Memory Box | Surreal Animated Short

[@emmystork9930]

The Art of Memory Box is a 150 page art book that's available to preorder now! Preorders close November 6th, 2021. I spent a very long time piecing this together! It goes through the process of the film, has commentary, and concept art dating back to 2013. You can order it here! t.co/qoUicR3oaR?amp=1

[@Ferniiiii]

aw. form inactive

[@papasscooperiaworker3649]

are they gonna release ever again? because i'd have loved to buy the art book but im only just hearing about this now :(

[@emmystork9930]

@@papasscooperiaworker3649 I do want to do another preorder release hopefully over the summer ^^ so I’ll alert here when I do!

[@toucantrouble4783]

@@emmystork9930 yooo sick if you do i’ll buy one 👀

[@whitenoise0065]

thanks your animation is reminding me to quit and move on with things

[@neccodealer]

I feel like her “worst trip” is Myra pretending Galen dying was the dream, and the hallucination in front of her was real.

[@ashleyyang2510]

Ugh, this is probably true. She/He got so high she can’t tell the difference between reality and what she wants to be reality

[@aitusai]

@@ashleyyang2510 1.Myra is a she. 2. She didn't had a massive trip. She was on drugs for so long it's normal she would take trips like this. It's depressing

[@ashleyyang2510]

@@aitusai oh sorry I meant she got so high so consistently, my b

[@osirissoculus6672]

Wait what! The lion was dead!

[@MatthewChenIsAwesome]

@@osirissoculus6672 yeah, you should read @thejust ofit's analysis.

[@blulynx2619]

I just can't get over how good the voice acting is in this short. You can feel all the emotion, clear as day, from audio alone.

[@jyoats7959]

Yeah they got legit professional voice actors and it’s beautiful

[@brycewolf5952]

No kidding

[@issiecross4539]

No joke

[@8male]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaW2eWaMYqacpZo see thois you want see it

[@poodychulak]

That feeling when the sheep hits the pipe and you realize this is going somewhere radically different

[@BlahajBeholder]

As soon as I saw that I knew... This videos gonna be one of THOSE videos huh?

[@thejustofit8965]

The very end scene where Galen says "We're almost there, pinky swear." tells me that they were both attempting to OD in that bathtub. Where Myra has a naive and gullible belief that Galen is taking her to space and subconciously she may know but he seems to know full well that he's trying to make them both commit suicide. Perhaps the guilt of introducing Myra to her drug addiction was too much for Galen to handle, he felt he was a bad influence and that is why he strayed away from her. After he tried to get clean he relapsed and then either attempted to escape using drugs, attempted suicide through drugs, or both. This left Myra all alone to reminice in nightmarish trips in the bathtub they once both used to cope with their crippling addiction. Sad but beautiful.

[@nekki4710]

you theory is the most solid and likely i have read. I never throught that way

[@eviesherman2734]

thejust ofit does OD stand for overdose?

[@androideespectral119]

@@eviesherman2734 yes

[@magipup7698]

I think they both know that it's suicide, just that it's their dream not to be there anymore, since space is so far away from earth. It's kind of a coping mechanism for facing their deaths ig.

[@starburst9630]

You can also see on the desktop in the beginning she had a best attitude reward showing that she was most likely the “good” kid growing up before drugs. when he gave her drugs you can see her hesitating at first then gave in and that when the music started to change. You can see them graffiti walls and her becoming a “bad” kid. Also when he ask her what’s wrong she said “I’m scared” which she could mean of him or the drugs which could of been when he realized what he did to her.

[@Dragonscale87]

Im sure emmy doesnt want to confirm or deny anyone’s individual interpretations of the short, but i’ll share my understanding of what happened! Galen passed away from OD. Myra is in the bathtub alone from the start of the piece. She is clutching her memory box in order to conjure memories of galen and the times he comforted her, which causes her to imagine or hallucinate he is there now comforting her through her bad trip as she has a breakdown over his death Each short clip is a memory left in the box, which in turn bring up other unbidden memories (such as galen talking about his sister) At the peak of her breakdown she disassociates and remembers that galen has died (“see you, space cadet” is a definite goodbye) and she returns to the bathtub in the empty house, alone like she has been from the beginning of this trip Amazing job again, emmy. Really has people thinking and feeling, obviously

[@huhhuh9598]

Also it might help if you guys know what their names mean,atleast in Swedish,since thats the laungage I speak. Galen=Mad,Insane Myran=The Ant. Side note:For most of the books that are for younger audience I have read and still remember,Myran is a common nickname for characters that have it a bit though and are struggling with something,I suppose because how little an ant is and has to carry weights much heavier than himself. Edit:Another note,I for a moment forgot that he wasn’t ‘The ant’ (Myra*n*)but rather just simply ‘Ant’ (Myra),and my guesses are that if intentional it might be because this isn’t something public happening,but private,he’s not *the* and that everyone focuses on,but rather the ant thats silently struggling for himself all alone,with no one seeing or helping him,he’s just one of the masses of ants/people with their unique problems that get forgotten.

