About
A short film, mimicking a ballet performance.
Theatre has always been a strong interest, with years of Drama studies and involvement in performance under my belt, La Tempesta di Ariel being no exception. Following Ariel, a water-spirit from William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, this animation explores a ‘what if’ aspect to the original playscript. Set before the play itself, we follow Ariel and their newfound freedom into the human world, entranced by the culture of the Renaissance and the possibilities it has to offer. Building their identity, this thematic animation brings to life values of Humanism, an equivalent to modern consumerism, all within a non-verbal ballet performance and abstract mark-making. Follow Ariel and their journey to find who they are within this vibrant, loud world; but be warned, for all the beauty comes a darker truth that threatens the stability of this self-expression.
In this final project, I pushed the limits of my animation and production skills, including a hand-painted, physical set to seat the digital movements, which explored complex character motion in abstract, malleable enhancements. Ryan Woodward was a huge influence, whose animation work features on The Avengers, The Iron Giant, and Spider-man 2; as well as classic theatre performance from Frantic Assembly, The Royal Shakespeare Company, and Punchdrunk.
