Animated films have made a resurgence in popular culture. One of the most creative forms of the medium can be found in short films. Shorts provide an opportunity for talented animators to produce imaginative films that are funny, emotional, frightening, and suspenseful. These supernatural shorts from The Animation Workshop not only have bewitching imagery, but tell engaging stories.
There are fantastic student animators showcasing their creative talents in academic environments. The following shorts were created by students at The Animation Workshop, a school located in Viborg, Denmark. The youthful imagination of these students has created some spooky supernatural shorts.
The 2015 short film,”Roommate Wanted – Dead or Alive,” features a medical student who desperately needs a new roommate. He gets way more than he bargained for when his new zombie roommate moves in. Though “Roomate Wanted” is an animated film, it has a claymation aesthetic. The film was selected as a participant in Monstra 2016 in Lisbon, Portugal This comical short was written & directed by Lærke Elisabeth Kromann, and co-written & co-directed by David C Crisp, along with a team of artists and animators.
In the 2015 animated film “Tsunami” a man returns home after a devastating tsunami has taken everything from him. An encounter with a magical sea spirit helps the man to deal with his loss. The film went to Festival de Cannes in May and was a selection for Monstra 2016 in Lisbon, Portugal and the GLAS Animation Festival in Berkley, California. It won a special mention in Norway’s Fredrikstad Animation Festival. “Tsunami” was created by Sofie Nørgaard Kampmark, Jess Nicholls, Morten Jæger, Line Bering, Steffen Christensen, Pernille Kofod Hansen, Michelle From, and Johan Carøe. To learn more about how this haunting film was made, watch “Tsunami Making Of.”
“Wing” portrays the struggle of a solitary creature called Wing. He is terrorized by a group of crow-like creatures, but cannot escape them because he only has one wing. He creates a mechanical wing, but it malfunctions and he crashes into the territory of the crows. Before the crows can hurt him, he is surprised by another forest creature. This animated short was created by Asger Grevil, Mette V. Madsen, Jonas Kirkegaard, Michael Bech in 2012.
In the fantastically rendered “The Backwater Gospel” the townsfolk of Backwater know that the coming of The Undertaker means the promise of death. When the promise fails, all Hell breaks loose in the town. This 2011 short film was a was created by Bo Mathorne, Tue T. Sørensen, Arthur Gil Larsen, Rie C. Nymand, Mads Simonsen, Thomas H. Grønlund, Esben Jacob Sloth, and Martin Holm-Grevy.
In “Mighty Antlers” a man encounters a deer on a narrow road in the midst of a vast forest. After the cruel man runs the animal down, he is joined by a vengeful forest spirit. The 2011 film project was created by Sune Reinhardt, Mikael Ilnæs, Michael L. Fonsholt, and Jouko Keskitalo.
If you want to see more animated projects from Denmark’s The Animation Workshop, subscribe to their Vimeo channel, Made in Viborg, or their YouTube channel. You can also follow them on Facebook or Twitter.
Want more supernatural? Check out these 5 Supernatural Shorts and 3 Supernatural Web Series that Will Leave You Laughing.
The Supernatural Fox Sisters 