#shortoftheweek

HONEY

Average Happiness - Maja Gehrig

Reminds me of the work of Norman McLaren, the moving shapes and colours with the music. They take on their own life and being - but more computer and data based than McLaren’s works. 

I really liked how experimental this was. Great sound design!! The narration of the lecturer, gradually notices the strangeness. I felt like maybe the disruptive powerpoint reflected the professor’s inner psyche, his fear of presenting. And we returned to normal once he has a grasp on his nerves, then something else caused him to spiral again. They also began to become more organic - through the animated movement, and sound design of skin and squelching. As well as moaning from the computery voice over. The shapes become phallic and like organisms.

빈방 THE EMPTY - Jeong Dahee

An empty space transforms and reveals the thoughts of a solitude man.

The animation looked like sand and waves, before its shower to be a women under covers. Very simplistic animation style, that deals with surrealist imagery and metaphors. Reminded me of Fantasia a bit. The rhythmic quality to the characters and the surreal elements. 

A good exploration of inner thoughts and loneliness. The music and sound design reminded me of Satoshi Kon’s Paprika. The film feels non-linear, and i feel this is intentional to highlight that these are thoughts and memories. And time passes fast in lots fo the sequences, also reflecting this. We literally watch dust gather in rooms as the character deals with loneliness. 

The Great Malaise - Catherine Lepage

Voice-over narration of a woman’s life, she tells her life in a positive way - but the animation reflects her life otherwise. I loved the sound design and animation for this!! Very strange and 

“I feel like I’m where I belong” - a porcupine surrounded by balloons and trying not to pop them, and then a fish in a birdcage. 

As she continues, the animation reflects her actual life circumstances, and the sound of a kettle gets louder and louder with a drum role. The previous animations become more sinister. An orchestral build-up plays and stutters. Adn then it shows the animations in peace - like she has come to terms with her unhappy life. Then the porcupine pops the balloons, and a ringing grows louder. 

The film ends with her writing “i cant take it anymore” and the animations all showing the objects fizzling out, wilting, or melting. The match stick fizzles out and walks away “burnt out”. 

Three Stories Inside a Rental Van - Lewis Attey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQeySVFwGrM

I really enjoyed this film! We never leave the setting of the van, always watching this that happen inside and outside of it. Each story shows different characters and events, most of which seem quite mundane. Each story shows build-up to a confrontation or climax of sorts, then ubruptly cuts away as it hits its peak. 

Each story is 1 singular take, and the camera turns and moves inside the van very steadily. I love the way it is shot, the camera is never shaky, its like we are the van watching these things happen. 

I liked how inbetween each story, we have very blurry artsy shots of someone washing the van down. It helps with the passage of time. 

The final ending of the film caused me to burst out laughing, very ubsurb but i loved it!! 

In relation to the current film project, i think this film definetly inspired me to possibly show a story with multiple persons and the passage of time, or one person whose relationship with the location changes over time.