Webster Crowell

Webster Crowell (Seattle) is a veteran filmmaker working primarily in stop-motion animation. Largely self-taught, Web constructs highly tactile worlds full of idealized characters and romantic detritus in a frenetic mix of styles and speeds. Since his first short in 1997 Web has worked primarily on a number of intensive personal films, including Borrowing Time, a sprawling feature film, and Parasol, a short film drawn across the surface of a few thousand paper parasols. His commissioned work includes collaborations with the Grand Illusion cinema, Northwest Film Forum, Dina Martina, Annex Theatre, West of Lenin and more. Screening around the world, he has received multiple grants and awards, including best design (Animation street party NY) Best Director/Effects (B movie fest) and the first ever Stranger genius award for film. Webster received a 2006 GAP to assist with expenses associated with his current film project, Parasol. A seven-minute animated film created through a process called rotoscoping (which is live action film then translated into animation), Parasol also mixes interludes of Pixelation (animated live actors and objects) into the sequence which are then hand traced into individual frames. The artist anticipates that it will take eight months to complete the project and should be ready in early 2007. Webster also received GAPs in 1999, 2000 and 2001.