Selvin Ng

Clerk and the Can

Clerk and the Can is a 2D animated film that has been slowly developed over the course of an entire year in time to be exhibited at OCADU’s GradEx 107. The plot of the animation follows a determined grocery clerk in pursuit of a troublesome sentient can around the store in order to finish his dog food display. The main themes found within this short film are imagination and comedy, which I generally explore through my artwork. The inspiration behind this short film is of my own experiences as a clerk working in a grocery store. I wanted to create something that is funny and also something that I can personally relate to. Although the cartoon film incorporates imaginative circumstances, such as a can of dog food coming to life, some parts are based on relatable situations that happen on the job, such as a customer getting upset or a display getting knocked over. This leads to the underlying message of the film, which explains how certain actions may lead to misunderstandings. The aesthetic of the film follows a traditional 2-dimensional cartoon style, using simple shapes, thin lines and bright solid colors for the characters and backgrounds. Clerk and the Can is presented in a humorous tone and is aimed to bring laughter and entertainment to viewers as they watch the comedic animation.

“A determined grocery clerk pursues a troublesome can of dog food around a store”