The Pre-production Design
Portfolio of Owain Hollett
LILY (MY ONE AND ONLY):
BOARDS
Precise Viewing:
Rough Thumbnails:
I came up with this story after hearing some rumor that the song “Lily (My One and Only)” by The Smashing Pumpkins was actually about Billy Corgan’s cat because she had the same name. The common interpretation is about some stalker who has an obsession with a girl, and is arrested by the police- but I don’t like this version.
I really connected with the cat love story angle because I don’t see it very often. So, I pieced the lyrics together to fit that narrative while injecting some of my own personal experience with cats to invent my own story.
Background
A lonely boy in the country, whose only friend is the neighbor's cat. His love turns into obsession when he’s restricted- dreaming the cat was his own. When all the barriers of reality present themselves, he ultimately lets go of his obsession to build his own life. As he moves out of his childhood home, Lily waves him goodbye.
Animatic / Storyreel:
Synopsis:
The Meaning
I wanted to tell a coming of age story that strikes a personal tear out of me. I’ve grown up with cats my whole life, so as a kid I never really considered there would be a time where I’d have to let them go. I soon became an adult and had dreams to pursue, so staying home for a cat wouldn’t be an option. This song’s ending made me envision this bitter-sweet moment of my cat waving goodbye. It’s a fantasy that embodies a soothing transition into a new life, knowing that this cat is proud of me.
Loved ones don’t really disappear when you’re gone, they will always exist in your heart. It’s necessary to let go at times for your life to prosper.
OTHER PROJECTS:
CREATIVE PROCESS
Mastering Genres
‘Lily’ was a challenge I set out to do after leaving college with the image of being that “adult comedy guy,” and they’re not wrong. But there was this underlying presumption I felt among peers that doing comedy is somehow less artistic compared to an emotional piece, and that really bothered me.
I believe comedy is the hardest genre to master- to make someone laugh you must have strong empathy, literacy and knowledge for obtaining the perfect tick which makes your audience laugh. It’s extremely hard to do and requires so much trial and error to get your jokes to land- oftentimes never, as humor is entirely subjective. I believe it’s a similar challenge with conveying any emotion with your stories- the key difference is that comedy often revolves around getting hit in the head with a coconut while tearjerkers involve witnessing the death of a child. That surface-level distinction is what puts drama on such a high pedestal.
I jumped out of my comfort zone to prove I’m not just a one-trick pony, that I am capable of mastering other genres.
REFLECTION
Production Intentions
I'm satisfied with how the story reads—it achieves what I set out to do. In a production context, I'd push for a newspaper comic aesthetic—inspired by NY Times cartoons—to better capture that quaint, contemplative tone. I'm not sure the final boards fully capture that, I settled on a drawing style that is familiar and fast to execute- which was more important.
What I've Learned
I’m glad I had the guts to break out of my comfort zone for this project. I’m naturally private with emotional subjects and try to maintain this ‘cool, funny’ attitude. I realize comedy and drama aren't opposing forces—they're tools that, when combined, create fuller, human stories.
If I can make you laugh AND cry, what else could I do?
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