[@Dragonscale87]

someone asked me and their reply disappeared asking about what he could have OD'd on because of how what they seemed to be smoking was pot, and from what i gathered the pipe is probably meth, not pot and the baggie of drugs galen offers myra strikes me first as being ecstacy, which can be laced with other dangerous drugs/chemicals depending on the dealer i think the point is more they were both doing a lot of drugs, dangerous and benign. it seems as though galen would supply myra with new things, so he was probably doing more or more intense drugs than her

[@JustViolet626]

This is my favorite interpretation I've seen! Nice job!

[@Wholetmeinternet]

they’re smoking heroin, not meth or weed.

[@LemonLoverCockatiel]

@@Wholetmeinternet looked like crack to me

[@FullyFazed]

When he said “you’re safe space cadet” I felt that

[@inuulo8082]

Is this a joke? Sorry, alot of people are doing the joke "I feel that"

[@FullyFazed]

InuuLo! No, not really

[@jinglejinglebell7844]

What does space cadet means :0

[@iwanttoeatyoursocks2123]

Jingle Jingle Bell cadet means trainee so basically a space trainee

[@jinglejinglebell7844]

@@iwanttoeatyoursocks2123 what's a trainee ?

[@foreverpainful]

Hi Emmy. I just wanted to say how touching this film was for me. My boyfriend and I were both addicted to opioids and eventually settled into using heroin. He attempted suicide with fentanyl and destroyed his life. I got clean and he was trying to recover too, but in a very bad environment. When things didn’t go as planned and we ran out of options, we both planned to kill ourselves with a mixture of fentanyl and bth after a long bender. Instead, we both became cripplingly addicted again, and he asked me to stay alive with him; he was scared to die and go to Hell and be separated from me as he is Catholic. We had sabotaged our lives and it would have been very difficult to get back to normal, to survive at all without drugs. But I finally agreed. We went through withdrawl together in a very bad apartment with someone who was very awfult o us and kicked us out. We eventually made it and got back home, to the house I had just started renting; my parents welcomed us with open arms and have basically nursed us back to health. They’ve been incredibly supportive. We’ve been clean for 6 months. I went through withdrawl cold turkey but because his addiction was way deeper than mine, he made the choice to get on Suboxone- and he is never even considering Methadone again as that is what destroyed his chance of recovery and independence the first time (And shame on the doctors that convinced him to switch in the first place due to his headache instead of just prescribing him excedrin). I hope to be an advocate for addiction and do my part to help others. Every time I watch Memory Box again, I am well, flooded with memories and the reality of what could have happened to us. I am just glad we are safe. Thank you Emma, if you actually read this, for your time and for this beautiful masterpiece. Your empathy and humanization for addicts is much appreciated. Toanyone else who may read this, there is always hope for addiction; there are so many resources, and the process is not always scary, as there are different options. Have faith in yourself, and God bless you.

[@August81804]

Hey I just wanna say thanks for commenting this. I don’t wanna get too personal into it and make you sad but my mother and step father who I don’t live with but see often are and have been addicts for a really long time. The good news is that has kept me away from ever doing any sort of drugs or smoking cigarette or doing anything like that at all. I’m not sure if my mother or step father will ever stop or escape there addictions like you because I don’t think they care but I’m close to getting away from them and having everything be fine cause I’m 16 now and I can move away when I’m 18, and this comment has brought me some peace knowing that there are people like you who can escape addiction, do the right thing, and go on to live happier lives. and i am so glad that there are people like you and that you have been able to escape that and that you are alive!

[@foreverpainful]

Jayden Hunnicutt I’m really glad that sharing my story has given you peace. I was raised in a very sheltered home and I can’t imagine the pain of growing up like that and feeling so isolated. I am so proud of you for not continuing that cycle and choosing to be clean instead. There’s always hope, but the addicted person(s) need to want to quit, whether for themselves or someone they love. I wouldn’t have gotten clean for myself, I would have died. My boyfriend would have too. We only got clean and stay clean for each other. Being told we had to want it for ourselves was just grating to hear every time, because, if I cared about myself at all, I wouldn’t have kept going back to opioids until I was on heroin, no matter how many times I got caught or relapsed. I really, really hope there is some hope for your mother and stepfather; please keep encouraging them and letting them know you are there.

[@foreverpainful]

Jayden Hunnicutt Hey, if you need to talk by the way, my Instagram is @scrawnycatto - same for anyone else reading this thread. Stay strong man.

[@emmystork9930]

Thank you so much for sharing your story with me Jay. I’m glad you’re in good health. Sending so much love your way. Stay safe and I hope you’re getting through these difficult times

[@foreverpainful]

Emmy Stork You’re welcome and thank you so much for your reply.

[@AB-uf1et]

Me at the start: omg this is gonna be about the sheep's dreams of going to space! So cute 😆 Me, after watching: ok nevermind... :(

[@sheep1512]

My exact feeling

[@AB-uf1et]

Honestly this short has affected me so much I keep rewatching it

[@4nyth1n94]

@@AB-uf1et yeah. Normally I'm like " a serious animated short? No thanks" But I keep watching it again...

