Enemy (CalArts Film 2020)

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Published 2020-08-21
My first year film at CalArts. Process video here:    • How I made my first CalArts film  

Film by Michelle Cheng
www.instagram.com/lemoncholy_/
www.lemoncholy.net/

Sound design & mix by Aashray Harishankar
www.escapistmusic.com/
www.instagram.com/escapistmusic/

Music composed by Zach Rosenstiehl
soundcloud.com/zachary-rosenstiehl
twitter.com/jamminonthetwo

Watch other films made by my classmates: vimeo.com/channels/calartscharanimfilms2020

--
Psst to my teachers and classmates: thank you for providing me guidance from inception to final edit, especially during quarantine limbo, for putting up with my self-deprecation, and for making me laugh when I felt down. No joke yall are my inspirations - looking forward to learning from and with you in the coming years ♥

All Comments (21)
  • The symbolism is absolutely beautiful. The dog returning his glasses hit me so hard. I felt like someone screamed at me to 'see clearly'. And the ending too, wow.
  • @maisie5511
    I love that it comes full circle with the boy's shadow at the end
  • @randomopotato
    Awww I hope there's a little sequel to this where the boy tries to make up with the dog. Though overall I really love the message of this animation with how a difference in perspective can just lead the person into ending up as the villain themself, how if we keep focusing on what we see and just jump to conclusions, we may hurt others who actually mean well.
  • @Meppity
    This was such a treat to watch! Everything from the story to the sound to the animation is beautiful 💛
  • @carinaaugust643
    I love how in the end the little boy's shadow is so big just as the puppy's was
  • @harshibharani
    The rational part of my brain: chill, the dog just gave him back his glasses. The emotional part of my brain: yeah you have to cry now
  • @jennyduong2466
    Those backgrounds are stunning, and the motion of the character really expressed so much feeling
  • @mmaakk32
    The dog at the end was way too good! I don't know how you did it but you captured it so perfectly, I feel like the dog's expression alone carries this piece to far greater heights than otherwise possible. Phenomenal job.
  • @thepunk7106
    Beautiful! I love those different angles and “camera” movements. And I totally didn’t guess the twist in the end!
  • @penny3180
    HELLO YES I LOVE EVERY BIT OF THIS?? The camera angles, composition, backgrounds, the movements/animation itself, and music are all so well done! I can tell you put so much work, effort, and time into this, and it’s just really amazing. Splendid job!!
  • Someone once told me that "fear is your enemy, you need to learn to control it before it controls you"
  • @malfoo2889
    Wow! You did an amazing job on capturing the emotions of the characters, the ending really gutted me. I love the message that it portrays as well, as we get to see the perspective of both the boy and the dog. My dream school is CAL ARTS and I've always wanted to create something like this. Absolutely breathtaking.
  • I adore your art so, so much. I recently started watching your videos, and I am in awe of your artistic abilities (obviously) but more so of the way you conceptualize and present your ideas. In this short animation as well, you have represented the whole "Fear of the unknown" concept so well! Since I, myself, know what it is like to go somewhere without your glasses and get lost in the overwhelmingly, blurred images, I think you have done justice to the whole concept. The sounds, the colors, the playing with shadow is done so beautifully. And like someone has mentioned in the comments below as well, the fact that in the end, we could see the boy's shadow as a distorted figure too gives a very beautiful but hauntingly truthful reality of misconceptions that I appreciate a lot!
  • @that_dang_sword_
    This hit me so hard. The dog was so unexpected my heart leaped. Truly Beautiful symbolism and also the art and animation itself is amazing.
  • @Amayram21
    I love everything about this the storytelling and the symbolism. I really like how at the shadows showed the way the character feels and think this is honestly beautiful
  • @yEs-qw2cy
    Everything’s so amazing! The message, music, graphics—just wow <3
  • @avabelle05
    I love how the shadows were used to showcase the “looming threat” but the music had the right lively quality invoke a sense of interest in what was really happening. Your art and animation looks amazing!