On the brink of an economic crisis;
                                           a mother plays a bittersweet sonata,
                                    a father’s forced into working longer hours
                                             as a builder constructing houses.
                                        Whilst their son longs for a father figure,
                            the father becomes increasingly immersed in his work,
                                                   building homes for others,
                            yet he forgets to recognize that his own is falling apart
                                   and that this will be the mother's final sonata;


Papa’s Sonata is an Arthouse, Animation, Drama that combines animation and film to tell its story in a way that hasn't really been done before.

I think I should start by saying what in part inspired me to make the film.

It begins with my grandmother. My grandmother lives in a beautiful home in Haslemere and every Christmas; when I was young and living in England, we’d visit this home, all the family would be there, laughing and talking, it truly felt like the ‘family home’. But as years passed many family members grew apart, or passed away, I moved to Australia, my grandmother was divorced and the visits to the home became much rarer. Yet I idolized the home, I had this great urge to one day own it myself. I remembered the games we used to play in the attic with old army men and tanks that shot-out toothpicks, I remembered the mornings when the home was surrounded by fog and we’d watch old horror movies with my uncle in the study, I remembered the beautiful cooked dinners, I remember the Christmas nights, when the home was caked in white snow and warm familiar faces sat around the fireplace, exchanging gifts and stories.

Now I love my grandmother, I truly, truly do.
But I never thought about what happens after we left.
After bags are packed, and good byes are said. What is left?
She is left in just a house.
Her days are spent worrying about protecting it, cleaning it, gardening.
But inevitably, she’s alone, and I realized it wasn't the house that was so special, but it was all the moments in the house that made it feel like a home. If I was to hypothetically one day own that house, I can’t help but wonder what else I’d be inheriting, if I couldn't make it a home myself.

So I wanted to make a film about the degradation of a home to a house and the emphasis we as a society put on materialism and this whole ‘American dream’ or whatever you want to call it.
Another important theme is this cycle of fatherhood, the sons evolution into a father himself and the importance of the sons ‘ball’ which represents freedom and happiness, something that many of us are forced to let go of as we become an adult and have to face responsibilities; the sacrifices we make for the people we love and the importance of human connection.
And in a weird kind of way, this is a Christmas film about the classic story of the importance of family, especially in times of struggle.

I genuinely wanted to make something honest, I see film making as a very personal experience, you have to be willing feel exposed and put yourself out there in the hope that others will connect with your story, your vision. It is my hope that I achieve this goal.


Hello there, my name is Marcus Graham, I’m a 21 year old independent director;
born in England and now residing in Sydney, Australia. My interest in film making began when I was 9 years old and has since then evolved into a passion/obsession for me.
I’m a patient perfectionist when it comes to film making. With a background in both animation and film I like to try combining the two mediums in new and original ways. I studied Film & Television at Marist College Eastwood and at North Sydney TAFE,
then continued my studies at Sydney Film School.
I've since gone on to do a number of professional freelance gigs whilst using the money earned to fund my own productions.
I've done numerous professional jobs for Drumbeats, Gaia Rhythm, Ecolab, Opera House and more.



Due to the nature of the film being this mix of film and animation, we’re actually able to pull to whole thing off with a very neat crew of passionate and creative individuals who truly believe in the film.



The film focuses closely on the interactions between the family. In a sense they are all that kind of ‘everyman’ character that anyone can relate to. Victims of an unfair system and circumstances out of their control. I tried to leave a lot open for people to fill in the dots and put their own experiences into the characters. At the same time each of them has definable characteristics.

The Father, our protagonist, represented by a light grey blue palette (late 20’s/early 30’s) is easily the most complex. His attempts at maintaining this ‘American dream’ are afflicted by a failing economy that throws him into a seemingly unwinnable situation, as the fantasy of the typical happy family home begins to fall apart, so does his perception of the world around him.
He’s not a bad person, he’s a good guy in a bad situation; he’s just human.

The Son (lightest grey green palette 7-10 years old) is still discovering the world. He represents a part within the father; his innocence, happiness and hope is all within this boy and as their connection begins to slip away, so does the father's connection with the world, though the son in his early years remains naive to the gravity of the situation.

The Mother (yellow/green lime palette, also late 20’s/early 30’s) she holds the entire film together; she is the last thing in the father's life that makes his house feel like a home. She’s eloquent, caring and loving but ultimately fragile and weak. She tries to her best to be there for both her son and the father and keep stability in the household. She understands the fathers position and tries to remain strong, not just for him but for the family.

There are also a number of side characters in the world who are also victims of the rat race.
One of the key characters being the Boss (A scrappy looking man, brownish colour palette, kind of
overweight, bitter, cold, abrasive, antagonistic) who runs a dodgy building company, ordering workers around like an enraged opera conductor. He appears on all the advertisements representing the concept of the perfect happy family home which has a level of irony when contrasted with the father's actual reality.


The film literally cannot be completed if we don’t reach our modest goal,
we’ve managed to keep the budget as tight as possible whilst retaining a high production quality. I've also put forward $5000 of my own money to help complete the film.
The plan is for the money to go towards the film’s production
- Renting gear.
- Hiring studios; studios to film, studios to record audio, obtaining location rights.
- Production Design expenses, including props, costumes, multiple Chroma key screens, etc.
- Post production coverage, including 3D animation and sound mixing.
- And to cover basic fee’s such as travel costs, catering, etc

The film has been carefully planned out, We have a completed screenplay, shot list, storyboard, itinerary, concept art, budget, animatic and much more.

We're hoping this film can work as a launchpad for the careers of everyone involved or at the very least be something we can all be proud that we were a part of. But we’ll also have something that money can’t buy and it may sound cheesy but its love. I’ve invested everything I can into this film, my time, every drop of my creative energy and passion, every last cent I have has gone into this project, I’ve turned down multiple opportunities to specifically work on this… because I believe in it. I've put together a fantastic crew of passionate individuals who believe in the project as much as I do. But now it’s up to you to take the next step in making this vision a reality.


Follow us on FACEBOOK at : www.fb.com/papasonata
See previous work from Marcus Graham at : www.marcusgraham.com.au