S2 E19 Jared Bumgarner

This episode features Jared Bumgarner, the Producer of AstroNot about an absurd day-in-the-life of a man trapped in his own delusions until he finds the power of collaboration. We chat about this short comedy that is a collaboration itself, with live action and animation and a collaboration between Jared and his friend Zach Sheehan who wrote and directed the film. AstroNot is a love letter to low budget physical effects, hand made animation, and very silly jokes. This film uses a comedic lens to explore the dysphoria in comparing one’s own life to another’s success and the growth that can come from friendship and creative collaboration. These have all been hard won lessons for me as an artist and human. My hope is that anyone watching this film gets to the credits and immediately wants to go make a film with their friends. Never give up on your goals.We also talk about Jared’s other work as a first assistant director and production scheduler with Shadow Machine on Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio which won the Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA awards among others for Best Animated Feature. This interview is the final one in a series of conversations this summer with filmmakers whose work will be screening at the Portland Festival of Cinema Animation & Technology.LINKS:Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology WebsitePFCAT TicketsTickets for the Comedy Shorts ShowcaseSunday, August 23, 2026 6:00 PM PDTPFCAT Creator ExpoSaturday, August 22 at OMSI11am-2pmFREE with registration hereZach Sheehan on InstagramShadow Machine WebsiteShadow Machine on Instagram This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit oregonindiefilm.substack.com