A new animated film from Shelby Baldock based on the poem by Noah C. Lekas
WE GOT A PROBLEM WITH GROUNDWATER is a surreal animated adaptation of Noah Lekas’ poem of the same title. It is a tale of working conditions in the American Midwest, as one man begins to realize his fate may very well lie in the notebooks his factory produces on a mindless day-to-day basis.
Gold Winner of the 2020 Bowery Awards, Groundwater has been hailed as “Haunting, aggressive and striking… 8/10” by Film Threat and “A dark, necessary journey.” Shelby’s vision brings Noah’s words to life in a totally new and unique way. Baldock and Lekas share an unmistakably midwestern experience with Baldock being from Memphis, TN and Lekas from Racine, WI. With a shared love of blues music, they weave a story that is equal parts rust and revelation. Born from stacks of lead-covered, ink-splotched sketchbooks, Groundwater is a darkly comedic examination of the environmental and philosophical toll of industrialization on the working class. Meticulously, Baldock brings the ruminative world of a Midwestern factory to life through hand-drawn animation and composition.
We Got a Problem with Groundwater was originally published in Saturday Night Sage (Blind Owl ‘19), a full-length collection of poetry about mysticism and menial labor that has earned Lekas praise from Please Kill Me, the Rumpus, San Diego Union Tribune, and more.
Since its premiere in October 2020, the film has played both the LA Shorts International Film Festival and Indie Memphis earning praise from audiences for its unique convergence of animation and spoken word, calling it “A striking surreal vision,” “A beautiful fire of a film,” “Visually captivating… a world that sucks you in.”
GOLD WINNER
“A beautiful fire of a film, a burning passion of art and anger, nihilistic rage manifested into incredible illustration, We Got a Problem with Groundwater is a triumph.”
“Five Stars - At only five minutes long, WE GOT A PROBLEM WITH GROUNDWATER does a phenomenal job of visualizing the life long toll that being a member of the working class can have on a person – and on a community.”
“8/10 - Haunting, aggressive and striking. An excellent example of how poetry and animation can work together and enhance one another’s impact..”
“This film is a genuine juggernaut!”
- Steve Ross, director of At the River I Stand
“Excellent!”
Jeff Stanzler, director of Sorry Haters
RECENT PRESS
GOLD WINNER - Bowery Awards
“An unforgettable portrait of the modern world” UK Film Review
“Aggressive and striking” Film Threat
BUY THE BOOK
SATURDAY NIGHT SAGE BY NOAH C. LEKAS
“Defining the poetic voice of blue-collar mysticism”
SCREENING DATES
10/5/20 - LA Shorts International Film Festival
10/21/20 - Indie Memphis Film Festival
CREDITS
Animated, Illustrated, and Directed by Shelby Baldock
Written by Noah C. Lekas
Original Score by Shelby Baldock, Sean Roulier, Jeff Culley, and Pierce Martin
Narrated by Ron Gephart
Editing and Sound Design by Shelby Baldock
Additional Animation and Watercolors by Eric Huber
Sound Recording Engineering by Chad Allen Barton
Visual Effects by Patrick Churvis
Produced by Piano Man Pictures
Released by Blind Owl Records