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:
Bird Becomes Bird (1997), 6 min., directed by Lucy Lee, Russia/England. Info: National Film and Television School, Beaconsfield Studios, Station Road, Beaconsfield, Bucks HP9 1LG, United Kingdom. Tel: 01494 671234.
Peaches (1997), 11 min., directed by Charmaine Choo, England. Info: National Film and Television School, Beaconsfield Studios, Station Road, Beaconsfield, Bucks HP9 1LG, United Kingdom. Tel: 01494 671234.
Sandland (1999), 12 min, directed by Heiko Lueg, Germany. Info: Dr.Lueg@t-online.de.
Transfigured (1999), 5.5 min., directed by Stephen Arthur, Canada. Info: National Film Board of Canada. Tel: 514 283 9439. URL: www.nfb.ca.
Shikato (1993), 14 min., directed by Uruma and Delvi, Japan. Info: UrumaDelvi Productions, Inc., Kimura Bldg. 1F, 58-2 Sasazuka 3, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan 1510073. E-mail: info@urumadelvi.co.jp. URL: www.urumadelvi.co.jp/

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

Bird Becomes Bird. © National Film and Television School.

Bird Becomes Bird
The imagination and possibilities of childhood are captured quite well in this short film, which depicts a child's perspective on the wonder of a bird. Mostly monochromatic shades of blue effectively depict the icy environment in which the child lives, broken occasionally by the light of the warm sun shining through clouds. Imaginative framing and editing create a sense of dream, allowing viewers to half-imagine the action, as one senses the young boy does. Although it contains a story of sorts, I would classify this film as more of a poem or meditation -- really a non-narrative, thematic film that strongly imparts a feeling or sense of being.

Both the painterly images and effective lighting choices contribute toward a visually creative production. Painted images metamorphose to suggest the transformation of which the child dreams: he murmurs, "Ah, I can do anything" after witnessing an earthly bird plunge deep in the water to play with fishes and sail high in the sky on light wings. Only a criticizing mother, who buttons his coat again before a proposed swim, and calls to the boy as he runs after the soaring bird, keeps the child anchored to earth, at least in a physical sense. A student graduation production from the National Film and Television School in England, this film feels more like a mature work by an established artist. Its director, Lucy Lee, graduated in 1997, after making two films at the School, as well as a few other short works during her earlier studies at the Newport Film School. Bird Becomes Bird's dialogue is in English.