In Between, and the Art of Symbolism

So I was browsing short films around the internet and came across In Between. It's a charming and clever short film about a young woman stalked by a blue crocodile, who prevents her from living her life. In my first viewing, I took the film at face value, simply seeing a blue crocodile and remarking to myself, "Wow, that would've taken forever to render". It was only on my second viewing that I caught the symbolism of the creature: the woman's anxiety.

While the actual meaning of the crocodile is actually present in the video's description, I make a habit of not reading the description of short films until after my first viewing, as the synopsis of many such films often spoils the ending. I was more focused on the animation style of the crocodile on my first viewing, so I missed the metaphors. Its movement style is more like that of a snake than the legged reptile it is, frequently displaying insane levels of flexibility and apparent spinelessness. Even its walk is indicated by a pretzel-like appearance.

My only critiques with the film lie in its occasionally messy look. While the majority of the animation looks excellent, there are a few times when the quality has an almost half finished look. Outlines and lighting, while still decent, don't quite look complete, as if this is the final draft before the last set of edits.

Overall, the animation style still looks good, the story is still charming, and the metaphor is well executed, even if the style doesn't hold up perfectly at times. The crocodile is especially well animated, behaving almost like a playful puppy with a snake's flexibility. I appreciate this animation because it finds a way to convey the heavier topic of anxiety in a light-hearted and humorous way through the metaphor of the crocodile.

If anxiety were truly a playful and annoying crocodile, maybe it would be easier to conquer.