Winner of the Audience Award in the 24 Beats Per Second category at SXSW Film & TV Festival 2023
In 2021 & 2022 Little Wonder produced six marionette segments for a documentary called Louder Than You Think, a documentary about Gary Young, the first drummer for Pavement. The segments were directed by our very own Adrian Rose Leonard, and the film premieres at SXSW in 2023.
Synopsis: An up-close cinematic walkabout through the life of Gary Young, the original (and highly unlikely) drummer of indie rock royalty Pavement. His booze and drugs-fueled antics (on-stage handstands, gifting vegetables to fans) and haphazard production methods (accidentally helping launch the lo-fi aesthetic) were both a driving force of the band’s early rise and the cause of his eventual crash landing. Leaving a wake of joy and/or destruction at every turn, Gary teeters the thin line between free-form self-expression and chaotic self-destruction. Thirty years on with scoliosis, blood clots, and a shriveled liver, Gary is still drumming with no regrets. Note: no puppets were harmed in the making of this film.
Director: Jed I. Rosenberg Executive Producer: Scott Kannberg Producer: Jeffrey Lewis Clark, Brian Thalken, Kelly Thomas Screenwriter: Jed I. Rosenberg, Greg King Cinematographer: David Nicholson Editor: Greg King, Jed I. Rosenberg Sound Designer: John Warrin Music: Noah Georgeson, Edward W. Dahl Music Supervisor: Michael Turner Director of Puppetry: Adrian Rose Leonard
Principal Cast: Gary Young, Scott Kannberg, Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich, Mark Ibold, Chris Lombardi, Adam Harper, Geri Bernstein Young, Kelly Foley, Eric Westphal
Reviews of the puppet segments:
“Louder Than You Think might have the most interesting method I’ve ever seen of getting around this problem [of re-enactments], freewheeling marionette puppetry scenes that elevate an already bizarre story to even greater heights. That’s not to say the entire film is one long puppet show, but that this component is as crucial to this documentary’s success as the subject matter of the documentary itself.” - Jacob The Chive
“Produced by Adrian Rose Leonard and her team, the marionettes bring an undeniable sense of strange, whimsical fun and a way to connect with Young’s sweet innocence. It’s clear that the puppetry is coming from a skilled team that worked their proverbial tails off. Even Stephen Malkmus’ unique features are precisely produced to delightful effect.” - Mike DeAngelo The Playlist
“The film also uses puppets to give us visual aids for key moments in Gary and the band’s lives, and Director of Puppetry Adrian Rose Leonard effectively developed a unique, eye-catching style of puppetry that helps give context to the various stories we hear, and makes them more vivid.” - Serena Seghedoni Loud and Clear Reviews
“Louder Than You Think defies the rules… re-enacting past stories and memories with recognizable marionettes of Young and his bandmates. Offering a more whimsical and comedic element to the feature resonates with Young’s simultaneous childlike and erratic personality as a whole.” - Trish Connelly Rebel Noise
“Rosenberg’s choice to integrate archival footage and modern interviews helps establish the tone of the film. Yet nothing shows the light and fun attitude quite like the use of marionette puppets for reenactments. The puppets are not only adorable, but they help make up for any missing footage. While most of the documentary plays like a typical biographical documentary, this element alone helps elevate Louder Than You Think.” - Alan French Sunshine State Cineplex
IF IT BLEEDS: “CHIP” (currently in post-production)
‘‘Chip” is part of a horror anthology titled If It Bleeds, produced by Allison Victoria Wolfe and directed by Matthew Hersh. Chip is a marionette with an interesting history…being passed from family member to family member. He has good intentions…but, we all know where that can lead.
Little Wonder worked with Allison and Matthew to design Chip. Greg Ballora built the wonderfully articulated marionette body, while Adrian Rose Leonard sculpted and painted the head. Chip’s amazing costume (circa 1930’s) was made by Carol Binion.
