(Bright music) (Bright music) Welcome to season 18 of TVFilm.

It's great to be back and with a new studio look this time.

We hope you like it.

For those new to TVFilm, we're a showcase of short films made by upstate New York media makers across all genres.

It's pride month, so let's kick things off with two LGBTQ films to celebrate.

Let's start with Teddy and Tater.

This film is about an up and coming ventriloquist whose puppet begins exploring his gender.

This movie is near and dear to director Louisa Duchin's heart, because it parallels her own transition and the fear of losing opportunity, family and friends for allowing herself to just be.

Let's watch.

- Hi everyone, and welcome to Smirk's Playhouse.

- All right.

Hello.

Howdy.

Hello, - I am Teddy and this is my good pal Tater, and we are proud to be back for another Teddy and Tater Tuesday.

I gotta say, I think this is the best crowd we've had all year.

- Don't lie.

Teddy.

- I'm not lying.

- You say that every week.

Best crowd.

Look at that guy.

He's eating like a hyena.

Oh, what is that sir?

Prime rib?

Beef, beef.

It's bad for your heart.

The more you eat, the more you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.

- So nice of you to join us.

- Sorry.

- Don't be rude, Teddy.

Are you a princess?

I love your dress.

- This old thing?

- Is that your prince?

It doesn't look very charming, does he?

- Lucky lady.

You, sir.

Don't you hate when you get married and suddenly you can't have any hobbies anymore?

I mean, take my ex-wife, for example.

- Wife?

- I know, right?

- What's that supposed to mean?

- Hey, tell a joke already.

- What is the deal with airplane food?

Seriously, what are those planes eating?

(Audience laughter) - There.

Now you got to be more careful.

Next time, don't just go jumping off the stool.

- Don't have such sweaty hands.

- Oh.

One second.

Come in.

- Good job tonight, boys.

- Thank you.

Oh, yeah.

- Ray!

- Tater!

Listen, fellas.

You lost them a little out there.

Punch up the jokes, will you?

And Teddy.

No more divorce talk.

You got to move on.

- Yeah.

Move on already!

- Yeah.

Sorry.

- I need an opener for next Friday's surprise show.

Do you think you can do it?

- Oh, yeah.

Yeah, we can do it.

- Prove it.

- Okay.

- Who do you think it is?

Meyers.

Oh, I hope it's Meyers.

- It doesn't matter.

This could be it.

Hey, what do you think that lady meant earlier?

- I don't know.

I want to be her when I grow up.

- Oh, that's probably not gonna happen, bud.

- Why not?

- Because you're a boy.

Boys grew up to be men.

- Do boys grow up to talk to dolls, too, Teddy?

Hey!

Hey!

I'm not done talking yet!

Hey!

- Yeah.

That's good.

Right?

Yeah.

That's good, that's good.

One sec I'll be right back.

(Inquisitive music) (Music continues) (Music continues) What are you doing?

- Nothing.

- Why are you digging through Rachel's stuff?

- I... I wanted to see if anything would fit me.

- She's ten times your size.

And I already told you you're a boy.

- I'm a puppet.

- Yeah, a boy puppet.

- And who decided that?

You?

Why can't I just be who I want.

- I am the one calling the shots here, not you.

You can't just up and decide.

- I didn't just up and decide anything.

I think I've felt this for a long time, I just- They didn't know what it meant.

You should know.

Remember in college, when you- - I am not queer.

- Says the guy talking to a puppet in the closet.

- Do you really want to start over?

after everything?

No.

You are Tater.

That is how our audience knows you.

That is who you will be.

It's for your own good.

Welcome to Smirk's Playhouse.

I'm Teddy, and this is my good pal Tater.

And we are so honored to be back for another Teddy and Tater Tuesday.

I gotta say, I think this is the best crowd we've had all year.

Right, Tater?

- Is Tater alright?

- Uh, yeah.

Never felt better.

- We came for Tater!

- Come on Tater, You're killing me up here.

Fine.

We can make you a dress - And call me Tati.

- Fine, but after the show, deal?

- Best crowd?

Ugh, that lady brought her knitting!

Excuse me, ma'am.

Does the home know that you're here?

(Laughter) - I know, I know.

Sorry.

We were trying something new.

- Don't.

This crowd isn't into new.

Look.

The Friday's yours.

But do not disappoint me.

