The Man Who Saw a Boat

A man lives at the bottom of the ocean but his peace of mind is broken by the appearance of a boat on the surface, way above his head. Should he go and explore or remain content where he is at the sea bed?

This gorgeous looking animated short is by Henrique Baron who created it in the Digital Character Animation course at Vancouver Film School. It is great to see an animation (particularly a student animation) with such an existential stance, the idea that philosophical thought begins with the human subject—not only the thinking subject, but the acting, feeling, incarnate human individual. The starting point here – the existential attitude per se is the sense of disorientation the protagonist feels in his apparently illogical world. I also loved the resolution which, despite the abstract nature of this animated short, leads the way towards another philosophical revelation. Nietzsche would have loved this.

Tough West

In the west, it's all about the decisions you make; and if there is a choice to be a chicken; there is also always a chance to become...a legend. So goes the voice-over of this interesting and enigmatic flash animation by Henrique Barone.

It was created for his thesis at the Vancouver Film School which consistently produces high quality graduates with a great future ahead of them in the animation industry.

Barone’s work is unusual for its refusal to necessarily follow the usual three minute story arc and what we get is something much more introspective as a result – belied by the cartoonish nature of the art but accompanied by a great voiceover!