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InspirationMotion

Thought-provoking animation short depicts alienated relationships in modern society

Despite us having more channels for communication than ever before never has there been a more difficult time than the present to be heard. This forms the basis of inspiration for Hui Kai Su, an independent animation director based in New York, whose latest film Look At Me has recently been released.

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"For my second film [following Looking For in 2015], I decided to focus on addressing the underlying problems of modern society. My intent was to identify some nearly unnoticeable problems or subtle emotions in our daily life.

"I noticed there was an indistinct feeling of anxiety that stays with us all day. That is, we have been educated in capitalist societies to believe that everyone needs to be unique in order to succeed. I believe that over-emphasising the importance of the individual may not be suitable for all.

"In our society, everyone wants others’ attention, but everyone talks and nobody listens. When the Internet and smartphones came out, it became worse. When we chase our desire, which is rapidly magnified, we will all live in a state of anxiousness and feel vacant. The more we want, the more emptiness we receive."

A combination of Adobe Photoshop, After Effects and hand-drawn illustration, was used to create the film. Discover more at www.suhuikai.com.

Animated figure in grey business attire jogging against a pale blue background, from Hui Kai Su's film Look At Me
Three sketched figures of men shown from front, side and back angles, wearing casual shirts and trousers with tousled hair, illustrating character design for the animation
White line-drawn figure floating above a sketched cityscape and buildings on a black background, from Hui Kai Su's animation short Look At Me
A stick figure stands shouting with open mouth, surrounded by rows of caged figures with red bedding on either side, illustrating isolation within crowded society
A silhouetted figure stands isolated in a dimly lit corridor with illuminated windows, evoking themes of alienation and disconnection in modern society
Animated scene from Look At Me showing a sketched figure in shadow on the left with pink and yellow geometric shapes overlaying hand-drawn illustrations on the right
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