Amy’s original plan for her stop-motion animation was to portray her queer experience, finding pride in it and coming out. However, she realised a lot of her self-acceptance was a result of the support her dad had given her throughout her life, and this is how the project developed into its final form.
The narration comes from a poem Amy wrote about her life growing up, with her dad as a central figure. The poem touches upon memories of seeing her dad every other weekend and her experience with an eating disorder, as well as her coming out story.
Amy added: “It is an ode to self-acceptance and an ode to my dad in aiding that process.”
The animation has nostalgic undertones, emulated through sixties patterns – the era her father was born – and the vibrant colours of the seventies when stop motion became popular. This sense of nostalgia is also driven by Amy’s personal story. The animation is entitled ‘Spud’, the nickname her father gave her. The puppets are inspired by the drawing she used to come out to her dad, putting it in his wardrobe to find, and the words she wrote on the drawing feature in the narration: ‘Thanks for opening the door, it’s about time I come out’.