[@sheep1512]

I looked at the thumb nail and the title and was like SWEET this is gonna adorable! But a. It went all down the drain

[@WingedHelix]

This was my exact train of thought

[@aalthesuppe]

This honestly made me super emotional, I didn’t know I needed this until now. Your style of story telling and animation work together so well and give off the feeling of nostalgia and innocence that really works with the story. The characters and morals are compelling and engaging and I really hope you can make more stuff like this! You should have your own cartoon or something YOU HAVE TALENT!!! X

[@Wnsloe]

This is my interpretation of it: Ever since Myra was little, she’d always wanted to go space. She was always a good child, happily behaving and rewarding, and had a bright childhood. Then one day, she met her best friend Galen. Myra and Galen ended up sharing the same dream and played pretend once in a while with each other about going to space. One day, Galen says to Myra “wanna go to space?” And introduces her to drugs. I think this meant that Galen was trying to convince Myra that if she took the drugs, they could go to space. Then, after they got high, the music changes. It becomes a little bit more twisted and melancholy. After that, a few quick images start flashing. In these images we see a picture of Galen and Myra together when they were kids, a picture of them together from when they bought glow stars (the ones in Myra’s Bathroom), and a picture of them making graffiti about NASA, or, space. I think this symbolizes that Myra became more of a trouble maker after she started taking drugs. She became so obsessed with the idea of going to space with Galen, that she became somewhat addicted. This is where her life starts going downhill. Next we see a scene of Galen telling Myra: “sis asked why I don’t live at home anymore. I told her I’m sick, and it’s not her fault.” He says this just as he throws his cigarette to the ground. This might say that Galen has become a serious drug addict, and doesn’t live with his family anymore. I think this symbolizes that Galen soon died of an overdose. Which leads us to the present, where Myra is sitting in her bathtub, mourning over the fact that Galen is dead, clutching her memory box. All of these memories we just witnessed were just fragmented scenes depicted from the pictures inside Myra’s memory box. Myra now sees drugs as an escape. A way to “go to space” and see Galen again. But she’s afraid. While she’s in her bathtub, she starts hallucinating and starts seeing Galen in front of her, as he offers her to smoke. Galen asks her where she wants to be/go, and Myra says she wants to go to space. Though it’s technically impossible for her to physically go to outer space, she’s still able to go a space-type reality through drugs. A “trip” to space through drugs. But she then claims that she’s afraid to go to “space”. Most likely because she lost her best friend because he went to “space” too often. Then there’s the scene where they’re in a pitch black void and Myra tells Galen that she just had the worst “trip” ever. This might mean that she thought Galen’s death was actually just a trip to space. That it wasn’t real. Then, we see Galen in a space suit. He then proceeds to say: “see you, space cadet” just as he takes off his astronaut helmet. I believe this symbolizes that this is when Myra is hit with the cold reality that Galen is actually dead. When someone takes their helmet off in space, they die. And the farewell just makes it even more clear to Myra that he’s gone. She realizes the Galen has gone to space, and isn’t coming back. Hence why she’s afraid to go to “space”. Because it is an altered reality that makes you think that you’re somewhere when you’re actually not. But she can’t help herself. She is addicted to being able to go to space that she can’t even control her ability to refuse to. So, she hung up the glow stars in her bathtub so that she could be able to go to space with Galen.

[@pedrorecomenda]

that an increadable interpetion

[@ardentulent]

beautifully said. thanks.

[@iceecreme]

reading this made me start crying

[@colorcloud313]

Best interpretation yet!

[@babyleaf583]

himbodotcom same

[@maxskellington910]

So basically my analysis of this is that Galen convinced Myra to try and OD with him, but it didn't go right and Myra survived. Only causing Myra to fall deeper into her addiction, going on extremely intense trips during breakdowns over losing Galen. Causing hallucinations and flashbacks to her childhood.

[@kakochi1002]

I love how she raises her pinky swear at 0:52 first as if she was already hallucinated from the beginning. What a detailed foreshadowing

[@muntzzy283]

The little ear twitch at "safe" gets me every time

[@emmystork9930]

Thank you everyone for such thoughtful comments. It truly means so much to me. I wish I had more words to describe how I feel, but I appreciate it all so much. I’ve enjoyed reading all your theories about the ending as well. I’d like to address a couple of things below. 1. The soundtrack is available here: - Bandcamp: scuttlefuzz.bandcamp.com/album/memory-box - Spotify: Search "Scuttlefuzz" or click here: open.spotify.com/artist/4ll5RlLT3paku0bQDJCqlu?si=YUNK8qFxQTaGRoKQy9ABOQ - KZbin: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hKCpppqNaJehpZo 2. Closed Captioning is now available in English, simplified and traditional Chinese, Mexican Spanish, Italian, Czech, Brazilian Portuguese, French, Dutch, and Hungarian. If you'd like to volunteer to add another language, please email me at emmyastork@gmail 3. “The art of Memory Box” will also become available in the near future. It will feature WIP art, the original art/concept (going back as much as 6 years!), what inspired the story, and what I plan to do in the future possibly... 4. If you would like to see more of my art in a non professional setting, search "Horrorhippies" on instagram or twitter or click the links below. Twitter: twitter.com/HorrorHippies Instagram: instagram.com/horrorhippies/ - Professionally visit, emmystork.com *On my social media accounts I am hosting a giveaway to win art of your character in my film style. Ends October 16th 2019*

[@Chanel1-i4r1n]

Ooh!

