Six emerging animators from across Canada participated in the 11th edition of Hothouse, the NFB’s paid apprenticeship in professional animation.
The National Film Board of Canada has unveiled six new animated shorts from its Hothouse 11 incubation program.
This spring, six lucky emerging animators from across Canada participated in the 11th edition of Hothouse, the NFB’s paid apprenticeship in professional animation. Over the course of 12 short weeks, they each created a short film from scratch under the guidance of the NFB’s mentoring team.
Hothouse 11’s mentoring director was Malcolm Sutherland, a Montreal-based director, animator and designer for film, TV, web commercials and music videos -- and the first Hothouse alum to return as a project manager.
The theme was Found Sound 2.0. -- an invitation for NFB apprentices to re-interpret, comment on or play with the meaning of a chosen audio clip. Check out all six shorts below:
Fyoog by Curtis Horsburgh
Please stand clear of the doors… This very short surreal hybrid of stop-motion and 2D animation is a story about a dream about a train, inspired by found sound of a Toronto subway car.
Pumpers by Pascaline Lefebvre
Inspired by found sound of baby noises, this very short animation takes a good hard look at the bizarre behavior of people working out in a gym.
Mindfork by Catherine Dubeau
Incorporating found sound of an English language lesson, Mindfork depicts a visual descent into madness triggered by the effort to keep it all together -- even when it seems damn near impossible.
Him by Lorna Kirk
Hand-drawn charcoal drawings movingly depict the loneliness and bewilderment of a child seeking safety in a war zone, in this timely short that uses found sound to explore the powerlessness of the refugee experience.
U.F.O. by Rhayne Vermette
An apparition reveals itself on film and transmits vestiges of a forgotten origin. Have the onlookers interpreted its signs correctly, or was the message misunderstood? U.F.O. was Inspired by found sound that captures the discovery of a mysterious event in the sky.
Little Big Bang by Duncan Major
Printed manually on a vintage tabletop press using hand-carved linoleum blocks, this short is about a new parent who learns about free expression and the power of letting go. Little Big Bang was inspired by the filmmaker’s new baby boy and found sounds.
To learn more about the filmmakers, visit the NFB blog.
Source: National Film Board of Canada
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
