Daniel Pong
A short animation based off the recurrent themes of my thesis, Sci-Fi Horror. A man gets kidnapped by a scientist to be injected his latest concoction but it doesn't go so well.
You will also see other films that I've made during my 4 years in college and also my 2D reels from FX to Character Animation. I hope you enjoy and don't forget to smile!
The main objective of my main final year project was mostly to do a good quality lip sync while exploring my ability to adhere to a style that I am not used to, which was inspired by Samurai Jack. I also wanted to explore and deepen my pool of compositing knowledge with this mini project.
I learned that my acting capabilities in animation is rather poor and needs a lot of time and work as I found the lip sync scene to be very hard. I am also learning that mainly solo projects move at a glacial pace as I am the only person who's working on the visuals, I had an freelancer to help me clean up 2 of the shots -> God bless them. Adhering to new styles is fun and should be explored more. Overall - I need to animate more and get better at it!
This thesis will go onto explore how the original Godzilla (1954) and the recent Godzilla Minus One (2023) are not just monster movies but movies that reflect Japan’s deeply rooted fears and traumas from nuclear warfare. Following the disasters of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the original Godzilla emerged as a powerful metaphor for not only the dangers of nuclear technology but also the lasting scars of war. Nearly 70 years later, Godzilla Minus One revisit these themes. It brings a fresh take that engages modern audiences while adhering to the original’s core message. Both films use horror not just to terrify, but to help process collective trauma, exploring guilt, survival and resilience. This will be explored through the evolution of Godzilla’s design, the human stories and how these films show how the monster of Godzilla has remained culturally relevant. It adapts to different eras while keeping its allegorical identity. This thesis will be shining a light through cinematography and character arcs, showing how these films serve as both a cautionary tale and emotional catharsis. This thesis will show these films are more than just giant monster spectacles, they reflect Japan’s tragic past and a reminder of the lasting impact of nuclear use.
A 2D Animator who enjoys injecting life into characters and usually making them suffer. I also love to add an unhealthy amount of 2D FX work into my work. I particularly enjoy making my worlds explode but I am beginning to enjoy more tender animations where the facial expressions do some heavy lifting and tell the story.