[@demitriosvekkf.z.7768]

I like that lake scene - pretty colors!

[@debatingaftershock6816]

Having the child like style with such a serious human narrative was such a balancing choice. Great creativity

[@viviscera7551]

I went to look at the comments and honestly, some are frustrating. "just don't do drugs!" That's what the "war on drugs" wants you to think. It's alot more complicated than that, and there are so many factors in it. Mental Health, Genetics, where you live. I'm not about to argue with anyone. Just putting it out there.

[@vixymix101]

I think he only time to ever say that is if someone is thinking about it

[@Okamigirliliketurtles]

So...ah. my uncle died last month from related circumstances and... I just... It just makes me really glad to see this subject and those affected being humanized. He was such a good guy, he loved my aunt Emmie so much, he loved his dog, he loved his family and he was always smiling. He was so full of life, he was human.

[@mako3951]

Space is far away from all our problems and it's beautiful, but the void of space is also inhospitable to life

[@SkeetRadar]

I legitimately started to cry. the voice-acting, story and art are all so heartfelt and emotional. I've been through similar pain to theirs so it really hit me hard. great work. I cant wait to see more art from you!

[@felidawn]

There is so much to praise about this film but I want to point something out that I feel not a lot of people have given credit for: the voice actors!! They did SUCH a good job conveying emotion In the few lines they had and UGH it’s so wonderful! Great job to you all!

[@jyoats7959]

Yeah they got professional ones and it shows

[@petermurphy9431]

The work you've put into this, developing it into a fully realized short over the course of a year and thinking about the story for much longer really shows. It's clear that a lot of care was put into the color design, prop design, background art, and cinematography for every single scene. And the storytelling is very ambitious and creative! I think you used the whole CRT/VHS motif really effectively to signal the timeline jumps. There's a lot to say. I gush. I GUSH, I tell ya. I'm so proud of you!

[@deathcard135]

This is underrated as hell. This is such a beautiful animation and story, along with the voice acting. Wonderful job

[@steeljortz]

Feels like so long I'd been seeing this in bits and pieces as you worked on it, but… damn, seeing the whole thing is something else. Every single piece fits together so well. I'm stunned. So happy to see you finally get this project out into the light of day, because this really deserves to be seen.

[@Zicolie]

Guys, please, and I mean this a lot: Don’t get an addiction for anything, I’ve seen what it has turned people into, whether it be drugs or not; this animation is a good depiction of addiction. I just hope that the people reading this aren’t followers, because people who become addicts are usually affected and lured by other people into thinking what they’re doing is good for them, yet it’s not. If you are a follower of that person, please stop even though it’ll be hard to stop, don’t be with them anymore because you’re just hurting yourself.

[@jadelin2635]

It's sad to think this kinda stuff happens regularly even daily and keeps on repeating from one person to another like a virus that just keeps spreading, makes me wish theres something people can do to help others in situations like this but theres only so much help someone can give and life is the hardest struggle of all especially when your alone.

[@internetperson.]

I have a family member who's struggling with addiction, and it hurts to see them and be unable to help them. I found some pictures of them playing happily in school, and it reminded me of your animation. I feel much sorrow.

[@owlyghost1]

I hope this film gets the recognition it deserves! Thank you for making this masterpiece

[@spazzls4090]

Bruh it’s been 10 minutes after watching this a second time and it just gets sadder and sadder the more I think about it

[@akaisakita8618]

Dangggg thought this was gonna be something light but things turned 360 real quick You could see how dependent Myra was, not only of drugs but also of Galen. She was so attached to him that she easily turned a blind eye on the bad stuff that he was doing. Galen is a complex character, he was gentle with her but was also misleading her into a false sense of reality. At first he looked confident around her, he probably knew just how much she trusts him and so takes that as an advantage to coax her into being a misfit with him. But with how gentle and "caring" he was with Myra, you could feel that he was probably convinced that what he was doing to her was actually being helpful. And in the scene where he jerks his hand away when Myra tried to reach for him, how distant he was being, maybe it's when reality started to crash down on him. He realizes that what he's been doing wasn't right and so decides to distance himself from his family and from his friend.

[@ruairi98]

all this from 4 minutes, isn't that so cool!!!!

