Directed & Produced by Hwanyi Kim
There is a girl who desires to block out the world, to silence her hearing, vision, and thoughts. This aversion to her senses stems from the presence of those around her. Their incessant chatter and constant scrutiny disrupt her thinking, making it difficult for her to concentrate. The reality is that she struggles with social anxiety, and the daily routines of life weigh heavily on her.
The portrayal shows that people with social anxiety think similarly to the average person, presented in a unique and casual way.
ABOUT THE FILM
This short animation is from South Korea and this is it’s online premeire.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Hwanyi Kim is an artist who works in 2D animation and painting. She studied painting at Dongguk University in South Korea from 2011 to 2015, and animation at Royal College of Art in London from 2018 to 2020.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH HWANYI
Welcome to our Short of the Week series. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your filmmaking background?
Hi, I'm Hwanyi Kim, and I'm thankful to be part of Kino Short Week. I'm an animator and designer in London. I studied animation at the Royal College of Art from 2018 to 2020. My graduation film, 'EYES,' was shown at a few animation festivals. Right now, I'm planning more projects that explore social issues.
Tell us about the genesis of Ear, Eye & Head?
My work is inspired by my daily life, especially during the tough times of the COVID-19 pandemic when I faced depression. I withdrew from the world and stayed in my room, wanting to disconnect from everything. It was during this isolation that the idea for my story started to form in my mind.
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making of Ear, Eye & Head and how did you overcome them?
During the pandemic, I had financial difficulties and couldn't easily get the equipment needed for stop-motion animation. But I thought using charcoal animation with just a camera could be the best way to tell this story. Despite the challenges, I'm happy with how it's turning out.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
I'm still a beginner, so I might not have many filmmaking tips. But I do think it's important for animators to connect with each other. Sharing information and asking for help with things like plot or technical aspects can be really helpful. Being open to other people's ideas is a big part of the creative process.
What do you think is the biggest challenge short filmmakers face trying to break into the industry?
The main challenge is budgeting, and there are limited opportunities to showcase short films. This creates a cycle where it's tough for short films to reach a broader audience, and small markets struggle to support creators financially.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
I'd like to recommend an animation by one of my RCA seniors titled 'A Girl Who's Afraid of Touching People' by Liang-Hsin Huang. It's not just because I was one of her assistants, her stop-motion animation is truly beautiful and distinctive in character, and the narrative of the protagonist's emotions is impressive.