Implementing a rather unusual approach to animation, “Epicenter” is a 10-minute film that has already done its festival circuit, including a Jury mention in Tallinn.
“Epicenter” is screening at Vienna Shorts
Implementing a series of vignettes, essentially a series of stills taken from Bukhansan Mountain National Park the movie begins with an image of the mountains, without any movement. The sound of an earthquake, however, starts the movement, as some birds are shown flying, probably scared from the noise and the movement. The top of a crystal bowl is lying on a table where there is also a fruit basket with two tomatoes in it, which are first visited by a fly, and then one of them is picked by the hand of an individual who is only visible from the back. The next vignette shows a painter working on a sketch, while the next brings us to a field with a greenhouse, where a man is calling his wife, asking is she is ok, only to receive an answer that she barely felt the earthquake. This segment is also the first where we see an individual in full, as the man calling gets out of the greenhouse, with his figure mirrored in the water just in front of the structure. Images from binoculars towards the mountain follow next, while someone keeping notes of the height of the mountain top through the years, which actually gets higher, causing the earthquakes with each measurement. This picture, accompanied by music, concludes the short.
The pictures presented throughout the film are rather impressive in their realism, and it seems that Hahm Hee-yoon followed a technique where photographs were made through filters in order to look like sketches, (or maybe photographs that were then sketched) then adding some minimal movement through animation. The result is definitely outstanding, with the quality of each vignette being top notch, and the minimal movement actually working well aesthetically, allowing the viewer to focus on the quality of the images.
The presence of various animals, as the sources of movement, also works well, as birds, a fly, and a mouse are among the ones appearing here, adding a slightly humorous note to the movie. The concern of the husband for his wife makes a comment on the reaction of people after an earthquake, while the measurement in the end seems to be connected to the seismic activity, although I have to admit I am not sure about the context here. Lastly, the music concludes the short in the most delightful fashion.
“Epicenter” is a visually impressive short that tests the boundaries between painting, film and animation, through a rather intriguing approach that will definitely capture the eye of any viewer.
