of 'Weird Willow' was a bit of a mess, but It was mine. It was just nice to see something I had written printed as something I could hold in my hands. I had made a book! I had accomplished something.
These shoddy copies went to family, anyone I was close to at the time, and the small handful of people that bought one from my website or the odd art stall. I think I have 1 or two busted up copies still in my house. Needless to say the books didn't go very far. But, they were generally well received by those close to me.
I submitted 'Weird Willow' to a few different publishing companies via email, but nobody was interest or even got back to me. I'd wait months for a reply, to get a response of something along the lines of 'er, this isn't what were looking for'. Which is fine, because I probably didn't research
what sort of work they published anyway.
I'd never submitted a book anywhere
before, so didn't know where to go or what to do. Even with all the dismissals and lack of response from publishing companies, I was still just happy I'd made a book.
My friends and family were very encouraging, my Mum got me to read the book in an assembly at the primary school she worked at - This was around 2016 or 2017 - after this, unbeknown to me, I didn't do anything else with Weird Willow for a long time.
Over the next 10 years, life happened. different jobs, moving house, relationships, new projects, new books, being settled, unsettled, settled, unsettled...
'Weird Willow' always stayed in the back of my mind as something I could maybe pick up again at a later date, or come back to when I knew what to do with her. I had the idea of making the images for the book out of felt, but who would have the time to do that?
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2023.
'Weird Willow' short film.
I'm now aged 33. with a 9-5 Job to pay the bills, and a spare room in my house which I've turned into an art studio. Ready to tackle bigger creative projects.
I've decided I'm making an animation. I'm making a stop motion, and I'm making it out of 2D felt. I've made a few moving GIF's, and played around with 'Flash' in Uni, but thats about it really. Much like the book, I don't know where to start or what to do.
All I know is I have a story I want to tell, and that I want to work in the animation industry. In Merseyside, UK, the animation industry is non-existant. There are no cartoon studios in Liverpool, (that I'm aware of anyway.) I don't even know anyone that has the same dream as me. I've had a few trips to LA over the years, and these have been an inspiring experience, I've met some amazing people, but I haven't got my foot in the door, I haven't landed a dream career. I pitched a cartoon I wrote to Frederator Studios back in 2015, (Luna and the lava ghosts) and although they liked me and liked my characters, I didn't quite hit the mark enough for them to green light me. (and looking back, my ideas were cute, but deffo not good enough to invest in.)
Sick of all the rejection and lack of jobs, I decided I need to create my own path.
I need to make something that showcases what I can do, even if I don't know how to do it yet.
I have Weird Willow, and thats better than starting fresh. The closing verse is:
'Love yourself for who you are.
Throughout the storms and mist.
Don't be swayed by other views.
Because 'normal' doesn't exist.
Be who you are, don't be afraid.
You’re rare, unique and free.
If people don't love you for who you are,
say ‘too bad. I can only be me.'
This story isn't quite the classic cartoon world I aspire to be part of one day, Willows story is a bit more of a message, and a little more serious than Cartoon Network shorts - But, It's something I really want to make with the aim of being part of that world.
Weird Willow will be made out of felt as I want it to look textured, and like a world a doll could live in. I think it should be 2D stop motion. So cut out felt rather than 3d needle felt. I've already figured out the hard way that in order to create 2d stop-motion, I need to figure out 2d hand drawn animation. Every angle needs to be made prior to filming. I may even have a claymation segment, but I'll see how I get on. Its all a learning experience and animation is pretty new to me
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2024
'Weird Willow' is in production.
I started sewing backgrounds for my scenes whilst researching how to actually animate with 2D felt. I cant find many examples of what I'm trying to do online, but I had to start somewhere, so I started with something I knew; sewing.
I've made the odd Christmas tree decoration out of felt, so sort of knew what to do. Paper templates, draw on the opposite side of the felt, etc. I don't know how to use a sewing machine or anything like that, so thought I'd start start with my hand-sewn houses.
I bought animation paper, stop motion equipment like 'Dragon Frame' and Im watching hours and hours of videos to try and figure out what I've gotten myself into. But, whilst I've been learning, I've been sewing. And wow, is animation complicated. Fascinating, scientific in ways, but complicated.
'production' has officially started, its early in 2024. and I've green lit 'Weird Willow' myself. No team, no real budget, no time frame. gulp!
I've been fitting all of this around my 9-5 job, and using my weekends to work on my animation. The whole process is fascinating, and its best to not get bogged down with the workload. Take it scene by scene, day by day.
If I get bored of one thing, move onto something else. if it all feels overwhelming, break it down into smaller sections. Each scene is only short, so this is the best outlook I can have.
The beginning of this project has also coincided with the beginning of my new found sobriety, something I'll very much need in order to make this happen. Everyday matters, the few hours in the evening after work matter. I can't waste this time drinking, let alone waste a day hungover in bed.
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2025
'Weird Willow' Halfway point.
I think I'm about half way through my animation. I've made most things, and done a few animation tests. I've found out that building the world out of felt, and making the characters takes a lot longer than actually animating, I thought it would be the other way around.
I think I still have another year or two ahead of me. But once everything has been created, I can get everything animated in a few months.
I've got shoeboxes full of scenes, one of Liverpool skyline, one of Willows bedroom, one of the school grounds and more. I've sort of made most of the characters, and I can see from trial and error that some things will need to be animated digitally. eyebrows, clock hands, etc. I don't think I can do these with felt. I'm not skilled enough to get these tiny details looking good and in time with everything else going on. Just the big gestures will be stop motion for now.
I've made a turnaround of Willow on photoshop, her proportions are much better, and for the first time in her life she's moving! From this turnaround I'll be able to figure out how she looks in each scene and I wont be restricted to certain angles. I'm hoping this will make a much smoother animation. I figured out how to make this turnaround with the help of a few youtube videos. This one being one of the most helpful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvUkaBhwAFY - Character Turnaround by Bam Animation.
16 frames per second is apparently the best frame rate for stop motion films, rather than 12 or 24. Next step is translating those 16 images to felt. - at the time of writing this, so far I've make felt versions of the body and head.
The head wont be sewn down so the head can turn. This animation test shows the head turning 4 frames behind the body.
I haven't made the straps on the back of her dress as her hair will be blocking them, this seemed like unnecessary detail, I can't think of a scene where her hair will be moved out of the way of her back at this stage. Next step is actually making her hair. I'm unsure if i should sew this down, as if she's moving the hair movement would be different. She runs and skips in this story, so I'll have to figure this out.
The image on the left is one of 6 or 7 images in a dress up sequence - each image will only be on screen for a second, and these have taken me weeks to make.
This one is 12 frames per second - It needs to be re-made at 16. I have a little glittery bat that will be flying on screen next to her, just to make the image more interesting. Each of the outfits will all have another small animation going on to compliment the outfit and make the scene more interesting.
The animation is being funded by me and my family. If you wanted to support me, I have a donation link below. Any money would go towards felt, supplies, equipment, lighting etc.
Any donations would be much appreciated
Thats all for now. If you want real time updates about this project, Please follow me on Instagram & Tiktok @eeveefoxart https://www.instagram.com/eeveefoxart/?hl=en
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