"Star Eyes" Written by Sara Inoa. Performed by Sara and her daughter, Ellie. This song plays at the end of the film. Play while you look!
I was a year out from graduating college when I wrote the auto-fictitious script for the animated short "Puddles." I was twenty five and Ellie was five. My ambitions were scattered, I was applying to editing jobs, auditioning for acting roles, submitting short stories, starting to date after breaking up with Ellie's father, but there was a through line: I was being rejected on all fronts. I took a job cashiering at a local liquor store and was feeling self-conscious about what I had accomplished. On a night I was feeling particularly tired, Ellie encouraged me to jump in puddles past bedtime with and it ended up being exactly what I needed.
When I went outside I was grumpy and wanted the outing to be as short as possible. By the time we got back in I was drenched head to toe, full of watermelon, and feeling hopeful that no matter what I would be okay, because I had such a special daughter, myself, and my art.
The art for "Puddles" is still coming together. I want to strike a balance between the careful observation I practice in my illustrations and my love for cartoons. I see it coming together using a mix of traditional and digital mediums, and remaining gestural and whimsical in it's style.
SCRIPT EXERPT:
6 EXT. BENCH - WAY WAY PAST BEDTIME
Luna and Sol come out with a bag holding the container filled with watermelon slices. They sit on a nearby bench. Luna opens the container and Sol takes a slice for a mom and a slice for herself.
SOL
Mami, why do you go to space?
LUNA
What do you mean?
SOL
You always say “I spaced.”
Luna’s face realizes and the world from under the puddles comes up into their world.
LUNA
Oh! Yeah… maybe it is kind of like going to space.
SOL
What happens when you go?
LUNA
Today, space was pretty sad and scary.
SOL
How come?
Luna lets out a long sigh. Her eyes move calmly around the dark under-water environment.
LUNA
I’m scared I’ll never be a good grown up. I’m scared I’ll never give you the life you deserve. Or that I’ll have to give up making art to give it to you. And in my head that usually sounds like… I just hear a lot of mean stuff that people have told me… or that I say to myself…
Luna sighs out and laughs exasperated, refusing to let her tears fall out.
SOL
I think I go to space too.
LUNA
Yeah? How is it for you?
SOL
Sometimes scary, sometimes nice.
LUNA
Yeah, sometimes it's nice for me too.
SOL
Are you gonna give up art?
LUNA
No. I could if I wanted to.
SOL
That's good.
The world has returned to its previous state like an inhale and exhale. They look at each other back and forth. Sol gives Luna a kiss.
LUNA
Okay, I have an idea.
