Today I wanted to do something a little different. For almost a year now i’ve been developing ideas for my own animated short. So I know how much goes into these things and really how impactful they can be. As such, instead of featuring an artist exclusively this week, I’ve decided to feature an animated short produced by several students out of the French school, Gobelins. It’s stunning how impactful such a short narrative can be. And this is certainly one that grabs you. I can’t tell you how many times i’ve watched and re-watched this. If i’m not careful I may just start drooling again just talking about it. DUO tells the story of two acrobats on their last performance. The last of anything can be emotional for those involved, but for these two, emotions may be running high for other reasons. Two things I want to point out in this short are first, the pacing. The cutting between the lead up and the performance is masterful. These people know how to tell a story. Secondly, pay close attention to the background elements. If you can catch it, they’re more real than you think. My hat is off to these brilliant animators and to their impending illustrative careers. Bravo!