Leah Bleich helped create the Open Media Staff Choice Award-winning BLOOM. Here, she answers some questions about herself and her piece.
How do you feel about being published?
I’m thrilled to have BLOOM published in Scribendi! It’s exciting to know that the film is being watched and enjoyed, and it makes the creative process even more worth it.
What is the motivation behind your piece BLOOM?
I had wanted to work with claymation for a long time, and BLOOM was my first attempt at the medium. I love the dimensionality of the stop motion animation process, and I wanted to explore that potential in the film. My friend and co-creator Ali Dwight shared the same interest, and we set about making the film a reality.
What was your process of the creation of this piece?
The film was entirely shot and edited throughout an intense four day period. I had set up a miniature photo studio on my bedroom floor, much to my roommate’s exasperation. Ali and I collaborated on the character and set designs, then frame by frame began to create the piece. It was a slow process, and neither of us got much sleep that week.
BLOOM encompasses a few different types of mediums. Do you have one type of art you prefer?
I love film. It’s so much fun to work with because creating a film allows you to dabble in so many different kinds of art. Film is photography, music, writing, acting, and more.
Did you come across any challenges in the creation of this piece?
The film was originally created for the Reel Loud Film Festival at UCSB. We began working on the film about a week and a half before the completed entries were due. It was a tight schedule to begin with, but to make matters worse, I accidentally deleted everything we had worked on several days into the shooting process. The film was due on Thursday, and we had to start completely from scratch on Sunday night.
What was your inspiration?
Ali and I wanted to create something dreamlike and beautiful. Our goal in the film was to encapsulate the beauty of falling in love in a simple visual story.
Do you have any advice to other young artists?
If you’re passionate about art, pursue it—but don’t pursue it half-heartedly. Practice your art every day. Learn everything you can about it. The more confident you become, the more successful you’ll be.
How do you hope your art will influence others?
One of the many reasons I love film is because I think it has the potential to change the way people think about the world. I hope that I can create art in my life that inspires positive change. If I can do that, even in the smallest and most subtle ways, then I will be satisfied.
You can watch Leah Bleich’s piece here.