The Ruffled Crow

Animation, Art, and Other Shiny Things

Fabricated

Brett Foxwell takes us on a biologically sleek journey on a quest to evolve. At 18 minutes, it is longer than I usually post here, but this stop-motion film is visually exquisite to my eye and well worth the time.

After biological life has passed from existence, our machines try to restart it with the pieces we have left behind. On an anonymous assembly line, a creature is built from steel and bone and sent off. Making his way through an old world that is dying and a new world struggling to be born, he begins to sense that he may have a part to play in the evolution of his imperfect kind. This film was animated by one person over ten years in four different cities.  via

Clockwork

This little film doesn’t tell a big story, nor have a deep meaning. It’s a vignette in the middle of a workday, of a caretaker caring for their flock, a simple moment where we’ve all played one part or another.

The special bit is the workplace and the characters – beautiful and imaginative.

From the LISAA School of Design in Paris.

The Rifle’s Spiral – The Shins

Sailor’s Delight

A Mermaid, that appears to have some Electric Eel in her ancestry and possibly some Siren, vamps a pair of sailors on a fishing boat – or rather tries to vamp them…

Another great story from the students at ESMA. Directed by Louise Aubertin, Eloïse Girard, Marine Meneyrol, Jonas Ritter, Loucas Rongeart, and Amandine Thomoux.

At Home with Mrs Hen

A National Film Board of Canada classic and good short to start the year with. A reminder that sometimes you need to just take a moment out of the fray. Written and animated by Tali

[A] comical tale that pokes fun at motherhood. It depicts the temper tantrums of a child and the efforts a mother makes to set her son on the right path. You don’t need to be a chicken to relate.

Game Changer

I’ve posted several films by Ringling College of Arts + Design students over the years. The animation is good; lighting, models, background detail, all excellent, as they should be. But it’s the stories that consistently make Ringling films shine. This is another wonderful little tale.

A macho toy arcade prize is quick to judge a young girl who wants to win him, and goes on a life changing journey in attempt to stop her from winning enough tickets and taking him home.

A Film by Aviv Mano. Original Score by Garth Neustadter

Mr. FEAR – SIAMÉS

 

A fine film for a Friday Night Music Video. This slick track has echos of Bowie that well compliments animation that has echos of Moebius.

It is a stylish tale of synergy – rather extreme synergy. The youtube comments offer some quite imaginative hypotheses on the story’s characters and meaning, but I’ll leave it for you to decide that for yourself. Otherwise, just enjoy a great music video.

Harry – Haoran Zhou

A beautifully styled tale that spans a lifetime. One of those films that offers a different meaning each time you watch.

One day, a group of blue fish flying over the town, since then the boy began a lifetime waiting. Tall buildings grew around the town and he also gradually used up in the Circular work, However , those flying fishes never come back. Finally , In the snow, he met them again in a special way.

Graduation film by Harry Zhou at Kongji University College of Arts and Media.

Parigot – Loic Bramoulle

Nutty Christmas