Roshni Abhyankar
Bookworm's Bout (2021)
A bookworm wriggles into the pop-up castle and interacts with a Knight and monster cut-outs. Unbeknownst to him, he is being watched.
Credits
Director & Writer & Animator & Concept Artist - Roshni Abhyankar
Producer & Technical Director - Dressen Park
Art Director & Compositor & Concept Artist - Oceania Martin
Editor & Compositor & Sound Designer - Adam Major
Technical Director - Alicia Adams
Technical Director & Concept Artist - Jason Li
Producer & Technical Director - Dressen Park
Art Director & Compositor & Concept Artist - Oceania Martin
Editor & Compositor & Sound Designer - Adam Major
Technical Director - Alicia Adams
Technical Director & Concept Artist - Jason Li
Bookworm's Bout
Produced by FIO Productions
Director’s Statement
This story is loosely based on a comic book I had made back when I was 15, for a school project. That story was about a bookworm saving a spider by overcoming his insecurities. The main message was to believe in yourself so no obstacle can stop you from achieving your goals. However, this short film, Bookworm’s Bout, is a more mature contradiction to the comic. It depicts a more realistic outcome from overstepping your limitations in real-life scenarios, because in this story the bookworm, is made to fight a black widow spider.
This story is loosely based on a comic book I had made back when I was 15, for a school project. That story was about a bookworm saving a spider by overcoming his insecurities. The main message was to believe in yourself so no obstacle can stop you from achieving your goals. However, this short film, Bookworm’s Bout, is a more mature contradiction to the comic. It depicts a more realistic outcome from overstepping your limitations in real-life scenarios, because in this story the bookworm, is made to fight a black widow spider.
The Style
This project was heavily based on the Pixar animation style. Wormie is more stylized in design and animation so as to draw us into his naive cutesy nature, whereas the spider has more realism to represent it as the real threat. I want the audience to feel attached to the main character, so when the time comes, we’d want him to win the battle against the spider.
This project was heavily based on the Pixar animation style. Wormie is more stylized in design and animation so as to draw us into his naive cutesy nature, whereas the spider has more realism to represent it as the real threat. I want the audience to feel attached to the main character, so when the time comes, we’d want him to win the battle against the spider.
The Setting
Leading up to the battle scene I want the audience to see Wormie’s naivety as his strength, which is forged by his childish curiosity. The natural morning lighting at the start invokes a dream-like state for the viewers that slowly descends into a nightmarish ordeal when the spider enters the picture, the music only aids in creating the calm and whimsical setting before the suspense.
Leading up to the battle scene I want the audience to see Wormie’s naivety as his strength, which is forged by his childish curiosity. The natural morning lighting at the start invokes a dream-like state for the viewers that slowly descends into a nightmarish ordeal when the spider enters the picture, the music only aids in creating the calm and whimsical setting before the suspense.
The Castle
The pop-up fairytale castle becomes an extension of Wormie's imagination and further demonstrates how inspiration can easily be found around us and manipulated.
The pop-up fairytale castle becomes an extension of Wormie's imagination and further demonstrates how inspiration can easily be found around us and manipulated.
The Conclusion
From the second Wormie spots the Knight and Monster pop-up characters interact with each other, to when he takes the sword in his metaphorical hands and proudly aims it at the spider, we as the audience root for his heroic origin story to begin. In the end, the audience feels the same sense of betrayal as Wormie does when he is eaten by the spider.
From the second Wormie spots the Knight and Monster pop-up characters interact with each other, to when he takes the sword in his metaphorical hands and proudly aims it at the spider, we as the audience root for his heroic origin story to begin. In the end, the audience feels the same sense of betrayal as Wormie does when he is eaten by the spider.