Short film "Sombras"

I made this animated short film while I was studying photography... yeah, photography.

It tells the story of a little boy who hates his shadow, he doesn't like it, so he tries to eliminate it at all cost!! With a ball, a flashlight...

I wanted to play with the imagination of a little boy who tries to run away of his own shadow, and how he's beginning to see it most evil as time goes by, just because he's personifying his own fears. He's making it look real.

Scan of one of the frames

We had a subject called Audiovisual. There we learnt about the use of a video camera, audiovisual storytelling and so. One of the last assignments we had there was to create a short film, from zero. To plan the storyboard, scenes... As we had not many cameras in our power for the students to borrow. The teacher made us to create a short film plan and to expound it to a jury formed by students of our school. At the end, only five projects were selected, being one of those mine.

Once we were told about this work, I thought about to make an animation. I couldn't make one while I was studying Illustration, and I really wanted to challenge myself, even if I had not been taught about how to make an animation. We only had a week to make it, and I was scared I would not be able to make it on time... also it was the last work of the year for that subject... stress time!

I also was scared my teacher would not let me to do it at the end, as it was more an "illustration's project". But luckily, I got permission to try it out, even if it would take me longer to finish.

It sure took me a long time to finish, because of my inexperience (even if it was for 30'' only). Also I wish I had a light table at that moment with me... and not a little flashlight and a plastic file folder to draw it by hand... it was time consuming and bad for my eyes. My team helped me to scan all this animation and to shape my shadow with a pencil through all those pages... ;).

Well, it's a long story and this post is too long already. I will try to tell you how I made it soon, but right now, I can't believe I was able to make it with that equipment :)

See you! Have fun!