Community
Stop motion film shot with iPhone. Edited in Premiere pro; write-up done with Procreate. Objects in the film are architecture models designed and made by Eva.
Thisstop motion film, Community, is inspired by the children story Little Tadpole Looking for their Mom. Instead of using ‘living creatures’ as the main character to pursue the act of finding, I want to leave some level of abstraction to the rather simple and repetitive narrative. Hence, I use architecture models I made as the characters. The plot is about a little model on a journey looking for its similar kinds, and a place where it belongs to (in the model’s word, a permanent address where it should locate at). The idea of parenthood is thus converted and broadened to formal connection of the model. There are four scenes in total, where the little model encounters different large models that don’t look alike - the strangers that give direction on the journey - and in the end, gets called by and finds its ‘family’. In each attempt, I use simple visuals to proceed the narrative, like changing one of the object’s facades to show a sense of inquiry, and use the gesture of shaking to show failed attempts, etc.
In the introduction and the end, I use the core of a paper roll to manually create a focus point. It also works as a telescope to frame the character, and abstractly conveys the concept of ‘searching’. The title and the end credit are drawn and collaged with the video. I also change the lights to show the passage of time, and it also works as a visual transition between each scene.
The conversations are blurred with the use of instrumental sound. To further enhance the idea of similarity, I use two different instruments to represent different objects: the harmonica is for the main character and its ‘family’, while the deeper sound of bass is for the strangers met on the journey. In the end where the model finally finds its ‘family’, I add a dual of the harmonica to symbolize the reunion. I record a voice-over of finger scratching the desktop as the sound of the sliding motion. By moving towards and away from the recorder, I was able to capture the change in distance of the model’s motion as well. Other than sound effects that match the frame, I use underwater whale sound for the entire video, to create a mysterious underwater imagery, and symbolizes that the model is being called by an unknown force, and thus goes on this journey.