Within the world of animation, most experimentation occurs within short format productions, whether they be high budgeted commercials, low budgeted independent shorts, or something in between. The growing number of short film festivals around the world attest to the vitality of these works, but there are few other venues for exhibition of them or even written reviews. As a result, distribution tends to be difficult and irregular. On a regular basis, Animation World Magazine will highlight some of the most interesting with short descriptive overviews.

This Month:

Daddy and I (1999), 7 min., directed by Eun-su Kim, Jye-jung Kim, You-jin Jung, Dong-jae Lee, Kyung-hwa Lee, Mi-sun Park, Song-hee Lee, Korea. Info: Song-hee Lee, 142-16 Sadang 2 dong Dongjak ku Seoul, Korea. E-mail: anilab@netian.com.

Hein?! (What?!, 1999), 2 min., directed by Mauricio Vidal, Renan de Moraes and Sergio Yamasaki, Brazil. Estúdio Conseqüéncia de Animaçao, Rua Cosmo Velho, 318 / 1006 Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 22241 - 090 Brazil. Tel/Fax: 55 21 527 5510. E-mail: studio@consequencia.com. URL: www.consequencia.com.

Au Premier Dimanche d'Août (A Summer Night Rendez-Vous, 2000), 11.5 min, directed by Florence Miailhe, France. Info: Caroline Lebrun, Les Films de l'Arlequin, 23 rue Meslay 75003 Paris, France. Tel: 0033 14277 2055.

Film S Djevojcicom (Film with a Girl, 2000) 8.5 min., directed by Daniel Suljic, Croatia. Info: Goran Bkula, Zagreb Film, Vlaska 70, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia. Tel: 385-1-4558-417. Fax: 385-1-4557-068. E-mail: zagreb-film@zg.tel.hr.

Millenium - The Musical (1999), 24 min., directed by Bob Godfrey, England. Info: Bob Godfrey, Mikey Hayes, Bob Godfrey Films Ltd. Tel: 0207 278 5711. Fax: 0207 278 6809.

If you have the QuickTime plug-in, you can view a clip from each film by simply clicking the image.

Daddy and I, directed by Eun-su Kim, Jye-jung Kim, You-jin Jung, Dong-jae Lee, Kyung-hwa Lee, Mi-sun Park and Song-hee Lee. © Kaywon School of Art and Design. 320x240 | 320x240

Daddy and I
Daddy and I is interesting to discuss both in terms of its subject matter and the way in which it was made. The subject of the film, which is about a man who sexually molests his young daughter, is depicted largely through suggestion, without dialogue. During the violent act, the film takes its viewer into the mind of the child as she struggles to escape physically and mentally from what is taking place.

The 7-minute computer-generated work was made as a graduation film in the Department of Animation, Kaywon School of Art of Design. On the one hand, it is surprising that the film comes from students, since its message is relatively subtle in its delivery. From my experience, students often take emotional topics or angst-ridden scenarios as the focus in their work; in most cases, though, they have not yet developed the skills to render these subjects delicately. I am guessing that the fact that the film was made as a team effort, with not one but seven directors, probably aided in this respect. I have often counseled students to work in teams, to gain objectivity and the skills of others to supplement their own. I am also guessing that the group directorial effort -- which was done as a practical solution to the shortage of equipment and space in the animation program -- helped these students develop the kind of balance often lacking in single-student works. They worked together to create the small amount of rotoscoping used, in addition to 2D animation, created through the use of Adobe Photoshop 5.0 and After Effects 4.0 for digital painting and composition. An Avid was used for editing and final output.