By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
March 24, 2002
Joe Meredith is the type of guy who’ll sit through the Oscars to find out who won all the fringe awards.
This year, Meredith, 30, will have to set his VCR. And, if he’s very lucky, he’ll come home to a tape showing him running from the back of the venue to accept an Oscar for best animated short film for his charming “Stubble Trouble.”
“I’ve always looked forward to seeing who won for best sound or editing,” says the Chicago-based filmmaker. “Those awards are so much more interesting to me than who won for best actor.”
Perhaps that’s because his films don’t utilize actors, but rather characters he brings to life with his pencil.
“Stubble Trouble”–which centers around a caveman who can’t tame his heavy beard–is an outgrowth of Meredith’s day job at Calabash Animation, Inc., a local commercial animation studio. In 1997, the studio invited all its employees to submit ideas for short films. Meredith’s is the first completed project.
“People are always amazed it took four years to make a four-minute film,” says Meredith, who also teaches animation at Columbia College. “But when you’ve got a full-time job, you can only work on side projects in bits and pieces. I never felt like it was dragging, though. I knew it’d get done. It’s the journey that’s the most fulfilling anyhow.”
Still, he’s going prepared with a list of people to thank just in case he does win.
“I went out to Los Angeles [last week] for the Oscar luncheon and they gave us all egg timers to show how long 45 seconds can be if you’re not prepared,” he says, laughing. “If I don’t win, I’ll be fine ’cause I really didn’t expect to be nominated. But if I do, I don’t want to just stand up there gawking at the audience.”
Regardless, he’ll look fabulous. Though Giorgio Armani and Hugo Boss didn’t clamor to dress him for the gala, his girlfriend helped him pick out a snazzy tuxedo.
“We [came out on Tuesday] to spend the week going to parties and enjoy the whole experience,” Meredith says. “Who knows if this will ever happen again?”
Like he says, it’s all about the journey.
