THE FLOOD (Animated Short Film)

⭐️An animated short film about a leaky ceiling and a stubborn old man⭐️
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This is a project I had the honour and privilege of doing at the age of 18!! Here's the story:
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Back in 2019, I wrote a poem for a high school contest - the theme was "change" and I ended up winning! I then decided to draw Old Mr Blair and post it, alongside the poem, to Instagram. Around that time, I got an Instagram ad from Rural Media, a local charity that was working with the BBC to fund creative projects for 16-30 year olds. Almost any media type qualified (live action film, podcasting, dance etc) and I figured an animated version of my poem would be worth pitching. I slapped together a rather shoddy storyboard and shipped my idea off on a whim. Lucky me ended up being one of the two selected projects out of over 500 submissions!! I was paired with a wonderful local studio to make my project come to life!!
Second Home Studios is a Birmingham based animation studio that volunteered to take on this project. I am forever grateful for Chris Randall and his team!! They chose to put their faith into an inexperienced 18 year-old who, around the start of this project, had just moved to the other side of the planet to begin her studies at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). Almost everything was done in-house as I checked-in on the project from California. This included a physical set for Mr Blair to live in, all the animation and all the compositing.
I also had the honour of working with Miles Jupp, British comedian who I happen to remember watching as Archie the Inventor on the show "Balamory" when I was a toddler. He did a fantastic job narrating the poem.
Unfortunately, partly due to the pandemic and partly due to this being a not-for-profit project, the making of this was delayed by over a year and didn't get finished until early 2021.
Eventually, during the Christmas holidays of 2021, I was fortunate enough to see the finished film air on national television!! Thank you BBC :) Now, three years later, I finally have permission to post for myself.
Alongside being the writer and co-director, I designed Mr Blair, made the storyboards, drew a few background set pieces and animated the lady in the final shot. Everything else was done by the marvelous team at SHS. Thank you endlessly. 💛
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MY LINKS:
Website/Portfolio: www.meppity.com
Merch: www.meppity.shop
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CREDITS:
Second Home Studios: www.secondhomestudios.com/
Rural Media: www.ruralmedia.co.uk/
Written & Co-Directed by: Anya Butler
Narrated by: Miles Jupp
Co-Directed and Produced by: Chris Randall
Second Home Studios
Script Editor: Matt Cook
Sound Design & Composition: Rob Townsend
Character Animation: Matt Waruszynski
Set Design & Colourist: Amanda Haas
Post Production Supervisor: Ian Whittle
Production Co-ordinators: Lowry Gronow & Holly Andriola
Visual Effects & Compositing: James Wallace
Lighting & Motion Control: Steven Kelland
Assistant Modelmaker: Louis Mcleod
Additional Designs: Carl Hadley
Associate Producers: Ian Ravenscroft & Lindsay Watson
For Rural Media
Post Production Co-ordinator: Dave Jones
Programme Associate: Julie Colman
Executive Producer: Grant Black
Commissioning Executive for the BBC: Stephen James-Yeoman

[@Meppity]

⭐THE FLOOD⭐ Old Mr Blair sat in his chair and said, “It’s the perfect day.” With paper in hand and snacks on the stand he was there and there he would stay. See, this old fashioned man had perfected his plan to enjoy the ultimate treat; why settle with change when you can arrange to never leave your seat? Things started off well as the crossword was done and vouchers removed with a snip but a few minutes passed and the fun didn’t last as he heard a “Drip. Drip. Drip.” He turned to the left and he turned to the right but the source of the dripping was nowhere in sight. With a shrug of his shoulders, he leaned back and sighed, then returned to a piece on what foods are best fried. The dripping kept going, it just wouldn’t stop, and then on top of his head came a plop Water was leaking straight out of the ceiling! “Has Doris left her bath running all evening?” Well old Mr Blair was a stubborn old man, he grumbled aloud, “This won’t stop my plan. Nothing can cancel my do nothing day, not even a bath with its contents astray.” He munched on his biscuits and sipped on his wine and thought to himself, “I’m sure this is fine. If I just wait it out then the drips will stop soon, then it’s me and sudoku all afternoon.” Ink started to bleed, he struggled to read as the water kept drip-dripping down. His paper was soggy, the carpet felt boggy and his slippers had started to frown. When it lapped at his shins he wasn’t alarmed, Mr Blair still felt sure that his day was unharmed. Not a thing on the planet could ruin his aim, which was keeping his lifestyle exactly the same. Now waist-deep in water and still on the rise, he hadn’t a single concern. But reaching his shoulders, a twinge of surprise caused his eyebrows to dance and stomach to churn. The biscuits had floated away from the stand and the newspaper crumbled like clutching at sand. The water had swept the old man from his chair. He grabbed for his seat but the seat wasn’t there! Until every inch of the flat was submerged. Thanks to Old Mr Blair and his plans for the day, his head brushed the ceiling and he had the feeling his problem was not going to trickle away. “Is Doris ok? Am I going to drown? This is not how I planned for my day to go down.” Mr Blair became silent. His dream fell apart. He wished he just dealt with this right at the start. By Anya Butler

[@user-cs2mx4lt3q]

this kinda sounds like these old children books your parents used to read for you

[@Tulip3030]

Great video AND writing!~ Jokingly thought "this man's dead" as the ceiling cracked above him but didn't expect it to actually happen lol

[@ryoodraws]

This film was incredible! The leak could represents so many things in life we ignore and pretend that's not there (until it can't be ignored). I love how the ending was morbid because that is unfortunately some realities. Great storytelling, beautiful visuals, and lovely poetry. Nothing less expected from the WONDERFUL MEPPITY!!

