Animation & Motion Design
Jade Halion
Dollhouse
Dollhouse is a surreal animated short that explores societal control, and the effect it has on our mental health.
Our Dolls mental turmoil is reflected through the surreal environment he finds himself in, and his emotions are represented through the furniture in his room. His main battle is his willingness to fight, represented the lamp, and his anxieties, represented by the alarm clock. There is an occasional chime in from his depression, the bed, and when the battle of his emotions become too much and too close to the big issue, the child in control, he inevitably gives in to the unimportant vanities and smaller problems through the vanity table.
The vanity table offers a fantasy-like dimension, where he can float in blissful ignorance, unable to be trapped. When he returns to his room, he is asleep to what is happening around him, letting the cycle continue tomorrow. This theme is particularly relevant as of late, the recent restrictions have made people feel a loss of control and security in their isolation. I hoped to express some of these absurdities through 2D animation with a fixed colour pallet and textures.