Take this girly crap off.

- Are you sure about this?

- I'm sure.

- Okay.

- Thank you, Teddy.

(Sewing machine starts) - You think we were giving tickets away!

I'll tell you, with this minimalist living.

People are given everything away.

Take my wife, for example.

Please, someone take her!

I'm joking, I'm joking.

We have a special show for you all.

But first I'd like to welcome two very funny guys to the stage.

Give it up for Teddy and Tater!

(Applause) - How's everyone doing?

Some of you may have seen our act before, but we're changing it up a little tonight, so bear with us.

Are you ready?

- Hello, everyone.

Oh, what a gorgeous crowd.

How dare you keep me in a box, Teddy.

(Teddy) Sorry.

(Tati) Ugh, my hair is probably a mess!

- No, it looks okay.

- Okay.

You hear that, ladies?

You spend three hours getting ready, and all a man could say is "ok."

(Audience member) I thought it was Tater!

- It is Tater.

They're just being woke.

- I, I was Tater, but now I'd like to be Tati.

See it's still me.

See?

Do the water, the water.

Beef.

Beef.

It's bad for your heart.

- Great.

Even puppets are transexuals.

- The more you eat, the more you- (Audience member) All this identity crap.

Comedy is supposed to be funny!

- Okay.

Hey, we're still doing comedy.

(Audience member) But That's a boy!

- She's a puppet.

- But he was made a boy.

God doesn't make mistakes.

- She was made in Taiwan.

- We want Tater.

(Chanting) We want Tater.

We want Tater!

We want Tater!

We want Tater!

- Can't change what's between your legs, okay?

- She is a puppet.

All right.

There is nothing between her legs.

See?

(Tati screams) I'm so sorry.

I'm sorry.

So sorry.

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry Tati.

I never should have let you.

I knew this was gonna happen.

Why can't you just be- - Are you mad at me, Teddy?

- You?

No.

No, never.

It's them.

People are not as kind as.

- The hell was that?

What happened to you, Tater?

- Her name is Tati.

- Tater, Tati, tattoo, who cares?

You embarrassed me.

Kid, you had something.

I can't believe you'd waste it all over a doll.

- Well, thank you for the opportunity.

We'll be embarrassing somewhere else.

Come on, Tati.

Goodnight, Tate- Sorry.

Goodnight Tati.

Tati?

(Audience applause) (Quiet orchestral music) (Gasp) (Audience applause) (Quiet orchestral music) (Exhales) - Ah!

(Orchestral music continues) (Soft acoustic music) (Snaps and claps) - Thank you Kai!

Let's hear some snaps for Kai.

Now, please join me in welcoming our next performer.

Or should I say performers?

- Thank you so much.

Hi, everyone.

Hi.

Howdy.

- Hi.

Howdy.

How's it going?

- I'm Tiff - And I'm Tati.

Oh, what a gorgeous crowd.

Isn't this a gorgeous crowd, Tiff?

- Yes it is.

In fact, I think it's the best crowd we've ever had.

How are you doing tonight, Tati?

- I'm exhausted.

- Oh, well, that's what happens when you get to be our age.

- Our age?

Speak for yourself.

There's not a wrinkle on me.

- Yeah, because you make me iron them out before every show.

- Hush, you.

It was that wedding that drained me.

Oh, and they wouldn't even let me catch the bouquet.

- Why not?

- They claimed I had an unfair advantage.

- Oh, it clearly never seen you try to catch anything.

- How dare you?

I am a natural athlete.

- Of course you are.

- I am!

Here.

Someone throw me something!

I'll catch it.

Throw it, throw it!

Ah!

That was your fault.

- My name is Louisa Duchin and my film is Teddy and Tater.

Teddy and Tater is about Teddy, who is an up and coming ventriloquist that works at the local comedy club.

He just gets offered a big career making show.

And just at that same moment, his puppet Tater starts to kind of question their gender.

Really, it's about just the fear of coming out and choosing to be yourself, despite what people around you or your audience, you know, expects you to be.

I made this film in fall of 2024.

I had just come out earlier that year, so to go and make an entire movie about it was tough, because I was still in the process of trying to help my family understand what I was going through and what that felt like for me.

I have this coming out story be around a ventriloquist and a puppet, because with most ventriloquists their puppets are an extension of themselves, and in a way, it's almost safer for them to experiment with aspects of their personality and who they are through the puppet.

