Tom Gasek and Miki Cash are proud to announce the online release of their award winning short film “Ain’t No Fish”. The stop motion short film has spent the last few years touring the world with screenings at over 65 film festivals, where it picked up several awards including the ‘Director’s Award’ at the San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival, and the award for ‘Most Inspiring, Compelling & Engaging’ at the Fast Forward Film Festival.
Tom and Miki conceived the idea for the film in the early 90’s whilst working together in the UK. Around this time catastrophic events at sea involving oil spills had been having a devastating effect on wildlife and the sea. They were further influenced the optimistic late 1940’s showtune ‘Some Days There Just Ain’t No Fish’, written by Carl Sigman and Bob Russell, and performed by Hoagy Carmichael. They felt the song would lend itself to a contemporary Arctic setting while juxtaposing against the darker subtext of the film. This subtext carries the important message that has compelled film festival attendees worldwide, who see in the film hungry seals trying to fish in a world depleted of this natural resource due to a man’s lack of respect for the environment.
Whilst the idea was originally conceived in the early 90’s the film’s message is just as relevant, if not more relevant, today with overfishing, coastal development and pollution from shipping leading to the degradation of our oceans beyond their natural state. It is estimated that 40% of the world’s oceans are adversely affected by human activities, whilst world’s fisheries are fully exploited, and 32% are overexploited, depleted or recovering from depletion. This means that unless the current situation improves, stock of all species currently fished for food are predicted to collapse by 2048.
Work on the film also originally began in the 90’s before work commitments put the film on hold. The directing duo’s enthusiasm for the film and idea didn’t wane however, and in 2011 the timing was good for work to resume on ‘Ain’t No Fish’. This was aided with advancements in computer technology since the 90’s that meant the pair could work remotely from their respective homes; Tom in the US and Miki in the UK. The production took around 18 months with both artists working simultaneously on shots and communicating via Skype and Dropbox until the film’s completion in October 2013. After a further two years touring the festivals, Ain’t No Fish is now available to watch online.
Speaking about the film Tom says: “Although I don’t consider myself as an environmental filmmaker, I do believe in the message of this film. The idea of luring in an audience with a fun piece of music along with matching visuals and then eventually delivering a strong message seems to resonate with audiences. That was Miki, Elizabeth Buttler and my intent. In the end, producing this film with Miki was a great excuse for keeping our overseas friendship alive and that was reward enough unto itself.” …
Miki adds: “… S.O.S – Save Our Souls!”
Synopsis
‘Ain’t No Fish’ is a short stop motion animated film featuring a bunch of hungry Arctic seals singing along to the music and lyrics of Sigman and Russell as performed by Hoagy Carmichael. It’s an ‘easy-go-lucky’ song about fishing and why ‘Some Days There Just Ain’t No Fish’. As the animated seals sing along to the show tune it’s slowly revealed in the background why there ‘Ain’t No Fish.’ Despite the upbeat attitude of the seals the garbage and oil industry that pervades the sea provides the answer…
About Tom Gasek:
Tom Gasek has over 30 years of award winning professional stop motion animation experience as an animator and director. At Aardman Animations he contributed animation to Nick Park’s Wallace and Gromit short, “The Wrong Trousers” and the Peter Lord / Nick Park Feature, “Chicken Run.” Gasek co-directed and animated the “Inside-Out Boy” for Nickelodeon, which is a part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Most recently, Tom contributed animation to Aardman’s “Creature Comforts America”, Sony Bravia’s “Play-Doh”, Laika Studio’s “Coraline” and he continues to direct and animate commercials and independent films. In the past several years, Tom produced, directed and animated two short independent stop motion films, “Off-Line” and “Ain’t No Fish. He wrote a book in 2011 for Focal Press called “Frame by Frame Stop Motion.” It is the only complete resource of its kind. Tom teaches Stop Motion Animation, Acting for Animation and is the Director of Graduate Studies in the School of Film & Animation at R.I.T. His work can be viewed at www.tdgasek.com
About Miki Cash:
Miki Cash co-founded award winning animation studio WONKY Films (wonkyfilms.com) in 2006, where he has overseen the creative direction of the company’s output. Prior to setting up WONKY Miki started off in the industry working at Aardman Animations on projects including Creature Comforts and Chicken Run. He also fitted in two years working in the States (at Olive Jar Studios and Out of Hand Animation) as well as extensively in Europe.
Screenings & Awards:
For a full list of screenings and awards please visit: aintnofish.com/screenings-awards
