Zurich animator/designer/illustrator Frederic Siegel draws on his own obsessive-compulsive habits to create “Ruben Leaves,” a five minute study of modern neuroses full of dark humor and spectacular visuals wrought in a stripped down palette.

A phenomenal success on the international festival circuit, “Ruben Leaves” was created during Siegel’s tenure at the Lucerne School of Art & Design while studying for his Bachelor of Arts in Film with specialization in 2D Animation. He graduated in 2015.

Created, directed & animated by: Frederic Siegel
Music: Nico Kast
Recordings, sounddesign & soundmix: Thomas Gassmann
Sound editing & sounddesign: Kilian Vilim
Foley artist: Dieter Hebben
Additional 2D animation: Martin Hofer, Zéa Schaad, Christelle Serrano, Viviane Tanner
Additional 3D animation: Ramon Arango, Michael Zünd
Mentor: François Chalet
Mentors dossier: Ted Sieger, Paul Bush
Mentor thesis: Franziska Trefzer
Theory: Otto Alder, Christian Gasser, Franziska Trefzer
Production support: Jean First, Jeroen Visser, Ignasi Duelo
Assistant: Susanne Steffen
Administration: Bettina Ganassi

Special thanks to: my family (for the inspiration), my classmates, Jochen Ehmann, Marcel Ramsay, Philip Hunt, Beni Morard, Etienne Mory, Dominique Birrer, Megan Jo Nairn, Jane Mumford, Ivan, the WiPEOUTs-participants & all the people on the 7th floor

Production: Hochschule Luzern – Design & Kunst / Studienrichtung Animation, Jürgen Haas
Executive producer: Gerd Gockell
Co-produced by: SRF, Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen
Editorial SRF: Gabriela Bloch-Steinmann
Supported by: Hürlimann-Wyss Stiftung, Zug
Promotion: SWISSFILMS

© 2015 / Frederic Siegel, Hochschule Luzern – Design & Kunst