The Director’s Statement

Once upon a time, there was an artist named Catya Plate, and she created a beautifully intricate sculpture called "Hive Mind."  It was one of her favorite pieces because it was so complex and contained dozens of two-headed creatures made from clear clothespins which she lovingly called "Clothespin Freaks." They were decked out in tiny hand-sewn clothes and connected by their brains so they could work together as one "Hive Mind."

But something was terribly wrong... the Clothespin Freaks couldn't move!  She imagined they all safely advanced as a whole and dreamed of a world where humans could do the same. Catya desperately wanted to see them in motion, must see them in motion, just had to see them in motion!  And...  one day she did.

That artist is me. And that's how I got started in Stop Motion Animation... by bringing my Clothespin Freaks to life.

Now in 2023, fourteen years and four award-winning stop motion animated short films later, the universe of the Clothespin Freaks has grown larger than my wildest dreams. Along the way, other quirky, colorful creatures have joined in on the fun. Working so close together with this bunch of adorable earth-loving team players has turned me into a cheerful nature advocate myself. I've learned with and from them that living in harmony with nature is not a platitude but a necessity. With their help, I've completed "Las Nogas," the LAST short in a trilogy of animated adventures where nature rules.

Last? Don't worry they're not going to Clothespin Freaks nirvana... My kooky friends and I are already embarking on new territory and the adventures of our brilliant and adorable bird heroine Alma continue in ALMA - the stop-motion feature that follows up on “Las Nogas” which is the proof-of concept piece and first act in ALMA!

FILMOGRAPHY