Faculty of Art

Experimental Animation

Jayden Rostie

01 | The Siren - OCAD U Animation Thesis Film

The Siren is a four-and-a-half minute short animated film inspired by traditional fairy tales and ocean mythology. The story follows a young couple attempting to leave their isolated hometown, where the only way out is by ship. When the captain refuses to allow women on board due to an old superstition, the couple is forced to stow away, ultimately uncovering the truth behind the myth and the real danger in the ocean: sirens.

“This project grew from an idea I've been developing for a long time and reflects my own interest in fairy tales, mythology, fantasy, and reimagining of traditional stories. The film explores how myths can emerge from fear and superstition, while also examining themes of power, perspective, and self-fulfilling prophecy. In many stories, female characters exist only to motivate the male protagonist. In The Siren, I wanted to reverse that structure so that the girl becomes the central force of the narrative rather than a tragic figure.Visually, the film blends storybook illustration with animation, with a strong focus on colour and atmosphere. The film was built from individually illustrated, hand-drawn assets. This time-intensive process allowed me to carefully consider every scene, with each frame designed to function as its own illustration and the limited animation emphasizing composition, tone, and visual storytelling. Ultimately, The Siren invites viewers to consider how fear and superstition shape human behaviour, and how beliefs, whether true or not, can still have powerful and lasting consequences.”