This project was special because we had the freedom to interpret the poem however we wished, thanks to the support of both Joy Ladin and On Being. Interestingly, we didn’t have any discussions with Joy about the poem’s meaning before production—this was intentional, as they wanted us to bring our own voice to the conversation. To connect more deeply with the material, director Elyse Kelly did a deep dive on Joy's life and work, which helped her gain a better understanding of the poem.

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From there, we embraced an approach we love: animating on paper and using analog techniques. The combination of analog and digital methods allowed us to create something truly special that reflects Joy’s voice and story.