I saw this film as part of a collection of international award winning films for kids from ages 4 to 8. What's Wrong With This Picture by Jeffrey Travis is listed as an American comedy. Travis' website says that the film has been in over 30 festivals and won "multiple" awards.
This is the blurb from the DVD insert on the films:
Millions of children each day are left alone with crayons and paper—the vast majority of whom gleefully animate without loss or injury. There are those precious few, however, who must bear the weight of wax-gone-bad. Three-year-old Aidan may have followed all the rules, but in a moment of carelessness, his own creation will go horribly wrong.
- Heart of Gold International Film Festival
- Tribeca Film Festival
- SXSW Film Festival
- Seattle International Film Festival
There are three separate moods in this film. The beginning feels like a public service announcement for something horrible, but it's over the top nature makes it an apparent joke. We are set up and prepared for the pay off.
The music changes drastically to a happy upbeat tune during the animation. It's fun and cute. I was happy to see the "stickman" get something to eat and drink.
The films gets interesting for me when Aidan returns and is very upset. I could use this film as an example of the ethical treatment of actors. Was Aidan aware that he was even in a film? The camera doesn't move when he is on camera, making it appear as though it's a hidden camera.
Aidan may just be a convincing actor, but even if it was real for him, it is unethical? In the credit, Aidan's last name is Travis, so it would be fair to assume the director is family, perhaps his father. It's also hard to consider taking juice away from a child torture, but is it exploitative to take his reaction and turn it into a short film?
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