Animation & Motion Design
Lisa Kearney
Spideog
Schadenfreude
/ˈʃɑːd(ə)nˌfrɔɪdə,German ˈʃɑːdənˌfrɔydə/
noun
pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune.
Spideog is about the phenomenon of schadenfreude in Irish society. Begrudgery, jealousy and gossip are common in rural Ireland. Gossip is our oldest form of entertainment.
This animation pokes fun at this way of living; the absurdity of it. The main character, a robin named Spideog, is a satirical personification of the schadenfreude. Humour serves to soften the depressing topic at hand.
The robin has an insatiable appetite for agony. He searches all over the land for creatures in distress. Their tears transmute to corn before our eyes and Spideog feasts on them. The more misery he eats the more he desires. His greed eventually leads to his demise.
Spideog is told through simple black linework. The line fluctuates between calm stillness and uneasy boiling to coincide with the tension in the piece. Swatches of primary colours accompany the simple lines. The visuals flow in a naturalistic way; akin to the ever-flowing flora and fauna of the Irish countryside.