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AN INDEPENDENT SHORT FILM / 2011

A VeryCalvin &
HobbesChristmas

A handmade holiday tribute to the snow-covered imagination of Bill Watterson.

Watch the film How it was made

ORIGINALLY RELEASED DECEMBER 14, 2011

Two handmade snowmen in a blue-lit winter landscape: one stands with a shovel while a smaller head is buried in the snow — FROM THE ORIGINAL FILM FRAME 01

01 / WATCH2011 202615 YEARS OF WINTER

01 / THE SHORT FILM

A little winter
mayhem.

Calvin's wonderfully strange snowmen, built by hand and brought to life as a one-minute holiday film.

THE ORIGINAL 2011 UPLOAD

Watch on YouTube

02 / BEHIND THE SNOW

Not a single
real snowflake.

The snowmen were physical miniatures, made from clay, papier-mâché, wire, sugar, and flour. Every scene was photographed on a dining-room table.

James Frommeyer built and photographed the models. Teague Chrystie gave the footage its winter atmosphere through visual effects and falling snow.

Read the original 2011 making-of notes

Behind the scenes: a filmmaker working on a handmade papier-mâché snow monster on a table beside a bottle of school glue — BEHIND THE SCENES2011

03 / THE TRANSFORMATION

From the table
to winter.

Move the sliders to compare the original tabletop photography with the finished frames from the film.

Finished scene showing two snowmen in a blue, snow-covered winter landscape — 01 / A COLD RECEPTIONDRAG TO COMPARE

Original unprocessed tabletop photograph of two miniature snowmen — 01 / A COLD RECEPTIONDRAG TO COMPARE

Finished blue winter shot of a gathering of strange, handcrafted snow creatures — 02 / SNOWMAN COUNTRYDRAG TO COMPARE

Original behind-the-scenes tabletop shot showing miniature sculptures before the winter effects — 02 / SNOWMAN COUNTRYDRAG TO COMPARE

An eerie, blue-lit gathering of handmade snow monsters under falling snow — THE FINISHED FILM STILL 02 / 2011

Original A Very Calvin & Hobbes Christmas poster: cream lettering above two snowmen in a blue, starry winter setting — ORIGINAL POSTER ARTWORK

04 / ABOUT THE FILM

A Very
Calvin & Hobbes
Christmas

A short holiday tribute inspired by Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes comics. First released online on December 14, 2011.

CREATED BYJames Frommeyer
Teague Chrystie

DIRECTION & PHYSICAL MODELSJames Frommeyer

VISUAL EFFECTSTeague Chrystie

INSPIRED BYCalvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

Film & coverage

YouTube — Original film Letterboxd — Film listing The A.V. Club — 2011 coverage Reactor — 2011 coverage