The Wad and the Worm (First Version) (2022)

Early experimental claymation. This is the first and longer version of the film, which was later re-created from scratch. Created 1966, released 2022. "I was 13 and had seen the amazing "abstract jazz claymation: short, CLAY, OR THE ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES by Eliot Noyes. I was totally copying that film when I made this. I entered this film in a local high school film festival, won first place, and got the attention of Larry Herndon of Keitz and Herndon, a Dallas animation company. Herndon set me up with a 35mm camera and professional lights, and had me reshoot the claymation. By this time, I had forgotten about Nosey' film and that I had simply imitated it. So, for the 35mm second version, I THOUGHT I was just imitating myself. That second WAD was entered (by the National Information Agency, a branch of the CIA) in foreign amateur film festivals all over the world and won yet more awards."