New film by Calgary's Tank Standing Buffalo streams on HBO
A Calgary animator's newest cartoon started streaming Thursday night on HBO Max.
Tank Standing Buffalo's MONSTR was one of eight animated shorts chosen from more than 1,200 submissions to be part of the HBO Max series Only You: An Animated Shorts Collection.
MONSTR deals with Standing Buffalo's fight with inner demons while apprenticing with a northwest totem carver following the death of his wife Marsha.
“My partner Marsha died suddenly in my arms of a brain aneurysm," Standing Buffalo said in a release. "One moment she was there, the next she was gone. Without her, I was lost.
"I left Calgary to walk the west coast until I couldn’t walk, and ended up on carver Phil Ashbee’s doorstep. He saw I was in trouble, and took me in. I began a tough year-and -a-half apprenticeship, learning from him and another carver. The teachings were harsh, but helped me to heal.
Tank Standing Buffalo's next project MONSTR is part of an HBO Max program for animators
"MONSTR takes place during my time with Phil, and brings to life how I confronted the grief of Marsha’s passing. It is my story, one only I can tell.”
Standing Buffalo worked with co-writer Xstine Cook, producer Amanda Miller and composers Cara Adu-Darko and Brandon Smith on the film, which features music by Walter MacDonald White Bear.
The film features the voices of Corey Feldman and Tristan Risk.
It's Standing Buffalo's third animated short, following RKLSS (2020), which screened at TIFF, and SAVJ (2021), which is currently being screened at a variety of film festivals.
HBO flew Standing Buffalo to Los Angeles for the Hollywood premiere of MONSTR Tuesday night.
Scene from MONSTR by Tank Standing Buffalo
In his artist statement, Standing Buffalo said art has literally saved his life – and his emergence as a rising animation star was launched by a scholarship he received to attend a Calgary animation workshop.
"I came to love animation six years ago when I received a scholarship through Quickdraw Animation Society in Calgary," he said. "I am a person who thrives on routine and discipline. I appreciate the meditative repetition required to create animation.
"Through making my first two autobiographical shorts with monster and fantasy elements, I’ve found telling my story through animation is a form of time travel; my art is healing the person who I was in the past."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'You couldn't open the door': Concerns over awareness of and access to Tesla emergency latch after 4 killed in Toronto, 5 killed in Wisconsin
When a Tesla crashed on Lakeshore Boulevard in Toronto last month, the first people on scene knew there were occupants inside but couldn't immediately get them out.
Overwhelmed families surrendering custody of their children to CAS
Overwhelmed families in Ontario are having to surrender their children to the Children's Aid Society, and according to the society, the residential crisis is part of the problem.
Trump's defence choice stuns the Pentagon and raises questions about the Fox News host's experience
President-elect Donald Trump stunned the Pentagon and the broader defence world by nominating Fox News host Pete Hegseth to serve as his defence secretary, tapping someone largely inexperienced and untested on the global stage to take over the world's largest and most powerful military.
W5 investigation How did thieves steal your car? Maybe with a device they ordered online
Digital devices that a Toronto-area police department warns are used in the most common method of stealing cars are for sale online for anyone to buy, a W5 investigation has found.
Trump's appointees have criticized Trudeau, warned of border issues with Canada
Donald Trump's second administration is filling up with some of his most loyal supporters and many of the people landing top jobs have been critical of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and security at Canada's border.
How are you preparing for a possible Canada Post strike? We want to hear from you
CTVNews.ca wants to speak to Canadians of all backgrounds, whether you're a parent, student, worker, professional or business owner, about their concerns regarding a possible Canada Post strike or lockout.
Japanese owner of 7-Eleven receives another offer to rival Couche-Tard bid
The Japanese owner of 7-Eleven says it has received a new management buyout proposal from a member of the family that helped found the company.
Loblaw Companies reports Q3 profit up from year ago, revenue also higher
Loblaw Companies Ltd. reported its third-quarter profit rose compared with a year ago, boosted by the reversal of a charge at its President's Choice Bank after a Federal Court of Appeal decision.
Injured hiker from southern Ont. rescued from Killarney Provincial Park by helicopter
An experienced winter hiker and their dog were rescued over the weekend by helicopter in northeastern Ontario after being reported missing from Killarney Provincial Park, police say.