The Moon Is a Lightbulb

Dream Storyboards · 1930s black-and-white rubber-hose cartoon
The Moon Is a Lightbulb

0:00 / 1:34
When the moon — a giant lightbulb — burns out, an old lamplighter rides his rubber lamppost into the sky and screws in the only spare he has: his own lantern.
style
1930s black-and-white rubber-hose cartoon
frames
16 key frames + 4 in-betweens
narration
1:34
Storyboard
  1. Night. The lamplighter stands by his lit streetlamp. In the sky hangs the moon: a giant lightbulb with a sleepy face.

    01 Night. The lamplighter stands by his lit streetlamp. In the sky hangs the moon: a giant lightbulb with a sleepy face.

  2. He tips his hat to the moon.

    02 He tips his hat to the moon.

  3. The moon goes out, sooty and dark, and so does the streetlamp. Only the lantern at his belt still glows.

    03 The moon goes out, sooty and dark, and so does the streetlamp. Only the lantern at his belt still glows.

  4. He looks up, worried. At his belt hangs his lantern, a screw thread under its base.

    04 He looks up, worried. At his belt hangs his lantern, a screw thread under its base.

  5. He grabs the lamppost and holds on tight.

    05 He grabs the lamppost and holds on tight.

  6. The lamppost stretches up like rubber, carrying him into the dark.

    06 The lamppost stretches up like rubber, carrying him into the dark.

  7. From the street below: a thin rubber line, and him, tiny, near the moon.

    07 From the street below: a thin rubber line, and him, tiny, near the moon.

  8. At the top: the moon, a burnt-out lightbulb, screwed into a socket in the sky.

    08 At the top: the moon, a burnt-out lightbulb, screwed into a socket in the sky.

  9. He unscrews it. It is bigger than he is, and the socket is empty.

    09 He unscrews it. It is bigger than he is, and the socket is empty.

  10. He turns his lantern upside down and screws its thread into the empty socket.

    10 He turns his lantern upside down and screws its thread into the empty socket.

  11. His lantern hangs from the socket, screwed in, small and glowing.

    11 His lantern hangs from the socket, screwed in, small and glowing.

  12. The lantern grows in the socket as the old moon shrinks in his arms.

    12 The lantern grows in the socket as the old moon shrinks in his arms.

  13. The lantern is the new moon, and the town's windows light up. The old moon, small and dark, is in his hand.

    13 The lantern is the new moon, and the town's windows light up. The old moon, small and dark, is in his hand.

  14. Back on the street, every window lit, he tips his hat to the new moon: his lantern. The old moon hangs dark on his belt.

    14 Back on the street, every window lit, he tips his hat to the new moon: his lantern. The old moon hangs dark on his belt.

  15. The old moon, asleep at his belt.

    15 The old moon, asleep at his belt.

  16. It opens one eye and winks at us.

    16 It opens one eye and winks at us.