Is it Tati looking through Google and trying to find dresses?

Or again, is it that extension of Teddy and later Tiff?

You know, to be able to explore that for herself?

I would say any of the moments where Tater and Tati are essentially operating themselves were pretty fun, because that's like the most Muppet we got to be with the creation of this film.

The bathroom scene especially, was me and my production designer, T.K.

James.

We were in black morph suits, crouched down under the sink on the other side, and then trying to operate the puppet while we couldn't really see the monitor through the suit just because of how high up we needed to be.

And so it was challenging.

But I had never done that before, and that was one of the things I wanted to do.

When I was first coming up with this film I said I wanted to do a puppet movie and that says puppet movie as you get!

- Okay.

Hey, we're still doing comedy.

(Audience member) But that's a boy!

- She's a puppet.

- But he was made a boy.

(Louisa) A lot of the things that the audience shouts, you know, are all real things that I have heard in the process of me transitioning.

I wanted to show and, like, kind of force people who said those things to hear themselves and especially in the context of saying that to a puppet, you know, to kind of hear how ridiculous it is because it's like we are all here.

We are just existing, you know, on this plane of reality.

And we did not get a choice in how we came into this world.

But we get a choice in how we get to live and experience it.

- Thank you Teddy.

(Louisa) I've had some come up to me after a screening or even reach out to me after saying thank you because this film, you know, really put things into perspective for them.

And some people have even shown it to their family as like a way for them to kind of help understand what they've been going through.

I think that's a lot of what filmmaking is about, is just making stories that touch people in that way.

And so I don't know- this was probably one of the most rewarding projects I've ever done, if not the most so far.

(Funky music) - Our second film is Mothamorphosis by Katie Schneider.

This short utilizes multiple animation techniques, including digital 2D frame by frame animation, replacement animation, and textural fabrics in order to demonstrate the complexity and intensity of the character's emotional state while struggling with their identity.

Let's check it out.

(Puking) (Wings flapping) (Teeth clicking together) (Loud slap) (Aethereal music) (Teeth clicking together) (Snake hiss) (Teeth clicking together) (Snake hiss) (Crunch sound) (Shock) (Snake hiss) (Wings flapping) (Warm music) - Hi, I'm Katie Schneider and the name of my film is Mothamorphosis.

My film Mothamorphosis is about a girl who throws up a moth, and then spends the rest of the film trying to eat that moth and take it back into herself, and it's intercut with a more experimental version of what that moth means to her and what might be happening like internally.

I love textures, and I wanted to somehow bring in analog textures or like some sort of, real world feeling to the animation.

And I really like compositing all that stuff together.

So I bought all of these fabrics and they were just so gorgeous and pretty, and they bring so much life and personality without as much effort as like, I'm going to draw all of these little details.

And they also are inspiring in their own way because I didn't make them, someone else made them.

And they helped give you like different ideas and different ways that you can explore these things.

I spent a lot of time animating, giving them little wiggles little animations, and then I can comp them into the background or into- the moth has a ton of textures in it, and I think that's where I used the replacement animation more.

It's a stop motion term, and you would have a different drawing or a different object in the same place as with the previous one.

And by replacing it really fast you can create transitions.

(Crunch sound) I really like to work on films or like work with ideas that are exploring the internal experience or feelings and how I can make that visual or how I can be seen more externally.

And I really wanted to work with more visual metaphors specifically for this project.

The specific way that I chose these themes and assets and icons, was that I wanted to think about how I am repressed and I am queer and I didn't know how to express that and let people know and I didn't want to, for a while.

It absolutely is a queer film to me.

But I'm okay that other people may not always see it that way because it's not as explicit.

I really want people to sit and think and wonder what is happening while they're watching it and really be, like, engaged, especially with how violently she's trying to eat this moth and take it back into herself that's a part of herself and she's enacting so much violence upon it.

And I wanted people to be thinking about that and engaged.

So, what do they think it means?

We hope you enjoyed our first episode back.

If you want to learn more about this season's films and filmmakers visit WMHT.ORG/TVFILM.

And don't forget to connect with WMHT on social media.

And if you have a chance, go check out our YouTube channel.

Thanks for tuning in.

Im Jemaine Wells, and I'll see you next week.

TVFilm is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.