Movie spotlight
Make it New John
Make it new John tells the story of the DeLorean car, its creator John DeLorean and the workers of the Belfast-based car plant who built it. The film deftly contrasts the DeLorean dream with its spectacular downfall during a critical period in Northern Ireland's history, and the canonisation of the car - the DMC12 - as a symbol of the American myth of mobility. As with the earlier works such as Bernadette (2008) and Falls Burns Malone Fiddles (2003), in Make it New John, Campbell fuses a documentary aesthetic with fictive moments, using existing archive news and documentary footage from the 1980s as well as new 16mm footage which imagines conversations between DeLorean factory workers. Campbell questions the documentary genre and reflects here on broader existential themes and narrative drives.
Insights
Plot Summary
This short animated film explores the absurdities of artistic creation and the pressure to innovate. It follows a character grappling with the concept of originality, leading to a surreal and humorous journey through self-doubt and artistic striving. The narrative playfully questions the very notion of 'newness' in a world saturated with ideas and expressions.
Critical Reception
Make it New John is widely celebrated in independent animation circles for its unique conceptual humor and distinctive visual style. It has been lauded for its thought-provoking exploration of creativity and its ability to elicit genuine laughter through its surreal scenarios and sharp wit.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its ingenious and hilarious deconstruction of artistic originality.
Hailed for its distinctive, lo-fi animation style that perfectly complements the absurd narrative.
Commended for its concise yet profound commentary on the pressures of creative production.
Google audience: Information on Google user reviews for this specific short film is not readily available.
Awards & Accolades
Won the Grand Jury Prize for Short Film at the 2011 SXSW Film Festival.
Fun Fact
Director David O'Reilly is also known for creating the acclaimed video game 'Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy'.
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