Jeeyeon Han

This 2D animation project explores the use of stylized visual elements to enhance the story through combining cut-out/collage and traditional 2D animation. I wish to show that an art style of a film can be more than mere visual pleasure and convey a message that engages a wide range of audience while adds depth to the story. The chosen style is mainly derived from the nostalgic impact of illustrated children's books. The textured, colourful, and unique designs used in picture books and animation appeal to both children and adults, while provoking a sense of childlike wonder and creativity. These animated films “Song of the Sea” and “Wolfwalkers” by Cartoon Saloon Studio served as strong influences to my work as they also use illustration-based backgrounds and other animated elements.

The inspiration for this animation comes from both my childhood memory and Pixar’s short animated film “One Man Band”. We have all seen adults get into an argument over something small and ridiculously silly. When I was little, I once gave my parents a gift in the hope of stopping a fight and it worked. My parents told me that my innocent action surprised them both and made them realize that it was wrong to fight in front of a child. There are many films that revolve around the topic of verbal abuse and violence, and they contain realistic, dark, and sensitive content. This motivated me to create a short animation that takes a different approach to show the audience how art may solve conflicts between adults by appealing to a childlike imagination.