Grad films 2 - Manchester Film Festival

It was great to watch animations from graduates at the festival, to have an insight of the standard at graduate level, that one day I will be at. There was a great assortment of CG, , 3D, traditional and stop motion. The majority were lighthearted and humourus, not many touched on serious issues. 

Notes on some of the films I liked and why they were so special:

Edmond

This short was very much empowered by dark humour. Using stop motion techniques, a generally lighthearted and innocent animation technique to contrastingly expose his cannibalistic tendencies after consuming his twin in the womb. 

I loved the technique, using stop motion puppets with hand-drawn components on top looked very aesthetic. 

Within

Beautifully digitally drawn, highlights the insecurities of beauty within girls, a sensitive issue, beautifully tackled with motifs on the face that we usually associate with beauty, such as flowers. The hand-drawn element adds a feel of fragility, like the sensitivity of girls within when it comes to their beauty.

Meanwhile 

I liked the aesthetic of meanwhile, they sell had exaggerated eyes and fitted together well in the same universe. The animations follows 4 people as they walk through the streets, following their minds and everything inside of them. I thought this was quite poignant because I wonder a lot when I commute what others are thinking. I loved the separation of the characters with the 4 colours CMYK, the colours also had a connection to their personalities and current emotions. Until they meet when suddenly they all come across the same accident, their worlds are brought into full colour, reality hits. 

Wolf games

Had a great use of sinister sound effects, tied with scary cut scenes, created quite a dark and austere tone to the animation, complementing the style and narrative which revolved around the hungry savages.

#286

A stop motion animation with a great narrative. A crazy scientist monster maker creates an unscary monster much to his distaste, however after the monster saves one if his test tubes, he has a certain fondness towards him, until the monster fuss appears after drinking the substance he just saved. 

Bampa

Beautifully deep animation about dementia. The animation fitted to a touching personal narration, riddled with symbolism and motifs about dementia, jigsaw representing how his brain isn't working together and the puzzling challenge of now recognising his own family, how his family tree disappears also reflects this, the dribbling ink also reflecting how it's as if his brain is bleeding, suffering from injury from the attack of dementia. A lack if colour is used to pronounce the lack of memory. The style of illustration is very childish in nature, reflecting how his childhood memories are now about to fade?

Banaroo chrustmas Island 

Magical feel, beautiful narrative. Love how the hand-drawn digital style has the aesthetic of a crayon pencil on paper. 

Is it just me ?

Loved the abstract style of this animation, so abstract it's like a journey for your eyes to figure out stars going on, which I loved. It had a very geometric, printed style, minimalist scheme.