The Great Task Remaining B4 US
Karl Lind - 2011, 2:30, HD, Portland
A time traveling animatronic Abe Lincoln appears at a Sparks Nevada sports mall to re-deliver the Gettysburg Address and adds a sense of universal urgency to an old tract.
Karl Lind calls Portland, Oregon home and desires to make the world his couch, he likes to make short videos when he isn't too distracted to do so.
Questions & Answers
ATA: When saw the scary animatronic Lincoln in the mall, my first thought was: so that's where they put the old guys after the Hall of Presidents renovation! Did you happen across scary Lincoln, or did you seek him out?
KL: I accidentally discovered him while I was back in hometown of Sparks, NV. for Christmas 2010 and one day we went to this crazy sports themed shopping mall with my Mom and a family friend, they had other simulacrums of former U.S. Presidents but Abe was the only animated one so it just seemed natural to film him for a bit.
ATA: Was Lincoln coin-operated? Where there any other presidents nearby?
KL: He was not coin operated, there were other Presidents; Reagan, JKF and Jimmy Carter but they were not animatronic replicas.
ATA: One of the things I like best about the piece is that it has a really simple, vernacular quality to it, but has been turned into something more exciting. How did you decide to send Lincoln's immortal words into space?
KL: I made a completely pedestrian documentation but when I ended up viewing it again later I intuitively started to see some sort of cosmic potency and potential to it, luckily my animator friend, John Bacone was able to help me bring a bit more of this notion out in the post process.
ATA: Is there anything I should have asked you, or would like to add?
KL: I am excited about this year's ATA Film Festival and I hope that I will be able to attend!
Q&A by Liz Wing
