Going back in (Bullet) Time
by Toussaint Egan
Bullet Time is the kind of bonkers passion project that's all but a shoo-in to be this year's viral darling among animation aficionados and casual audiences alike.
Conceived and directed by Eddie Alcazar, a multidisciplinary artist and game designer known for his previous collaborations with Flying Lotus, Darren Aronofsky, and Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, the 9-minute animated pilot has been quietly in the works for years. It premiered at Fantasia Fest last last month, but it’s also available to watch right now, released online via YouTube.
Inspired by the passing of Alcazar's beloved pet dog, Bullet Time centers on the reality-warping misadventures of Bullet, a hyperactive Bull Terrier with an addiction to junk food and an appetite for chaos. The pilot is an unabashed homage to the frenetic pacing and anything-goes antics of Spümcø, Klasky Csupo, and Nickelodeon's heyday, complete with scatalogical dark humor, "Gross Up" portraits, blink-and-you'll-miss-it Easter eggs, and mixed-media experimentation combining claymation and digital effects.
Aside Alcazar and Danny Elfman, who composed the score for the short, Bullet Time boasts a creative team of animation veterans including animation director Bob Jaques and lead animator Chris Ross (The Ren & Stimpy Show), claymation animator Richard "Rich Zim" Zimmerman (The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach), and Dan Pasto (Robot Chicken). The opening titles were animated by Kostas Firinidis and Basil Murad (aka Blood Chrome), the latter of whom tragically passed away in 2022.
"The '90s seemed like a golden era of cartoon inspiration, innovation, and love, and I wanted to go back to that feeling," Alcazar said in a statement published by IndieWire. "The team behind this project are a mix of experienced talent from classics like Ren & Stimpy, Pee Wee's Playhouse and Big Adventure, and Gumby to name a few. Plus, a combination of fresh new artists who were also inspired by the houses they built. Finishing this all completely hand drawn animation TV pilot as we turn towards the AI age feels a bit bitter sweet. Times do change but I hope the appreciation of hard work and passion doesn’t and that we will always find value in creation from skills and experience. Without it we are lost. … Without it things will lose all meaning."
Well said, Mr. Alcazar. Well said.
After you're finished watching the pilot, be sure to check out Cartoon Brew's wonderful behind-the-scenes interview with Alcazar about the origins (and future) of Bullet Time.