H. Kristen Campbell's Swift (2012)

NOTE: This Monday short was originally posted on June 10, 2019. We are re-uploading some of Peter Hemminger's amazing Monday Shorts until further notice.

There's a lot to love about H. Kristen Campbell's 2012 student film, Swift, but to me, it's all about the textures. The film isn't naturalistic, with it's highly stylized design and cuts to hand-drawn animation throughout, but its materials are all natural--or at least they look it. Fur, grass and leaves share space with fabric, felt and construction paper, creating a world that you just want to reach out and touch. That isn't so unusual in 3D stop-motion, but not a look you often see in more two-dimensional works.

The film earned a number of accolades upon its release, including the top prize in TIFF's student competition. Kristen's work has gone in some very different directions over the years--the excessive horses she made for Quickdraw's Animation Lockdown is charming in a very different way--but the rich, textured look she explored here is one we'd love to see more of.