"Violet and Marlowe Rob a Bank" Fights the Status Quo, One Carrot Heist at a Time

Wesley Wang's Violet and Marlowe Rob a Bank begins with a tyrant. President Rabbit and his army of henchmen have monopolized the world's carrots, and a single pair of husband-and-wife rabbits from the countryside are the only thing standing between him and total control. Violet and Marlowe — daring, pastoral, tender — arm themselves with burlap sacks and a series of elaborate factory heists, determined to return the carrots to the hardworking people they came from.

The film arrived from an unlikely spark: a cold DM to the musician Adore that turned into a full creative partnership, and an unreleased song that set Wang's imagination running. Paired with animator Jacob Rivera's action-packed style and adorable characters set against dark, dystopian environments, the result resists easy classification — part action short, part animated music video, part call to pave your own path.

Key Takeaways

• The project grew from a fan's cold DM to Adore that became a real collaboration around the unreleased song "Feel It All Again."
• Wang built the film around Jacob Rivera's 3D animation, learning that animation demands as much time, thought, and direction as live action.
• Beneath the heist is a plea to push against the status quo and refuse to let tradition define who you are.

Wang spoke about the film's origins, its hardest decisions, and where Violet and Marlowe might go next.

Interview

What drew you to make this film, and why this story, why now?

After a friend showed me Adore's music, I cold DM'd Adore on Instagram just as a fan asking if I could use their music for a short, but when they responded saying they actually knew my work and wanted to get on a call and explore a larger collaboration, the genesis of shared passion for this project blossomed. They showed me an unreleased song they were working on called "Feel It All Again" — the song that we eventually used for the short — and I immediately fell in love and my gears started turning for this story. At the same time, I was watching a lot of traditional animation and keeping up with animators on socials, and I was struck by Jacob Rivera's work in particular. At that point I knew that working off of Jacob Rivera's action-packed style and adorable characters juxtaposed with dark and dystopian environments was the right path to bringing this song and story to life.

What surprised you most about the filmmaking process, creatively or logistically?

That animation also required a ton of time to execute and direct well, just like live action, even with a full animatic. So many details need a ton of thinking through.

What was the hardest creative decision you made while making the film?

Having to completely scrap the factory setting for a different one.

What moment in the film feels most like you, or like something only you could have made?

The final shot with Marlowe's reflection in Violet's eyes.

What tool, technique, resource, collaborator, or mindset shift helped most during production?

Jacob Rivera. He's a legend of a 3D animator, and figuring out our ideal workflow and how much creative control to give him took time but was rewarding at the end.

What is the greatest strength of independent filmmaking, and how did you lean into it here?

I think the greatest strength of independent filmmaking is the unique quality of unrestricted creative freedom, where you get to express something super authentic and true to yourself that may not have gotten made or realized otherwise under the studio system. After going through the studio system once, it made me realize that it doesn't always serve the film to have more money and collaborators on it, especially when the rights of that film are no longer with you.

What do you hope audiences take away from this film?

I hope audiences feel empowered to push against the status quo when necessary and strive to pave their own way. It's important for everyone to wane off the beaten path in their own right and not let traditions or other people define who you are and what you do.

What does it mean to have your film selected for HollyShorts, one of the world's premier short film festivals?

It's a dream come true. As a kid I used to love going to film festivals with my family and I was always so moved by director Q&A segments. To be a part of one of the world's leading shorts festivals is such an honor.

Where do you see this film going next?

I hope it will also be recognized by other festivals soon and continue building momentum and strengthening its Oscar case. In the long run, however, I think the characters of Violet and Marlowe have much more to say and accomplish, and I hope soon we find a way to expand into a feature film.

Main Cast & Crew

• Director & Writer: Wesley Wang
• Producer: Wesley Wang
• 3D Animator: Jacob Rivera
• Executive Producers: Scott Aharoni, Craig Kallman, Diego Andaluz, Creator Camp
• Production Company: Wesley Wang Media
• Storyboard Artist: Alex Salsberg
• Supervising Sound Editor & Re-Recording Mixer: Tristan Baylis
• Sound Designer: Andrés Marthe
• Sound Effects Editors: Léa Dessart, Ian Devine, Eugenio Mirafuentes
• Audio Post Producers: Jeff Spivack, Mehar Gujral
• Executive Assistant: Keenan Billings
• Poster Designer: Jonathan Ho
• Music: Adore ("Feel It All Again")

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