Curtis Horsburgh is used to taking an idea and bringing it to life – and his 1996 delivery truck is no different.
“I’ve always wanted to do the nomad thing a little bit, but also work on my craft at the same time. So yeah, it does the trick,” Horsburgh says.
Inside, there is a hammock for a bedroom, a chin-up bar for a gym, but most importantly an animation studio.
“The truck offers me a lot of variability. So, if a company in California wants to work with me I can go work with them. If a company in New York wants to work with me, I can go there the next day,” says Horsburgh.
“It’s a constant container for different art experiments.”
The truck’s transformation is just his latest project in an already kick-started career.
Horsburgh was selected as one of six emerging animators to participate in the National Film Board of Canada’s 11th annual Hothouse mentorship program.
“They help craft their own film with the production team at the NFB and you only have three months,” says Horsburgh.
“It’s a very intense learning experience that is really an opportunity for emerging filmmakers — specifically, emerging animators — to make their mark with the National Film Board of Canada,” says Teri Snelgrove, an associate producer in the BC Yukon studio.
“It’s been very successful.”
This year, participants used audio clips found online as creative inspiration. Horsburgh’s track was recorded on the Toronto subway, and his story grew from there.
“We get to see their dream life and how it weaves back into their waking life,” he says.
With Horsburgh’s one minute short film, titled “Fyoog”, now complete and available online, his focus turns back to his van.
“Eventually there will be solar panels on the roof to power my computers. It’s just more opportunity to make more projects. I think this is the ticket.”