This weeks short film comes to us through Ornana Films, a production company that we have highlighted here before through their excellent short “(Notes on) Biology”. While that short was purely light-hearted, this weeks’ is much more serious in tone as it approaches the touchy subject matter of warfare, and the confusion that comes with such anxiety-ridden activity. Entitled Confusion Through Sand, writer, director, and animator Danny Madden takes us through the sand-filled streets of a middle eastern town, as we follow the young main protagonist and his weapon, narrowly escaping deadly shoot-out after shoot-out.

The animation style has a beautiful free-form, almost sketch-like, aesthetic to it. Drawn on recycled paper, the two combine to form a confusing mess akin to the panic of one’s first foray into combat. The monochromatic colour pallet of black ink on brown fibrous paper, scribbled with dizzying perspective shifts, serves to heighten the tension as our young soldier corners through narrow corridors, barges through weak home doors and ultimately faces down his pursuing opponents. On top of the amazing art is the captivating sound design of the short, mastered by Madden and Pete Horner. With the deeply immersive series of bullet fire near misses, the ambient noise of a living town in chaos, and the heaviness of breath from our lead, Confusion’s sound design is the grounding force that makes the animation feel so much more real and of its place.

This is another knock-out hit from Ornana Films. I can’t wait to see what they do next. Please do check out the short below:

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