[@AEZAKM1]

This is really, really wonderful. The moment where Galen says “We’re almost there, pinky swear” is... something, and it brings back memories for me. Memories of when I was younger and when I did drugs. One of my friends was my dealer, and one day when we were smoking pot and popping pills, he seemed off. Very off. Later on, I realized that unnoticed by me, he was taking lots of pills, way too many. I thought he must’ve gotten some sort of other drug. I asked him what he was on, and told him he seemed different. He just said “The normal sh**, you know” (I never did figure out what pills they were, because every single bottle had the original label ripped off and had “happy pills” written in sharpie on it.) That night he overdosed. This short film is so very beautiful, touching, smooth and sad. Thank you so much for taking the long amount of time that I’m sure you took to create this touching film.

[@BlahajBeholder]

Losing family/friends really isn’t something you can just get over easily, my Grandmother died of old age when I was about 6-7 and my friend commit suicide about 1-2 years ago... Last year my older sister died from a virus I do not know the name of, she had always had many health problems and had gone to the hospital 2-4 times a year... It was hard having to go through all of that and I was considering suicide for a while and I have even attempted to commit suicide, as you can tell I failed.. I started smoking to distract myself from all the pain which just made me more distant from my family. I stopped smoking the beginning of this year and my mental health has been getting better and I also started speaking with my friends/family more often.

[@katusha8891]

@@BlahajBeholder Everything's gonna be alright. I'm also kinda going through a hard period - my best friend is sick and he sais he'll be ok. But I feel something. Something that tells me that things are not good. His behaviour, his mood - everything is different. It's hard to see your friend in such a deep depression and there's nothing you can do...

[@VictoriaKit]

i have close friends and family members who are addicts and this really hits home. it's heavy stuff but you've done such a great job portraying it. lots of love for this little film, you've done amazing!

[@sorryiate8092]

My interpretation: The lamb Myra friend Gallen has passed away. She gets high and has visions of her friend Gallen of how they were together before he passed away. In the end where she is alone, she snaps back into reality as the drugs wear off, al alone again. Gallen is dead.

[@ariw.5020]

I still watch this occaisonally when I am having a hard time. I love this.

[@Ticklebrush]

every so often i remember this exists watch it and start crying within the first few seconds

[@fat_toe35]

this is so painstakingly beautiful. the style, story, score, everything.

[@CometCereal]

I love how the double entendre is used to an advantage ‘Space cadet’ meaning both a trainee astronaut and a person disassociated from reality.

[@EepySoma]

I don’t know why but it’s 1 am and I couldn’t sleep and this animation popped up in my mind for the first time in years and I just had to find it I couldn’t tell you why. It’s just as good as I remember

[@bunny-299]

I can’t really express into words how good this film is. Like, I’m so glad this was on my recommend page. Truly an amazing masterpiece and your team did a wonderful/beautiful job on illustrating the story.

[@vonv6158]

2:39 the big tears in my eyes added so much effect in this one shot the first time i watched this.

[@Mintlicious]

I saw a short clip of this a while ago on your Twitter, and seeing the finished product reaches such a deep emotional point of me that I didn't even know existed. It's such a specific state of melancholy that I didn't even know I could feel. Despite what happens in it, I'm glad you made this. Your style, how fluid the animation is, to the excellent storytelling. Thank you.

[@fairyc0]

i don’t even wanna give my interpretation i’m just overwhelmingly sad i cried abt this for 10 minutes

[@idabsopeoplecantseemecry3835]

"I had the worst trip" I see what you did there

[@0utput]

Just found this on my recommended and as an aspiring digital artist/animator who wishes to go to art school, this was an absolute delight and absolutely inspiring!! I did not expect it to touch on such a heavy topic and was a pleasant surprise to find how deep and meaningful the story is. This was absolutely beautiful, thought provoking and amazing, you and your crew should be proud!

[@MellowCreamTV]

I'm sitting here wondering why this doesn't have a million views already. I've watched this a ton of times, and still hits me. Everything in here was great. ❤

[@8male]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaW2eWaMYqacpZo this should have a million view too

[@LauraBeans420]

I don’t know how to put into words how much I needed this. I’ve come back to this video over and over again since I first found it and it’s always made me emotional… but I can’t tell you how much this last past year has made me resonate with it. Breakdowns. Denial. Brutally hard to achieve acceptance. Desperate escapism. Losing THE person who you felt like you could look to for support/help while going through an addiction that you were both battling together…. You nailed it. Thank you.

[@FA-ql3yt]

This.. This hit hard bro... This is deep, and it makes you feel because its true. Not only are addictions real, but the innocent child thoughts and wishes, hopes and dreams, can all come crashing down on you in a blink of an eye. And crush you. Its very sad, but its the truth.

[@s.ferreyra-lima2764]

This deserves so much recognition. The amount of time put into this is really incredible. Drug abuse along with childhood nostalgia is an amazing way to tell a horrid sometimes overseen world of abuse. This is really art and is truly one of a kind in every way. Thank you for sharing this masterpiece.

[@zombieseattoads8294]

I love how you used body language to show the characters feelings. Like when Myra slightly waves her hands around, or when she grabs her face when she's having her episode and calling for Galen. The way her ears bounce depending on her emotion, how she hugs herself and tightens her hoodie. You didn't just rely on eyes and eyebrows, and really great voice actors it's amazing and I love it. I wanna make a skit like this someday, maybe once I stop using my phone and actually get a tablet and I get better at Animating.

