Every 48 seconds someone contacts a Red Cross office to find information about a missing relative, receive support or seek protection. The Norwegian Red Cross and agency Papaya asked Not To Scale New York and director Colin Hesterly to create a short animated film to raise awareness about the work the Red Cross and Red Crescent do, around the world, to reunite the thousands who become separated from their loved ones.
For this 2D animation piece titled “Restoring Family Links,” Hesterly deployed his signature graphic look with high contrast and big bold shapes. Stripping away any excess details, the film gives the viewer a more open sense of time and place, and allows audiences the opportunity to connect with the characters and their journey. Hesterly carefully created a tight range of desaturated colors that dovetail with the Red Cross logo.
“This film is a beautiful showcase of all the hard work and resources the Red Cross and Red Crescent put into reconnecting families. Their immense dedication has helped countless people find loved ones in their darkest time of need. I want to thank them for their devotion and the opportunity to tell such a delicate story,” said Hesterly.
CreditsClient Norwegian Red Cross Agency Papaya, Oslo, Norway Christian K. Nordtømme producer. Production/Animation Not To Scale, New York Colin Hesterly, director; Eve Strickman, exec producer; Liz O’Connor, producer; Anne Calandre, animator. (Toolbox: Animate (Flash), After Effects) Audio David Kamp
Top Spot of the Week: EHRAC, Animation Studio NOMINT Depict Life “In Limbo” As Families Search For Loved Ones
This animated film titled In Limbo depicts the journey of a heroic woman protagonist representing the countless families in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe (where Chechnya is situated) searching for their forcibly disappeared loved ones. Utilizing theatrical elements, the film highlights the unnatural disruption caused by enforced disappearances and delves into the profound trauma these families endure. It emphasizes their long battles with the domestic authorities as they seek answers. The film also underscores the vital role of community support in helping these families cope and continue their fight for answers, serving as a compelling call to action for justice and human rights.
Through intimate storytelling, In Limbo raises awareness of the ongoing uncertainty that leaves families in a perpetual state of limbo, unable to find closure.
Directed by Afterman--the animation duo consisting of Tsvetelina Zdraveva and Jerred North--and created and produced by London-based animation studio NOMINT, In Limbo was commissioned by the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC).
In a joint statement, Zdraveva and North shared, “Our film takes place on a theater stage, highlighting how such tragedies are far removed from ordinary life,” they continued. “The stage is circular, resembling an artificial, perpetually spinning obstacle course, with a target—the red tail lights—just within sight yet never within reach, symbolizing the family’s never-ending quest for justice.”
“We used a limited primary color palette to contrast the two worlds all families are pulled between. Minimalist compositions of starkly silhouetted characters and environments create the ominous atmosphere of a deeply painful and... Read More