Ritual explores the idea of cleansing or healing rituals that permeate the life of an individual experiencing OCD. It follows a faceless character as they enter their home, only to see themselves as germ-ridden interlopers in a pure space. Over the course of the three minute film which features live action and animation, the character leaves behind germs, like wet paint, on everything they touch until they wash their hands—their ritual- and are cleansed physically. However, all it takes is a phonecall from the outside world to start the cycle again, unless our character can overcome the need for the ritual.
In Ritual, we chose to focus on one ritual, combining live action with animation, to linearly narrate a specific memory about trying to stay ‘clean’. The abstraction came in the form of creating a silhouette of the character, removing their face, and adding animated ‘germs’ in order to take the experience from the personal to the relatable.
Credits:
Producer
- Anuradha Rana
Director
- April Knell
Animation
- Taylor Harrington
DP
- Eric Liberacki
Sound Design & Mix
- Brie Birt
Voiceover
- Phil Bradley
Editor
- April Knell
- Taylor Harrington
Grip
- Matt Danielewicz
Talent
- Chris Johnson
- Mischa Hiessboeck
Budget Manager
- Jennifer McClelland
Special thanks to:
- Doris Rusch
- Savvas Paritsis
- David Miller, Dean, College of Computing and Digital Media
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