Avo, a lonely avocado roaming parts of Astoria, is looking for something to fill its pit.
That’s the premise of a three-minute short film, “The Pits,” which uses puppets to tell a story. David Bizzaro, a New York City-based puppeteer, wrote, edited and created the puppets for the film.
“Puppetry is an art form that can connect with adults and children without feeling muted or dulled for the younger audience,” Bizzaro said. “‘The Pits’ was created for everyone in the world to enjoy no matter how young, old, or what language they speak.”
The short film was shot live, and Avo can be seen walking down 39th Avenue in Astoria trying to fill its pit with everything from a bottle cap to a leaf. It does not include any dialogue but uses music from Emmy Award-winning composer Brian Aumueller to narrate Avo’s journey.
“The Pits” is available to screen on Vimeo as of April 23.
Director Mike Hayhurst, who also founded Evening Squire Productions and co-produced the film, said that the theme in “The Pits” was universal.
“The great thing about ‘The Pits’ is the universality of such a small story,” he said. “We’ve all known those moments in life where you search in all the wrong places to find fulfillment, to find what it is you’re missing.”
The film was accepted into more than 30 film festivals and premiered at the New York International Children’s Film Festival, an Oscar-qualifying event.
Bizzaro, who also owns The Bizzaro Company, has built puppets for The Jim Henson Company and currently works as a puppet wrangler on “Sesame Street.” He has also created music videos for The Flaming Lips and recently received a Made in NY fellowship, which has allowed him to begin developing another short film, “Sheep Cake.”
