Wow+Flutter is onedotzero’s signature programme at the Adventures in Motion festival, and this year’s showcase included 34 films that challenge the idea of what ‘moving image’ means. ARTS THREAD popped along on Thursday to discover some innovative explorations in motion graphics, characterisation, narrative and typography by established and emerging talent from all corners of the globe. The selection was brilliantly curated, spanning a diverse spectrum of styles and topics, with a welcome dose of good humour thrown in. Here are some of our favourites:
Alexander Gellner’s short, ‘One Minute Puberty’, humorously charts the trials and tribulations of a boy’s transition through puberty, the flowing transformation of the simple line drawings mirroring the metamorphosis of the boy’s own body.
Commissioned by Sky Sports, Richard Swarbrick’s ‘El Clásico’ is a beautiful ode to Barcelona’s unprecedented win against Real Madrid last year. The animation features an unusual and totally enchanting painterly aesthetic as well as some uncanny portrayals of key players in the narrative. Swarbrick’s shorts have been a viral sensation that have led to further commissions from The Sun.
Leaning slightly more in the direction of realism, the comical tale of the ‘Defective Detective’, by Avner Geller and Stevie Lewis, combines hand-drawn techniques with a computer-generated stylised look reminiscent of more mainstream animation. Inspiration for this quirky film was drawn from film noir and traditional detective movies.
Johnny Kelly’s ‘Back to the Start’, a promotional film for Chipotle about sustainable farming, is an exemplary case of model making and puppetry in animation with thought-provoking results.
Finally, Daniels (that’s Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert) celebrates the potential of after effects in live action film, with their short ‘Dogboarding’, in which we watch a group of youths using their dogs as skateboards. Bizarre but brilliant, and a memorable film to end the programme on.
Adventures in Motion closed on Sunday, but is soon to be touring throughout 60 cities worldwide. Check out the Onedotzero website for more information.