[@metta116]

I watch this atleast 3 times a year since it came out. Stay safe friends, youre never alone

[@zira274]

Yeah ,i am that person ,who watching this for 10 times a day

[@rwen5601]

Samee

[@Katzthefirst]

This really hits home for me. I had a best friend and the two of us did drugs together. We did opiods mostly but also weed and alcohol. We were depressed for our own reasons and our only comforts were drugs and each other. We had one really good day together sober. And that was the last time I ever saw her. She took too much codeine and morphine and ended up dying of an overdose. This animation presents how that feels very accurately. Especially when you're still struggling with a drug addiction even after you've lost someone to them.

[@herzen9857]

Im gonna try and sum it up based on what i know so far: Myra and Galen were childhood friends. Galen introduced Myra to drugs and ended up pulling her with him into the drug addiction. From that point on everything went downhill (in the scene where he first introduces her to drugs you can hear how the music changes, giving us a "something is wrong" vibe.) Galen realised that there was something wrong and that he pulled her into drug addiction (the talk about how he told his sister that he's "sick"). Both were depressed and both attempted to overdose together in the bathtub. Thus the talk about "making it to space", in this case space being death. Galen achieved overdosing and passed away while Myra managed to stay alive. Her current bad trip we see in the video shows memories which are memories from her memory box which tells me that she's trying to overcome her friends death by remembering the calming and reassuring things Galen said to her. How we know that Galen did pass away is because Myra is alone in the bathtub in the end. We also see a scene of Galen in a spacesuit which means that he "made it to space". There's also a bone and skull on Galens jacket which im not sure if it was intentional or not but im going to say that it was intentional because that makes it more interesting. I might edit this comment a few times if i figure out more.

[@eden.gt2368]

To all the people scrolling through the comments, I implore you to watch the video again after reading the somments ‘explaining’ the video. I didn’t really understand it the first time, but watching it the second time was so emotionally powerful it brought me to tears. Truly a beautiful and thoughtful piece. 💕💕

[@Vidasinvida]

Thanks for not stereotyping drug addicts as mean and dangerous people ^^ Your art is so mesmerizing! I love the story and how it doesn’t exactly tell us what is going on. The music fits so well with the theme too! Even the voice acting was great, it sounds natural for the most part! I’m definitely going back to watch this again from time to time, well done! I hope KZbin recommends this video to more people. It’s a stellar piece, you have worked so hard on this... animating can be time consuming. I hope we can see more of your work.

[@Meowboxxxx]

“You’re safe space cadet! I’ve got you! Pinkie swear!” I don’t know why that just hurts so bad

[@KaimTime]

I knew this was going to be emotional but the way it hit me was a lot more than I was ready for; incredible job designing the world, animating & bringing these characters' stories to life, & all in a way that really shows them as deep emotional beings. I really admire the intent you put into this & the final creation you put out. Great work Em!!!!

[@mp6229]

Truly love this. Its amazing how you depict drug addicts as real people that are truly hurting. Myra is too afraid to go to space and when he sees Galen with the spacesuit in "space" she snaps and realizes. Her safe space was the bathtub where she put the stars up to go to space with Galen. I think she was trying to OD in this. Sad but beautifully represented. This is truly amazing and I love it

[@swag9834]

This broke my heart. Thank god I'm clean for a year now, but it just makes me sad to see how my friends didn't make it out of their addiction, and how many of them are getting into drugs now.. This short movie is so beautiful, the voice acting, music, backround, story and animation. Gave me goosebumps, I can see the effort u put in this. Can't wait to see more :)

[@urlocalfrenchcanadian]

this was definitely sean chiplock's most phenomenal, deep and serious role.

[@TIMOTHY_THE_2TH]

I still remember watching this when it first came out, it was such a surreal experience to see this internet cartoon make me feel this emotion I didn’t even know I can feel. The story telling and animation, the way things get into a huge mess and then somehow contact and almost feel like I’ve been through this before, god I will never get over this

[@elsamarie1921]

I'm disappointed that this short film doesn't get enough attention. The music is immersive, the art is surreal and beautiful, the animation is smooth, the voice acting is extremely human, and the message and story cut deep. Really great work

[@alondrajuarezarredondo1936]

No se porque cuando me siento triste veo esta animación, me acuerdo que la vi en preparatoria y aun en universidad regreso a verlo, tiene algo que me identifico emocionalmente y no porque pase por lo mismo que los personajes, sino, que no se, tiene ese nivel de emociones tan fuertes, más la musical que me reconforta en esos momentos donde me siento triste. Realmente es una gran animación.

[@dreamaway8998]

Dream ivory-welcome and goodbye, the lyric is so perfect for this.

[@davidachstin3588]

I feel a strange connection to this, even though Im not an addict, I've been around some friends with addiction..it's a hard path to get someone off of, but it is possible.

