Before 2020, our dream of animating was simply that: a dream. A distant goal. The Fairies and I had wanted to try stop motion for years, but we were constantly pushing it back. There was always something else to do… we were rushing to live in the ever-running treadmill known as life.
Then all of a sudden, life as we knew it – and life as most people knew it – completely changed. The world shut down. Grocery stores were emptied. Everyone had to stay home. At the time, we did not know what would happen. But we wanted to show our perspective of things. The Fairies and I began thinking about how we could create a video to reflect life as it was, with such dramatic changes. Gradually, this animation came together. We brainstormed how to go about filming it, what camera angles to use, and how to convey what most of the world must be feeling: the pang of uncertainty, of not knowing what would happen next.
It’s now 2021, and after months of story-boarding, casting, prop gathering, animating, editing, and putting our heart and soul into this animation, it has become real. The interaction between people has changed, and the way we lead our daily lives has changed. We’re still living in that world, but things are starting to look up.
Now that ‘Last Day Out’ is officially published, here’s a peek into the first part of our animation journey.
Originally, Sweetheart was cast to be the protagonist. She was enthusiastic, and all for it. But her bubbly, carefree persona didn’t quite match what we were looking for in the protagonist – a more solemn, concerned character wondering what would become of the future. So instead, the Fairies decided Sweetheart should star as another shopper – the character the protagonist (Victoria) meets and befriends.
Here’s one of our earliest photos from the animation process, before Victoria was chosen for the lead role – Sweetheart discovers the announcement:
The layout of the general store took a while to create. We had fun choosing what to have in the scene, and made sure to select only the most suitable props. Here’s another early scene with Sweetheart, as she browses through the antiques section of the general store:
There were many other little details that we worked hard to portray realistically – including the 6″ social distancing tape on the floor, the announcement on the chair, and the ‘LAST DAY SALE’ signs.
We know the animation isn’t 100% perfect. It has some flicker and some camera shake, and the lighting could have been better. But for us, it’s a start.
Our first animation has come to life, and we’re learning as we go. We didn’t use onion-skinning, or any animation-specific software. We took photos, put them together, and created an animation we care deeply about.
Above all, we want to remind people not to emotionally distance themselves from one another. Don’t feel alone. Life will be better soon. It already is. Everyone in the world is going through this. Together, we’ll get through the next year, and beyond.
Feel free to share your thoughts below, and reach out to us on our other platforms!
Stay tuned for more animations!
~ Orchid
