Life & Work with Tempe Hale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tempe Hale.

Hi Tempe, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a 90’s LA kid who grew up in Topanga Canyon. My dad, Billy Hale, directed many iconic television series of the 70’s and 80’s. He imbued my brother and I with a passion and love of cinema. When I was 6 years old, he had his first Bipolar manic breakdown while directing a miniseries. His career was cut short. The love of making films and the subsequent loss of that because of mental illness influenced me profoundly.

Looking back now, I realize I was intimidated by the idea of following in his footsteps as a filmmaker. I had to find my own way. In my 20’s I was a caregiver and art teacher for developmentally disabled youth in Santa Cruz and the San Francisco bay area. I co-founded an after-school art program bringing disabled and non-disabled teens together. After a difficult day at work, I knew I needed to find my own creative voice. I grabbed the San Francisco City College class catalog and I didn’t get any further than “A” for Animation. I signed up for the class and knew that something big was about to happen. The class instructor Laurie O’Brien mentored me and introduced me to independent animators working in the bay area. A whole world opened.

I earned an MFA in Experimental Animation at CalArts in 2014. School is certainly not the right choice for everyone. Don’t get me started on the debt! But I knew that I needed to throw myself into a creative pressure-cooker to see what I was capable of. Here I was, 30 years old, starting over. After graduating, I began making animated films for the Grammy and Emmy-winning composer Laura Karpman. We collaborated on operas and symphonic performances. Her confidence in my creative process led me to challenge myself more and more with each project.

My father passed away during the pandemic in 2020. The grief threw my creative ambitions into high relief. I didn’t have energy for self-doubt. I began working with a newfound freedom, stepping into my own shoes as a filmmaker. I was accepted as a fellow in the Music in Animation Intensive Sundance Lab in July 2020.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My number 1 obstacle has been self-confidence. Those who know me are often surprised by this. Over the years I said “yes” to every job opportunity that came my way, even if I had no idea what I was being thrown into. While that may sound gutsy, I think saying “yes” to anyone who approached me was my way of avoiding the risk of going after what I really wanted. Once you work a job, you are in that world, and that is usually where the next job will come. So if you find yourself on a path you are not excited about, it can be really intimidating to pull yourself out of it and start over.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a filmmaker, animator and painter. My work weaves together hand-drawn animations, live-action footage and stop-motion collage. My films have screened in concert halls, museums and internationally in festivals. I am a featured artist in The Music Center’s “For The Love of LA” series, for which I directed, animated and performed in my film Night Hike, premiering in March 2021. Night Hike is a film-noir inspired experimental short made entirely from still photographs shot by Arlene Muller. The film is a self-help thriller about uncovering one’s authentic self in the face of loss and isolation.

What’s next?
My father’s death inspired me to explore my ancestry. He rarely talked about his family so I had a lot of questions after he died. Who are the people in these old photographs? While researching online I made the shocking discovery that my great great grandmother was murdered! I am interested in exploring this story from a feminist perspective through animated collage, archival news clippings and voice over. Onward!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: http://www.tempehale.com/
• Instagram: @tempehale
• Facebook: Tempe Hale
• Twitter: @TempeHale

Image Credits:
(Headshot of Tempe Hale:) photographed by Arlene Muller (Photo of woman seated in dress) Operatic Soprano Hila Plitmann, photographed by Kate Steinhebel