SXSW 2023 documentary review: Dan Covert paints a picture of art and artist in ‘GEOFF MCFETRIDGE: DRAWING A LIFE’

GEOFF MCFETRIDGE: DRAWING A LIFE

The mind of an artist is a splendid thing. SXSW 2023 doc GEOFF MCFETRIDGE: DRAWING A LIFE delves into the wondrous mind of a nurtured creative. Director Dan Covert puts a face and a name to the work we’ve seen for years. Meet Geoff McFetridge, graphic designer, visual artist, and family man.

Geoff’s animated drawings curiously play over his voice. Combined with the equally infectious score, you are instantly charmed. Talking heads of fellow artists, filmmakers (friends Sofia Coppola and Spike Jonze), writers, photographers, and every creative in between share their admiration of Geoff’s mind. As a child seeking identity, Geoff used drawing as an outlet. It helped him to explore his inner turmoil. Poems describe childhood moments with effortless glee. These are yet another form of communication.

“Running on ambition.” Geoff is obsessed with his process, his created color palette, and the perception of his work. Balancing his passion and his family only works because of his wife, Sarah Devincentis. She pulls him out of his angst. He 100% credits her for their work-life harmony.

Geoff uses the most minimal lines possible, and still, his work expresses life’s mundane snapshots in wildly profound ways. They are spellbinding pieces. There is something in his repertoire for every human. Geoff’s is a hot commodity in the corporate world, from Nike, Oreo, Apple, and everyone in between. Geoff is that artist you know, but you don’t know you know. Ya know? Thanks to Dan Covert, now the whole world will.


Film Screenings

 
 

Credits

Director:

Dan Covert

Executive Producer:

Spike Jonze, Andre Andreev, Amanda Adelson

Producer:

Dan Covert

Screenwriter:

Erik Auli, Dan Covert, Amy Dempsey, Tara Rose Stromberg

Cinematographer:

Claudio Rietti, Daniel Vecchione

Editor:

Erik Auli, Dan Covert

Sound Designer:

YouTooCanWoo

Music:

YouTooCanWoo: David Perlick Molinari, Derek Muro

Principal Cast:

Geoff McFetridge, Spike Jonze, Sofia Coppola, Sarah DeVincentis, Andrew Paynter, Bill Powers, Liv Siddall, Atiba Jefferson, Jesper Elg, Andy Spade

Additional Credits:

Co-Producers: Erik Auli, Amy Dempsey, Tara Rose Stromberg, Still Photography: Andrew Paynter, Camera Operators: Tucker Phillips, Andre Andreev, Andrew Trost, Sean Mattison, Connor Lawson, Adam McDaid, Herbie Wei, Sound Mixing: Matteo Liberatore, Ben Adams, Kelly Wright, Kevin Crawford, Cel Animation: Hao Li, Additional Animation: Colin Hess, Archival Researcher: Richard Kroll