Belinda Zhang
Heart
Animation
2021
Autodesk Maya & Substance Painter
1080p
00:03:10 [hh:mm:ss]
Artist Statement (Spoiler Alert):Heart is a three-minute stylized 3D narrative animation that follows a protagonist’s journey in obtaining a magical plant to cure her ill pet. The heroine then encounters a villainous-looking tree creature, which she later learns was trying to help her. My intention is to illustrate to a younger audience the significance of compassion and the importance of looking beyond appearances. The title Heart supports the message of the film by symbolizing love, compassion, life, and represents what is found internally. The heart is visually depicted in the character’s designs, the shape of the cure, and the shape of other plants in the animation. The character’s actions also demonstrate the importance of compassion and looking beyond appearances. The narrative is set in a fairy-tale-like forest where characters themselves represent objects of nature, taking inspiration from Hayao Miyazaki by portraying themes of nature, fantasy, and adventure. The stylistic choices are influenced by children’s shows such as The Octonauts and True and the Rainbow Kingdom. Heart aims to show the value of compassion and empathy through a visual style aimed at children.