(courtesy YouTube (c) Gothfrog)
SNAPSHOT
In this story of kindness, friendship, and the fear of being left behind, a friendship takes flight as a mouse that wants to fly and an injured bird cross paths. [This is the] final film [by Gothfrog] from the School of Visual Arts (SVA); they directed, background painted, animated, and did about half of the cleanup/coloring [with the] rest handled by an awesome team listed in the YouTube credits … Colin Andrew Grant [did] the fantastic score, [with] SVA [providing] the two grants that helped [the film get produced]. (courtesy YouTube description by Gothfrog)
Oh what a wondrously piece of animated storytelling this is.
Casey McDonald aka Gothfrog has crafted a wholly touching story of a mouse meeting an injured bird, helping them out in a time of real distress and the beautiful friendship that eventuates from that encounter.
The story is told perfectly in just six minutes and in that brief but vibrantly well-used time, we witness the power of love and belonging, of sacrificing yourself for another and how, while life journeys may diverge, that doesn’t mean you’re necessarily left behind and abandoned.
Honestly, this is as pure a representation of love and friendship as you’re ever likely to see, told with richly-coloured animation, a just-so story that balances characterisation and narrative to a delightfully affecting degree and a sensitivity to how we all need to know the power of meaningful connection.
Watch and feel your heart lift …
You can also watch the sequel Wings 2