[@skramz_enjoyer]

I still come back to this animated short every now and again. The artsyle is pleasing to look at. The story is gut-wrenching, and it's all perfectly told in 4 minutes. This is a masterpiece.

[@axr9151]

Wow, what a true to life recreation of the contrast between the plans and expectations of a child compared to the harsh realities of adulthood. Really the dread, fear and disappointment are crippling, just as Myra portrays.

[@SamaRaffe]

"We're almost there..."

[@genericname2563]

Don't do drugs. Don't even question why you shouldn't, granted no one is here to tell you what you are supposed to do in your life. Because in the case of drugs, once you try them, there's no turning back.

[@refinedsalt6897]

I still come back to watch this every now and again. Absolute masterpiece

[@ryudiveonoyt2029]

FUN FACTS: U KEEP REWATCHING THIS WONDERFUL VIDEO

[@oreb]

I remember watching this at your school's film festival. It was so thought provoking that I had to watch it again, and I'm glad I did.

[@skye1491]

This broke my heart and i have questions but damn this is gorgeous im so proud of you never stop doing what your doing your amazing

[@evelin7493]

2:03 I have a theory. In that moment, those stars are not just “expression” of Myra’s eyes. It’s a reflection of stars that are on the wall. Galen is not here. It’s a fact, I know, but that moment is just so sad.

[@dolphin5877]

I keep on coming back to this short film, the animation, and the storyline are beautiful. It hit me in the feels oof.

[@charada5736]

i’m obsessed with this. i wish we could see more of these characters. maybe a comic? a book? a series? god. i’m just obsessed!

[@savagekid94]

Going to space is a euphemism for getting high to the point of overdose and death. Their interpretation of death has changed over time. From wanting to actually go to space as children, wanting to get high as teens, and wanting to die as adults, seeing it as their only way to get to space. Or at least Galen does. It seems that Galen groomed her into this dependence out of his own loneliness. He tells her things like "trust me, I've got you! You're safe, we're almost there. You could never bother me, pinky swear, calm gentle safe" Galen wants someone to overdose. No one wants to die alone It's clear that Galen wants to die. And "going to space" is his way of escaping. From his overly calming voice, being super comfortable with myra and seemingly himself to his comment "sis asked me why i don't live at home anymore... I told her I'm sick, and it's not her fault.." *it's not her fault* he's pretty much planned his suicide and wants his sister to know his death isn't her fault. Galen seems so dismissive to myra because he knows what he's doing with myra is messed up. But he's also a bit upset because while he seems content with his decision. Myra does not, and fears death/going to space. He's conflicted, which hits him hard and I believe that this scene solidified his choice as he feels even more alone and ODs without myra. However. I don't think the scenes in the tub are hallucinations but just scenes in the past. Specific happening right after the scene in the forest because it's included with the VHS tape. They meet in the forest and to that apartment were they sit in the tub and that's why myra says she didn't wanna bother him due to he responded earlier. They were both attempting to overdose. Myra stayed on Earth while Galen "went to space" I do think that she's just recalling the past the whole time because the bathroom looks a lot different than when it did during the flashbacks and shes tripping in the tub because she's attached to it because thats where they were together last and where he overdosed.

[@adavey6822]

I come back and watch this whenever I need to get the sads out

[@FyoCoutch187]

Wow talk about emotional. as someone who has went through addiction, this really hit me hard. I just want to say thank you for this amazing work of animation, and showing people what it can be like in that situation and not everyone who is dependent on something is a terrible person.

[@lordofraccoons2708]

masterpieces like this have somewhere around only 85k but garbage shows on cartoon network attract lots of people. this is insane

[@rockopaws1610]

“Dedicated to Danielle and lost friends, stay safe “

[@ChooaBunny]

Wow, this hit right in the feels. It's crazy how you told a really deep and clear story in 4 minutes and managed to make it so engaging. I felt everything. I felt excited, hopeful worried, desperate, sad, I was in the story with the characters and that's amazing. I also love how you didn't portray addicts like scumbags or nobodies, they're just people with hopes and dreams who got lost trying to get to where they wanted to be. Normal people who got stuck in a vicious cycle. The animation is stunning and the voice acting is one of the best I've ever seen. It's as good as the genie in Aladdin (maybe even better??). I feel like using the voice to help tell what the characters are feeling is an art that got lost in time and it's really refreshing to see such a perfect voice acting again. 11/10, best animation I've seen in a really long time.

[@RattheKing]

Nothing can compare to seeing this on the big screen and allowing myself to be overwhelmed by it. This is a truly amazing short film and I'm so glad it's finally available online so I can watch it over and over! I can't wait to see more of your amazing work!

[@blizzyblue8084]

As heart breaking as this short is, thank you. Thank you for sending me on this journey of feelings that I have needed to get out. Sad animations have always given me the ability to release all the bottled up emotions and pain that I have endured. You may not be as active on here and might not see this but you have my gratitude.

