Cannes Film Awards

A man of many talents, San Francisco native Ollie Anderson, also known as Oliver Ryan Anderson, is a director, actor, screenwriter, producer, photographer. His experience as a product marketer in the golf world and building communities through creative content and engaging tech experiences led to the creation of a micro-influencing Instagram account, @SanFrancisco_Toys, where he has grown a cult following based on his innovative story telling and his genuine, authentic - and at times extreme - toy photography.

Find out more about Oliver at FILMFREEWAY | YOUTUBE | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM

Your project has entered in our festival. What is your project about?
GREENS is the pilot episode in a limited series about the Adventures of Starlo Von Sourdough, an isolated and unconfident stop motion animation character. It pushes the boundaries between fantasy and education in a multi-layered story based on historical facts. On the surface level, Starlo's only friend, a mythological Bunker Shark, is very sick and he must travel the multiverse to retrieve the only elixir that will save it. Trouble is, Starlo is a new golfer who must face the trials of the god of the zyphyr wind, an infamous cheater throughout history. On a deeper level, GREENS and this series is about the impact disinformation can have and how harmful it can be. In San Francisco, America, and probably other countries, we endeavor to survive in a world of disinformation and this project is about inspiring change, and giving people a little more love and laughter in a time they desperately need it.

What are your ambitions with your project?
To continue to make episodes in the Adventures of Starlo Von Sourdough, I hope GREENS gets picked up by NBC Golf Channel and to be on every major streaming platform. I couldn't have made GREENS if BUNKERS, the previous experimental episode, didn't win world-wide... and God willing, it won Best Animation, Best Visual FX, and Audience Vote. GREENS is the next scale up and we will continue to scale this project and inspire change if we continue to win.

Tell us something about your shooting? What pleasantly surprised you?
I'm pretty surprised I didn't die. It took Nick Park about 5 years (with the help of Aardman Studios) to complete his 22 minute Wallace and Gromit episode. It took me less than two years for this 30+ minute episode. Stop-motion animation is extraordinarily exhausting, especially when you're doing over 90% of everything. Once I transitioned from using a skateboard to programming camera movements, it helped conserve my energy to focus more on animating and other critical success factors. I didn't have much, but having a couple new tools and tech made a bigger difference than I anticipated. You can learn all about my failures in the BTS videos I post weekly on my youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPnyg3IqWyg

For what group of spectators is your film targeted?
It's more than golfers.. It's gamers, animation and comic fans, and animal lovers. Although the production is geared to younger generations, we've discovered its creating community and conversations between all ages. People find relevance.

Why should distributors buy your film?
Audiences have voted again and again that they love this film, series, and they want more. The cost was low to make this, but the revenue potential is high because it's all original intellectual property with a ton of merchandising opportunities. Comparables suggest that this has a revenue opportunity between US$100-900 million.

How would you specify your work? What characterizes your film?
If Wes Anderson, Tim Burton, and Wallace and Gromit had a threesome and made a baby, my work would be that baby. I'm not sure that I can see my work from an outside perspective because I'm in too deep. So that's what people tell me. I'm cool with that.

Why did you decided to become a filmmaker?
I don't think it was a cognizant decision. I had been a highly trained and working young actor (like CSI:LAS Vegas and other Disney backed projects) and I used my skillsets to create content as a marketer. When Covid hit, and we started feeling the affects of dis-information, I felt compelled to do something about it. So I made BUNKERS which basically teaches don't trust all the information we're given until we experience things ourselves. Violence is not the answer, but perhaps a little play can break down barriers and create peace.

Who is your role model?
My Mom. She works so hard and puts her family above herself. I just found out I'm having a little girl in 2023. My first child. I hope I can be 1/16 the person my Mom is.

Which movies are your favorites? Why?
Goonies & Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, are top of mind 2 of my favorites. Goonies because I love a good treasure hunting adventure. Willy Wonka because I love the worlds and implausibly plausible inventions. With stop-motion animation, like in GREENS, I got to create "chocolate factories."

Where do you look for inspiration for your films?
I find inspiration from my own life and relating to a pattern of struggles that many people face.

Which topics interest you the most?
Myths and legends based on historical facts and events.

What do you consider your greatest achievement in your career?
I became a patent pending inventor when I created the first gamified golf club fitting (education) platform in the golf industry but I never felt recognized or appreciated like when I received awards for BUNKERS. I hope to feel the same with GREENS but you know what they say. You'll either be called crazy or brave and it will all depend on the outcome. Making the 30+ minute stop-motion animation GREENS was transformational.

What do you consider most important about filming?
Discover the joy in filming each day because everyday is going to be a grind including before and after filming.

Which film technique of shooting do you consider the best?
It depends on my mood but generally, if you can watch a film over and over and over and never get tired of it... you probably chose the best film technique.

How would you rate/What is your opinion about current filmmaking?
There is a lot of talk and press from big hollywood studios that they are looking for low cost/budget + high production value, the next big emerging entertainment series that is different but I don't seem them changing their formula and reaching out to independent artists. When they do it's often with social media stars who make their daily work for a platform that is different that film and television. With what little and precious time we have, you'll have to make a choice between making that movie/series or making social media content. I hope Hollywood and big studios start looking more towards film festivals and supporting them to farm new talent.

What can disappoint you in a movie?
An incomplete character arc in a movie or for the overall series... the arc is treated a little differently in an episodic series but there should still be a little something for the main characters in each episode that builds up to the grand arc.

Who supports you in your film career?
My family and friends.

What are the reactions to your film? (opinion of spectators, film critics, friends and family)
I was surprised when Rachel McCallister, former Governor of the Television Academy, told me we have a good chance of getting an Emmy for GREENS. GREENS and the Adventures with Starlo series, push the boundaries between fantasy and education and stop-motion animation within the life cycle of plants. GREENS is visually stunning, the music choices are next level, and you don't have to like golf to love this film. Although, chances are you will become a better golfer no matter what level you're playing on.

Critics love the plot twists, shared goals of the protagonist and villain, the animation during the bloom/decay of the trumpet trees, and homages to great films like the opening of Orson Welles "Citizen Kane" to and Jean Cocteau's 1946 "Beauty and the Beast." GREENS is extraordinarily original and also very relatable.

Have you already visited any of the prestigious film festivals?
I've never been to a prestigious film festival in person because of Covid-19. I hope 2023 will be different.

What are your future plans in filmmaking carriere?
With the right support, my plans is to complete the Adventures with Starlo Von Sourdough series.

OLIVER RYAN ANDERSON