93rd Oscars Backstage Interview Transcript: SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)

SPEECH BY: Will McCormack and Michael Govier

FILM: "IF ANYTHING HAPPENS I LOVE YOU"

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Q. Hey, Will.  Congratulations and congrats to those of you.  As of last week, there were 147 documented mass shootings in the country since 2021 began.  What do you think is the most urgent thing that lawmakers can do right now, and what do you think is the most urgent thing that citizens should do? 
A. (Will McCormack) You know, we really refer to Everytown For Gun Safety, who is our gun policy advisor in this movie.  I think Michael and his approach for this film, If Anything Happens I Love You, is to talk about grief and to talk about loss and to talk about the ones left behind. 
So, as storytellers, you know, we sort of stayed out of the politics and approached the story through loss and grief, and that has always been our angle for the movie.  We just want people to open up and to not be numb to the everyday violence that happens.  It's just for people to take note and to not normalize this behavior.  So that was our approach to storytelling and has been all along.
A. (Michael Govier)  Too often it just becomes a number and, like you said, it's just a list of statistics.  And there's actually behind every one of those numbers, there's a soul lost and someone who is no longer here.  And I think that's probably why we wanted to discuss just one person's story so we could bring people together to have a conversation through ‑‑ understand that these aren't just numbers.  These are people.  These are humans. 

Q. Hi.  Congratulations, guys!  Really, really congratulations.  I know we spoke a few weeks ago, but I just wanted to see, what do you think the narration brings to raise awareness of the topic and discuss the process that you had with animation and stripping it to the bare, to the essentials in order to bring your topic across and make as the forefront of this conversation, and congratulations again. 
A. (Michael Govier)  Thank you.  One thing really are hopeful and proud of that we are showing that animation can do everything.  Animation can tell every kind of story.  It's not just designated to one lane.  It can tell all stories.  And that's the thing we're most excited about with animation and our story, particularly, that all stories can be told.
And that's why we are so proud to be in this class with all our fellow nominees, because everyone told a story in every lane.  And I think that's what animation can do, and we are very proud to be part of this group.

Q. Thank you.  Our last question is coming from Sumo Encines.
Q. Hi.  Hi, guys.  Congratulations.  I actually work in the animation industry, so I'm very happy to be asking you this.  What is the next experience for you?  You are going to jump to film, to a full feature?  You want to keep treating this same topic.  It's a really important topic, and it should keep it, like, spread the word, you know?

A. (Michael Govier) We're hoping ‑‑ the film is going to continue to live on and it will keep spreading the word and we're working with our great friends, Everytown for Gun Safety, we're a part of them. And they're going to continue to use the film to lead conversations with grief and also to further greater discussions.  But as far as us, we are going to launch another animated short film.  We're obsessed with short films.  And also we are working on an animated feature as well.

Q. Thank you.  Congratulations our winners. 
A. (Michael Govier) Thank you.

 


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