[@starreaker.9911]

I keep finding my way back here It's too beautiful to not come back

[@TrueGojiraFan]

I've been watching and rewatching this so much. The part where Myra's in the cart and Galen is pushing it makes me think of something I'd do with my friends while we're playing and fooling around. These characters feel so real, I'm obsessed with how well made this is.

[@DarleneVoidDragoncat]

This is so beautiful! The colors and animation, the music. The story and characters. I was crying a bit by the end. Thank you for making this, it really deserves to be seen.

[@bawlstars7857]

This video deserves way more views. The animation, voice acting, sfx and plot got me so deep inside, I've already forgotten about the piece of cake someone stole from me this morning. In fact, now I have something new to cry to.

[@TheCrimebaby]

Say no to drugs kids, anyone who tries a highly addictive drug "Just once" is good at lying to themselves

[@matiasparola6535]

I am from a country that could consider a narco-state, seeing people who have or have had problems with addictions is daily bread, but your video has made me reflect on them and you are right we must not exclude them we must help them overcome their addictions thanks for everything I promise to help people who need help

[@renomccrow3884]

I’ve been waiting since the announcement of the short film, and I gotta say, it was well worth the wait. As a fan of surreal, or introspective animation and films in general, I really do hope that more people see this and enjoy it as much as I do.

[@joyfulvision]

Someone get this girl an Emmy award or something.

[@evediaz8665]

my take on it. I'm pretty sure Galen has passed away from an OD due to the skull and bones on his jacket and that Myra was alone in the bathtub from the beginning of the film. Myra is being portrayed as a sheep because it seems like she was the good girl who followed the heard ( Galen) while Galen is being portrayed as a lion because to my understanding he's the leader of the pride. The one who called most of the shots and protected his own. Myra is seen clutching a box labeled "memory box". during this scene i think she's still holding onto her friend in the only way she can. reminiscing in what once was. when the scene then changes to Galen handing Myra the pipe the pipe resembles a awful lot like the globe that was behind her in the beginning making me believe that the drugs were now her world. (hinting at addiction) i feel like every time they were in that bathtub it made them feel as though they were in space which made it kinda like their safe place. I think that because as soon as Galen says safe and asks her where she would like to be the next scene is them as youngsters being happy and enjoying their friendship with the dreams of going to space. at some point though the music starts become eerie after they try it for the first time and in Galen's eye you can see exclamation points but its weird because everything else had been third person perspective until that point. which makes me believe that Myra started to see Galen as a danger after their first time trying but wasn't able to leave the friendship. They start playing all the picture which were in her memory box but they make the cassette glitch which makes me think she wasn't able to leave because of all the memories she had with him, It's hard leaving a life long friend. She seems scared as she starts throwing all the pictures out of her box it seems like maybe she had tried leaving him before but ended up crawling back to him as Galen asks her to trust him. She then again references space which then sends her back into the memories of loving him all over again. Galen is then seen talking about why he doesnt live at home alone anymore. I think this is where he has gone full addict. Myra seems to worry for him and thinks about it briefly before she follows him stepping on Galen's cigarette. I think this is when Myra followed the same path as Galen become an addict which ended up hurting her but she didn't care about her own pain rather she wanted to be their for Galen and be able to take care of him. The black and white scene. Ufff what a scene. I feel as though this is where Galen actually OD. shes alone in the dark, scared and searching for Galen, her only support system, her only guidance. but when she finds him in the darkness his only words to her are "see ya, Space cadet" which was a good bye to my understandment he left her alone with her addiction. She then snaps back into reality and a star falls. I think this is when she realizes that "Space" is no longer a safe place for her. hopefully indicating that she's going to get help

[@cronchycorgocat1376]

I think space is a metaphor for finally reaching that one point of happiness or calmness that drugs give you, and him being dependent on his friend is a depiction of how dependent he is on drugs to make him feel safe and happy, but in the end he is alone and afraid... and now I’m crying...

[@MOON-rb4ix]

what an immersive and introspective feeling! This is so beautiful.

[@awedelen1]

The artwork & the music were so hauntingly beautiful & unsettling that I teared up. The all black space where they floated is familiar to me; I experienced something similar before I woke up from a cardiac incident at work a couple years ago.

[@russelbuck]

This is spectacular art, I’m absolutely awestruck and ready to watch this another 4 times, MAGNIFICENT JOB 💕💕💕

[@Aztectic]

Aww, this animation is so cute, but so depressed too, it gives me so many emotions. Idk but at the end it really makes me feel, like there’s something wrong with me two, and, I don’t know, it’s just

[@mirrorcity4872]

Me: *sees a cute sheep drawing a picture* "awww this will be wholsesom." Me after watching this: "I'm nkt crying ur crying!" Amazing work man.

[@umjammerlammy9993]

I did start crying watching it my second time, and I can't stop. It's because I noticed how different Myra is in those last few shots, with heavy sleep deprivation and acne, torn clothes, gasping like this is something she's used to. Makes me worry if she could ever escape this.

[@cartooncritique6625]

From the title, the thumbnail, and the first few seconds I was under the impression this was going to be something adorable and wholesome...this was neither adorable nor wholesome. 😢