A young girl sits alone under a tree, not involved in the games of the others out in the field. While they play she sits and sketches, making up a story about a bear who himself had no friends and was left hanging around under a tree by the tyre swing, trying to figure out how he can get some company in life.
When I saw this short film there was a warning from the maker that if you didn't like children's books or Disney then you just clear head off right now before this even starts and indeed he was correct. This film is just what you expect from this type of product and this can be taken both ways as positive and negative, dependant on the viewers point of view. The narrative is a simple and rather obvious tale of being oneself rather than trying to be what you think others want you to be to make them your friends. It is spelt out in a way that even a three year old might think heavy handed (by having a girl say "hey, I think the bear should just be himself") but I suppose for target audience this will work.
The animation is pretty good considering the budget and the amateur nature of the film and younger children will still like it as it is soft and non-threatening. The music I thought was one area where ti did better than the genre norm. The choice was classy, not obvious or exploitative and it was used with restraint in key scenes. The child acting is mixed. Nobody is actually much good but it does vary from the main girl who is just plain simple, made to order "all-American-cute" through to some annoying precocious children whose preening mothers were probably mere inches behind the camera, urging their darlings on no matter what (not that I'm trying to generalise or anything).
Anyway, for what it was this film was a perfectly sweet little kids short film. Simple animation, easy emotions, soft, friendly characters and a message-driven narrative where everything turns out just peachy in the end. I'm a cynical broken old man so it is not intended for me, but even I have to concede that if this is your type of thing then it is well aimed at you.
When I saw this short film there was a warning from the maker that if you didn't like children's books or Disney then you just clear head off right now before this even starts and indeed he was correct. This film is just what you expect from this type of product and this can be taken both ways as positive and negative, dependant on the viewers point of view. The narrative is a simple and rather obvious tale of being oneself rather than trying to be what you think others want you to be to make them your friends. It is spelt out in a way that even a three year old might think heavy handed (by having a girl say "hey, I think the bear should just be himself") but I suppose for target audience this will work.
The animation is pretty good considering the budget and the amateur nature of the film and younger children will still like it as it is soft and non-threatening. The music I thought was one area where ti did better than the genre norm. The choice was classy, not obvious or exploitative and it was used with restraint in key scenes. The child acting is mixed. Nobody is actually much good but it does vary from the main girl who is just plain simple, made to order "all-American-cute" through to some annoying precocious children whose preening mothers were probably mere inches behind the camera, urging their darlings on no matter what (not that I'm trying to generalise or anything).
Anyway, for what it was this film was a perfectly sweet little kids short film. Simple animation, easy emotions, soft, friendly characters and a message-driven narrative where everything turns out just peachy in the end. I'm a cynical broken old man so it is not intended for me, but even I have to concede that if this is your type of thing then it is well aimed at you.