The Darkest Evening of the Year

This little film was made as proof of concept for its big brother, Burp’s Christmas. When talking with potential investors, it’s very helpful to have a little example like this one to point to and say “see – this here is what we’re going for. Invest in us, and we’ll make something even more beautiful”.

I think, however, that The Darkest Evening… stands on its own two feet, even though its characters and themes are borrowed from another project.

With this and Burp’s Christmas, I wanted to touch on a lot of the aspects of the season not represented in most animated yuletide adventures. Stillness, silence, worry, anticipation, hope, mystery, doubt… a real need for a savior to be born into our lives, then and now. I’ve always equated the poem “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost with Christmas Eve, ever since a pastor at my childhood church applied it to his Christmas Eve sermon. Miles to go before I sleep – these beautiful words speak deftly to the state of how many of us feel right now.