Croaked!
Synopsis
Detective Talon Crowford, bereft of his wife, finds solace in the bottoms of bottles. One night, a concerned frog presents him with a case that sets him on a new quest- to hunt down a twisted criminal known only as “Silly Goose.” Crowford quickly finds himself pulled into action in a city where everybirdy’s counting on him.
Film Screening & Ticket Information
When & Where to See this Film!
…COMING SOON…
Film Information
From the Director
Director Statement
I’ve been making short films and videos my entire life, but my fascination with noir films started in high school. My best friend and I would spend half our free time on a shared Google doc writing scripts and the other half at his house filming them. After making several projects together, I wanted to make a detective film with a horror twist. We wrote a script, filmed it, edited it, and… it sucked. The short was a total mess, and unintentionally felt like a half-baked parody. So I went back to the drawing board and decided to do more research on the genre. It was then that I saw “Double Indemnity” by Billy Wilder, which left a profound impact on me. I felt like a child watching a movie for the first time, eyes glowing at all the possibilities. The second the credits rolled, I rewrote the script, making it less of a parody and more of a sincere love letter to the genre. It’s been a few years since I rewatched our second attempt, but– for the sake of keeping things sentimental– I’ll pretend it was perfect. After this project wrapped, I remained hooked on noir films and the idea of mashing together seemingly random genres. While I continued writing and making other films throughout my SCAD career, I wanted to revisit noir and do something else with it.
When it was finally time to begin developing my pitch for senior capstones, I knew I had to make an extremely stylized and cartoony film– an animation style I’d grown fond of as I progressed through my degree. I’ve always described “Croaked!” as a bubblegum noir– something with bright, cheery visuals and a dark, moody protagonist that takes himself too seriously. I wrote and pitched the initial story knowing things would change along the way as everyone’s visions seeped into the film. During recruitment, I made it clear to everyone that “Croaked!” was NOT just my vision; it was the whole team’s. I am incredibly grateful to have worked with this team of talented artists. The most important thing that remained consistent until the end is that the final product expresses love and gratitude for the films, songs, humor, and artists that inspired us, from the smoke-filled neon cities of “Fallen Angels” to the brooding protagonist of “Sunset Boulevard” to the jazzy soundscape of “Twin Peaks”.
We hope you enjoy “Croaked!” as much as we enjoyed making it.
Director Biography
Rohan Gnaniah is a 3D animator from Pooler, Georgia. He has always been drawn to the vibrant visuals of Saturday morning cartoons and the moody stylings of classic noir films and wanted to tell a story that pulled from both. In addition to writing and directing Croaked, Rohan also worked on concept art, modeling, 3D animation, 2D FX, lighting, compositing, and editing. When he’s not working on the film, you can find him at the movie theater or buried in a good book, drawing inspiration from the vibrant worlds that captivate him.
Credits
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Rohan GnaniahDirector
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Rohan GnaniahWriter
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John OleniaczProducer
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Aidan WiseKey Cast“Detective Talon Crowford”
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Ariel McIntyreKey Cast“Silly Goose”
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Joel HaverKey Cast“Frog Hopkins”
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Cristiana WoodsStoryboard Artists
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Jonathan StewartStoryboard Artists
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Cristiana WoodsColor Keys
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Davi TruebloodConcept Art Lead
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Rohan GnaniahConcept Art
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Marley Stroud-GlidewellConcept Art
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Jonathan StewartConcept Art
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Bella KhouryTechnical Lead
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Alexis ColeModels and Textures
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Faith LoudonModels and Textures
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Valerie ManningModels and Textures
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John OleniaczCharacter and Rigging Technical Director
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Davi Trueblood3D Animation Lead
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Alexis Cole3D Animators
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Cristiana Woods3D Animators
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John Oleniacz3D Animators
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Marley Stroud-Glidewell3D Animators
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Rohan Gnaniah3D Animators
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Valerie Manning3D Animators
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Davi Trueblood2D FX Animators
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Michelle Camargo2D FX Animators
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Rohan Gnaniah2D FX Animators
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Alexis ColeLighting and Compositing
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Bella KhouryLighting and Compositing
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Cristiana WoodsLighting and Compositing
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Davi TruebloodLighting and Compositing
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Faith LoudonLighting and Compositing
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John OleniaczLighting and Compositing
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Marley Stroud-GlidewellLighting and Compositing
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Rohan GnaniahLighting and Compositing
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Valerie ManningLighting and Compositing
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Rohan GnaniahEditor
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John OleniaczColorist
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M BooneComposers
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Noah SacksComposers
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Garv GarveySound Designer
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Myiah KappAudio Engineers
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Ashley ParkAudio Engineers
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Hannah KuehnFaculty Supervisor
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