Screening at Theatre Three
412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, New York, 11777
Directed by Marq Evans
A modern day Walt Disney, Will Vinton picked up a ball of clay and saw a world of potential. Known as the “Father of Claymation,” leading a team of artists and writers, Vinton revolutionized the animation business during the 80’s and 90’s. But after thirty years of being the unheralded king of clay, Will Vinton’s carefully sculpted American dream came tumbling down. CLAYDREAM, directed by Marq Evans, charts the rise and fall of the Oscar and Emmy-Award winning Will Vinton Studios. It’s an astonishing journey, rich with nostalgia and anchored by a treasure trove of clips from Vinton’s life work, including his iconic, classic California Raisins, The Noid from old Dominos commercials, The Pj’s, written by Eddie Murphy and the Gary and Mike TV shows. Structured around interviews with this charismatic pioneer and his close collaborators, CLAYDREAM documents Vinton’s many successes and how he was unable to capitalize on them. In his documentary, Evans has effectively created a cautionary tale by bringing to life the battle between art and commerce. It’s a tale that is as old as time and always sad to hear. In this case, Vinton was overshadowed by two powerful forces: Disney and Nike.
Director Marq Evans will be our guest speaker and he will be joining us via Zoom from CA. The Q&A will be moderated by Tom Needham, host of Stony Brook University’s WUSB Radio.
Tickets $10 or buy a discounted pass for the entire fall series at:
portjeffdocumentaryseries.com/ticketsvenues
+We are still cognizant of COVID and will follow all Covid guidelines at time of each screening. Theatre Three has upgraded their ventilation system and has ample seating to maintain social distancing. Proof of vaccination and masks, properly worn, required.
