On challenges faced:

“I mean this was my first animated film so it was a learning curve from day one. Everything was a mistake after a mistake after a mistake. What I thought could be accomplished in six months ended up taking two years. The biggest challenge for me, however, was animating the psychedelic sequence. The animation ramps up from 12fps to 24fps so it became a very labor intensive segment. The repetitive motion of effectively drawing the same frame over and over blew out my arm! I got a frozen shoulder and couldn’t lift my drawing hand past my belly button for a good two months. Not to mention it hurt like hell. So I had to take a six month hiatus while I let my arm heal. That was a major setback.”

What is your best piece of advice to aspiring filmmakers?

“If you want to make your own stuff — like, not for anyone else — I think it's hard to find that motivation when there's the incredible risk of going broke. I sort of lived with that anxiety my entire adulthood. At some point, I really saw no future in what I was doing for other people. I had no endgame. And at the same time, I had no endgame for making my own crap.

At the end of the day the only option you have is just to follow the bliss. Ignore the doubt. You make the sacrifices, and you take the risk to follow your own passions. I was just looking for something that felt fulfilling to me and it miraculously is beginning to pay off. It's such a yogi thing to say and I don't really feel qualified to give career advice like that, but it's currently working for me and it's something I wish I did sooner!”

What’s next? Any upcoming projects?

“Yeah! I’ve been making minute long short films you can find on my instagram @joecappa.”

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