Synopsis: A stop-motion rock band talks about life before their band: Rock is not only an attitude. Our lives are a reflection of our attitudes: just like music, we are all different and unique, but there is no distance between us.
Luci Döll’s review: “This beautifully composed stop-motion film manages to skilfully force one to ask themselves, is rock and roll something you put on, or something that puts you on? Lovely, lovely work.”
ROFFEKE: What inspired you to do a film about a rock band?
XIAOXIAO TANG: I love rock music but in reality I cannot sing or play a musical instrument, so I wanted to make an animation about my own rock band, which would allow me to live out my fantasy:)
ROFFEKE: Are the characters based on real people or are they completely fictional?
XIAOXIAO: The rock band in my film is fictional.
ROFFEKE: Which band member of this fictional band is your favourite and why? :-)
XIAOXIAO: My favorite character is the bassist, because I used to rely on a headphone in a environment where I could not enjoy. I also really like the hair style of the singer and drummer. After all the work for this film, the band members all feel like my kids and I do have a special feeling for them.
About Director Xiaoxiao Tang
Xiaoxiao (Soup) Tang is a director/artist who was born and raised in Beijing, China in 1989. She graduates from MFA Computer Art at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Xiaoxiao has worked as an animator on mixed media in both China and the US. Her projects include: Motion graphics for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, character animation for KAKU Media, directing videos for BAMC Mobile TV, as well as a stop-motion artist at Flick Book Studio in New York. She specializes in stop-motion animation and is particularly interested in its ability to allow a deeper expression based on its direct physical foundation. Now she works as mixed media artist at Hornet Inc.
Director’s Statement
As a stop-motion and mixed media animator/artist, I create work that is ‘alive’ and connected to the world. Our lives are a reflection of our attitudes: just like music, these attitudes can be classified as rock, classic, jazz or pop; just like music, we are all different and unique, but there is no distance between us.
WATCH "ROCK IS NOT AN ATTITUDE" AND OTHER SHORT FILMS AND MUSIC VIDEOS AT THE FIRST ROFFEKE SCREENING OF 2015. VENUE: iHUB, BISHOP MAGUA BUILDING, NGONG ROAD. TIME: 2PM TO 6PM ENTRY: FREE!
This blog offers a behind-the-scenes look at ROFFEKE. ROFFEKE is pronounced "rafiki" which is a Swahili word meaning "friend". 'Friendship, Fun, Freedom' is the motto of the ROck 'n' ROll Film FEstival, KEnya. The mission of ROFFEKE is to promote rock music in Kenya by dispelling rock 'n' roll myths and misconceptions via the medium of film. The Purpose of ROFFEKE is "Lighten the Burden".