The Motion Weekly is a showcase of awe-inspiring short films, animation, incredible live-action, motion design, outstanding cinematography, and wicked cool experimental works. It's all motion, it's all inspiring. So, take the time to kick back and have a look at some fantastic work being produced out there. And, if you like what you see in this segment, please share it.
Some pieces featured have been created by professional studios, while others may be personal works. May this weekly segment serve to inspire you.
This week, I'm focusing on stop motion short films. Enjoy!
Facing It
The first piece this week is a fantastic, mixed-medium stop motion piece. Mixed, as in it was made with claymation faces shot on green screen and placed onto real actors. And the most beautiful part is seeing the emotions so cleverly animated in the faces of the characters. Sam Gainsborough’s wonderful grad film started simply from the jotted down line "repression will destroy you," which is so apparent in this. This is the kind of film you want to reference for your own animation work. Incredible!
Facing It by Sam Gainsborough from Sam Gainsborough on Vimeo.
Shaun always feels separate and isolated from the confident, happy world around him. Whilst waiting for his parents in a busy pub, Shaun struggles valiantly to join in with the admirably happy people in the crowd, but the more he tries, the more he goes awry. As everything in the pub goes from bad to worse, Shaun finds himself confronted by the painful memories that made him who he is. His feelings, memories and desires overwhelm him and by the end of the evening he is ready to explode…
The Opposites Game
This next piece is another unique stop motion short, carried out by hand-drawn animation onto the turning pages of a book (underlying text painted over). This is an animation of the poem "The Opposites Game," by Brendan Constantine. What is the opposite of gun?
A classroom erupts into a war of words as students grapple with a seemingly simple prompt: what is the opposite of a gun?
Dolls Don't Cry
I'm reminded of a Twilight Zone episode with this film. It's a really unnerving piece. Even at almost 20 minutes in length, it really draws you in, and the work that must have went into this is incredible. Note: this one does include content for mature audiences.
Dolls Don't Cry (2017) from Frederick Tremblay on Vimeo.
Dolls Don’t Cry/Toutes les Poupées ne Pleurent Pas is an award winning short by Frédérick Tremblay, out of Quebec. The piece is a quiet journey into the world of a man and woman producing an animated film together. He animates by day, she makes and repairs the accessories at night.
Time Chicken
This last short is a fun, humorous one. Time Chicken attempts to answer the age-old question, "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?"
Time Chicken from Nick Black on Vimeo.
A short stop motion film -
In a bid to heal the rift in society, a plucky chicken sets out to find an answer to the ultimate question - which came first, the chicken or the egg?
You could probably call this a philosophical-action-fantasy into the world of science, religion, knowledge and creation.
Written, animated and directed by Nick Black.
Thanks for watching!
Have some inspirational work to share? drop me a line at nickcharles@renderosity.com with the subject line: Motion Weekly.
Nick C Sorbin (Nick Charles) is a former Managing Editor of 9 years for Renderosity's CG Industry News. By day, a mild-mannered Certified Pharmacy Technician working in both home infusion and a hospital ER, contrasting creative outlets as a digital artist, sculptor, musician, singer/songwriter, and Staff Writer for Renderosity Magazine. Read his articles
