Phantom Limb

Alex Grigg’s “Phantom Limb,” created for Late Night Work Club, is now online in its entirety (and apart from the LNWC compilation film).

Poignantly minimal, the short film tells a story of loss and regret with painful clarity. Its emotional power steadily builds until reaching a literal breaking point at the exquisitely paced climax.

Grigg’s explains the writing process:

One of the big things I learned while making the film is the separation between premise and writing. The premise itself didnt connect with any part of my personal life but I wanted to make sure that the writing of the film did. I think the premise I chose could have turned into loads of different stories and it was really interesting to start figuring out what my version would be.

I think I’m a bit exhausted by the perfectly rounded out stories that seem to held up as the bench mark for animated film making. I wanted to keep things looser and almost dream like but still have a clear emotional through line. I ended up moving away from this idea a little, but it was my starting point.

Like some of Grigg’s recent 2D work, the film uses a limited palette to play with negative space and suggested forms. Fluidly animated sequences of the disembodied arm sell the idea that it is both a spectral thing and an outgrowth of the protagonist’s beleaguered mind.

The sound design by Oswald Skillbard deserves attention, as it adds a tangible realism to many of the shots and underscores the tension throughout the film.

Making Of

Grigg posted a fantastically detailed making-of write up on Medium that’s definitely worth the time to read.

Credits

Written Directed and Animated by Alex Grigg

Additional Animation By Alexis Sudgen, James Hatley, Jean-Gui Culot, Jarrod Prince, Bill Northcott,
Backgrounds by Colin Bigelow with German Casado, Jason Pamment, Alex Grigg, Bjorn-Erik Aschim
Sound Design & Audio by Oswald Skillbard
Music Written and Performed by Kirsty Tickle and Jonathan Boulet,
Doctor Voiced by Clifford Hume,
Martha Voiced by Sarah Jones,

Compositing: Ryan Kirby, Alex Grigg, Scott Benson
Digital Ink and Paint by – Rimon Bar, Alexis Sudgen, Jasper Parker Trenfield

Special Thanks:
Rosie Afford, Jake Armstrong, Greg Sharp, Ben Leon, Scott Benson, Bruce and Bronwyn Grigg,
Produced for Late Night Work Club