[@user-cs2mx4lt3q]

2:01 this part was fire 🔥🔥🔥

[@durualkaya1602]

I really want to see more interesting animation styles like this! THIS IS AAMAZING💙💙💙

[@zaydlokhandwala1458]

Reminds me of thermostat 6 but the way it was done really gives the story its own wonderful charm

[@aexea_arts]

That's so cool lmao, I love this mix style with a kind of... stop motion I guess? and animation. This is very unique in the good way. Love the poetry, felt like watching an old story that you already heard. Didn't expect the man to really die tho TT, but it goes well with the style, looks like a moral for a children book. To sum it up, awesome work

[@mk-aka-morgan8386]

My nephew and I watched this together, and we both agree that thos gave off similar vibes to some Mickey shorts and Dr Suess, very charming and fun! And the animation style was so cool!!!

[@martinald1715]

It really reminded me to the short film thermostat 6

[@Aywaa.amy12]

damn that was actually really good! why does this only have 6k views?

[@capobvious]

A cautionary tale 👀 The animation is absolutely breathtaking! Such great style, such a cool idea, amazing designs! 😮😍

[@bc6364]

BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@kkwrq]

I ADORE THIS PAPER-DRAWN STYLE SM

[@micalode]

omg yayy it's finally out!! this is amazing hehe ✨️

[@RodrigoCastilhos-cw8jd]

Danm, only 6k views This really needs more attention

[@SPOOPINATURAL]

yooo this was really neat :o

[@Lobstrique]

what an incredible story behind the short!! and the short itself is so amazing :)) i'm in love with the photos on the wall

[@dania2572]

Wow. I’ve been following your work since before you got into CalArts and it’s truly so amazing how skilled you are and how you improve! Especially your openness to trying new animation styles, working on different parts of the filmmaking process, etc. I’m honestly in awe of you and can’t wait to see what else you have in store for the future! Congrats Anya!

[@natlopanda]

i love love love this

[@alliedunlap7985]

This is fantastic, both the poem and animation were wonderfully done! It reminds me a lot of the short film thermostat 6 from students a Gobelins, which is one of my favorites on KZbin. So glad you were able to share!

[@gatortot6753]

I remember way back when you posted the original drawing and poem, so happy to see it animated! Wonderful style love you’re work

[@Wendogic]

holy shit...i have so many words and none at the same time. amazing concept, amazing execution. the whimsy ending so abruptly at the finale made me poop my pants. so good.

[@soggyturtle9887]

So incredible

[@ryanwoo4347]

oh nooooo! save the biscuits!!!

[@sakuralila]

THATS AMAZING!!

[@qnefe1977]

aaa kim var burda

[@sakuralila]

@@qnefe1977 yakalandm

[@user-cs2mx4lt3q]

3:08 sad 😞

[@kiwibee8080]

Love it!!!❤

[@DistantArtist-01official]

Whhhooooaa ❤ awesome

[@ToastandTeaMagic3]

What a masterpiece! 😍

[@atlasSchuster]

I was not expecting the ending WHAT

[@veronica-wolfmaiden5383]

That was morbid 😳 I LOVE IT ! Charming yet dark 😈

[@Scanolii]

THIS IS SO GOOD WHAAAAAAAT

[@antoniosadel8868]

great job ❤❤👏👏👏

[@lei_doodles]

AGHH THIS IS SO FREAKING COOL!!!

[@DAURPA]

You are amazing!! ❤❤❤

[@aaronnichols388]

Amazing to see it come to life!!!

[@adambyrd7499]

Belissimo ❤

[@AriGrabb]

Great to see this finally online! I saw it at that New Media filmmakers and was super impressed

[@cucumbersandwitch4998]

WAAAAAA ATHIS IS AMAZING

[@KingOfStuipd]

Well that turn dark quickly-

[@vividblankspace]

Hehe I like the poetry😈

[@jadesola_artist4041]

Love this saw it on your website, I’d be interested to see how you made it.

[@lioedevon4275]

Adhd vibes 💚

[@hanabelle684]

My god Meppity! You've outdone yourself!!! And everyone else did amazing!! You should work for Pixar on day!!! :D

[@rottenbed]

Would really love to see how this animation was done

[@augustinp7214]

I liked the style of the animation but it reminded me a lot of an other animated short film : "Thermostat 6 - Animation Short Film 2018 - GOBELINS". Same scene, same meaning

[@Barnfell]

A MEPPITY FILM 😮😮😮😮😮😮, LOVE ITTY

[@Barnfell]

❤️😭

[@dinosaurclub]

Noice

[@barbi111]

Which animation software did you use?

[@leenah113]

حبيت 🤍

[@gabrochart]

Coincidência bizarra isso ter sido lançado na mesma época que tudo aquilo tá acontecendo no RS

[@gabrochart]

Dito isso, animação incrível como sempre!

[@andreee8822]

poiseh, sinistro dms

[@Trailtracker]

0:58 ominous words

[@user-cs2mx4lt3q]

it's albert einstein!

[@hunio-iw5zp]

Mr Blair DIES ? kdsjdkdjdkj