UNDERNEATH : Animation Short Film (Thesis Film) 2022

Summary

In a dystopian world, Afra and Zell struggle to maintain their crumbling city. A mysterious figure offers an escape to Ocean City by taking a transformative pill. Zell, desperate, takes it, leaving Afra behind. Transformed into a fish-like creature, Zell discovers Ocean City's utopian facade and returns to warn Afra. As the city collapses, Afra must decide between accepting change or clinging to the past, facing the moral dilemma of fixing what's broken or embracing transformation.

Takeaways

• 😔 Characters are in a difficult, frustrating environment, struggling with a sense of despair.
• 🤝 Two main characters, Afra and Zell, are trying to fix something together in a place that seems broken.
• 💊 A mysterious figure offers the characters a pill to escape to 'Ocean City,' promising a better life.
• 🤨 Afra is skeptical and questions the trustworthiness of the people offering the escape, while Zell is more willing to take the risk.
• 😠 There is tension between Afra and Zell, with Afra accusing Zell of giving up and abandoning her by taking the pill.
• 🏚️ The environment around them is collapsing, symbolizing the dire state of their current world.
• 🐟 Afra notices strange changes in Zell after taking the pill, including the appearance of a tail.
• 😨 Afra is scared of change and hesitant to leave for Ocean City, even though the world around her is falling apart.
• 🤔 Zell tries to convince Afra that things in their current world can't be fixed and that moving on is necessary.
• 🌊 The concept of Ocean City represents a new beginning, but it also comes with fear, uncertainty, and transformation for the characters.

Q & A

What is the main conflict in the script?

The main conflict is between the characters' desire to escape their deteriorating environment and the moral dilemma of taking a pill to join the Ocean City, which involves changing their physical form.

Who are Afra and Zell, and what is their relationship?

Afra and Zell are two characters in the script who meet and interact with each other. Afra is trying to fix something, and Zell offers to help, indicating a cooperative relationship.

What does the pill offered by the leader represent?

The pill represents a chance to leave their current miserable life behind and join the Ocean City, symbolizing a drastic change and the abandonment of their current identity.

Why is the city described as 'dying'?

The city is described as 'dying' because it is falling apart, with buildings collapsing and a lack of freedom and privacy, indicating a place that is no longer sustainable or desirable to live in.

What is the significance of the playground in the script?

The playground is significant as it seems to be a place of realization for the characters, where they acknowledge the city's state and consider the option of taking the pill to escape.

What transformation does taking the pill cause?

Taking the pill causes the characters to transform into fish, which is a physical change that allows them to join the Ocean City but also signifies a loss of their human form.

Why does Zell return to the city after visiting the Ocean City?

Zell returns to the city to tell Afra about the Ocean City, hoping that Afra might change their mind about not wanting to join, suggesting that the Ocean City might be better than expected.

What is the moral dilemma faced by the characters?

The moral dilemma faced by the characters is whether to accept the transformation and escape to the Ocean City or to stay and try to fix their crumbling city, despite the seemingly futile effort.

How does the script explore the theme of identity?

The script explores the theme of identity through the characters' struggle with their physical transformation and the decision to leave their current life behind, questioning what it means to be themselves.

What is the role of the 'foreign' and '[Music]' notations in the script?

The 'foreign' and '[Music]' notations likely indicate moments of foreign language dialogue or musical interludes, adding to the atmosphere and emotional tone of the script.

What does the character's refusal to go to the Ocean City signify?

The character's refusal to go to the Ocean City signifies a resistance to change and a desire to maintain their current identity, even in the face of a deteriorating environment.