Animation - Quest (1996)

In my last post I wrote about Daniel Dociu and a specific kind of scenery, which always inspired me aesthetically and conceptually when I created a new world on paper or as a production designer in movies.

This "dream" can be seen as an experience of deep loneliness and exploration. Once again, my description of it:

I always loved the idea of being thrown into an extremely abstract, strange world, abandoned by all human beings. A world, just filled with gigantic building-like complexes and enormous empty space that surrounds you. Built by someone or somewhat, but you have no idea by who or what. 

You look at that never-ending horizon, consisting of complexes, spaces and paths, but you're completely alone. And, on the other hand, you may assume that this world must have been populated once, because the surfaces and buildings don't seem to be created by nature. Nevertheless, they're just there now. 

And you're the only one living being at all who is left and can explore this world.

The following animated short movie Quest was a kind of creative revelation to me.

The film was made by Tyron Montgomery and Thomas Stellmach at the school of arts and design Kassel, Germany, and released in 1996. They were even awarded with an Oscar and the movie was highly critically acclaimed.

The film contains the basic elements of my "dream" and it explores a lot of philosophical issues, telling a simple story which takes place in a surrealistic, abstract environment. It mostly speaks for itself and, in my opinion, it easily takes its place along other masterpieces like Stanley Kubrick's 2001-A Space Odyssey or Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now Redux, despite the extremely different length and budget. It just doesn't matter, because its universal issues and depth isn't any less convincing.

Take your time, when you watch it. It's worth it.