Jeff Stirling, of Over Coffee Creations, has won a prestigious Award of Recognition from The Accolade Global Film Competition. The award was given for Jeff Stirling’s exciting web cartoon, Soulbound, which aims to platform new talent and create a unique artistic experience that lifts up the little guy in global online production. Soulbound features exceptional animation, character writing, sharp dialogue, densely packed storytelling, colors, art direction, and innovation that could only emerge from a small indie film sphere.
“While we entered the California gold rush of independently funded filmmaking, particularly animated TV pilots, ours was a unique case. The budget was literally nothing. I came in as lead animator with only a passing knowledge in animation. My major was screenwriting, and I had to play catch-up to make sure the visuals carried the heart and soul I wanted them to. This led to one of the most chaotic production cycles I have ever led, chiefly because it was one of my first. My supporting animators were whatever friends I could bring on to help lighten the load. This led to a very visually chaotic, very inconsistent animation style from shot to shot. But they loved my screenplay enough to still want to see it finished. In the end, it led to the show having a unique, specific atmosphere that stood out from the crowd of web cartoons all trying to match the cable-level quality so many animation novices fall into the trap of trying to emulate.” - Jeff Stirling, creator/writer/director
”During the production of Soulbound, I was tasked with animating, cleaning up, and coloring a cast of colorful characters. Working for this production was fun! A very friendly environment where I was able to put my own creativity to good use while working at my own pace.” - Céline Heijnen, clean-up animator
"I was more than happy to help out with adding some extra musical arrangement to the ending of the latest episode! Jeff was a pleasure to work with!" - Ben Banas, lead composer
“After being hired by Jeff Stirling to work on Soulbound, I was excited to be part of an indie animated show. I poured over the work for months on end, making sure that each character's sound had a unique color that the viewer could identify when they were on screen. When Jeff told me that we had received an award, I was honored to be a part of it and proud of the entire team. This experience reinforced my passion for sound design and my excitement about working with Foley.” - BlushyFae, audio engineer
The Accolade recognizes film, television, videography, and new media professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, and those who produce standout entertainment or contribute to profound social change. Entries are judged by highly qualified professionals in the film and television industry. Information about the Accolade and a list of recent winners can be found at www.accoladecompetition.org.
In winning an Accolade, Over Coffee Creations joins the ranks of other high-profile winners of this internationally respected award including the Oscar winning production of The Lady in Number Six by Malcolm Clarke, the very talented Dave Bossert of Disney for his short documentary, The Tunes Behind The Toons, Hollywood industry veteran Ron Howard for When You Find Me and Highwire Films Australia for their popular ABC TV series twentysomething.
Rick Prickett, who chairs The Accolade Global Film Competition, had this to say about the latest winners: “The Accolade is not an easy award to win. Entries are received from around the world, from powerhouse companies to remarkable new talent. The Accolade helps set the standard for craft and creativity. The judges were pleased with the exceptional high quality of entries. The goal of The Accolade is to help winners achieve the recognition they deserve.”
For more information, call Jeff Stirling at 267-994-8920 / @TheNerdDerd on X, or visit Over Coffee Creations’ website at YouTube.com/overcoffeecreations.