Joseph Bennett is an animator and director who lives in Pasadena, California. His style is unique and his storytelling is refreshingly original.
CONCEPT
Viewers are thrown into a foreign world that the scavengers know all too well, which is discovered by the audience with each new scene. Bennett crafts this strange, disturbing world in such a way that makes the audience simultaneously gag and raise an eyebrow with each new item retrieved.
An interpretation of Scavengers is that we spend so much time looking for what's next that we don't appreciate what's around us. The Scavengers spend a lot of effort so they can experience what home used to be for them, even though they know that it's probably impossible to go back in person.
DESIGN
The matte painted backgrounds were done by Charles Huettner and Joseph Bennett. They're beautiful, detailed, and give the audience many questions that are never answered. Each creature is unique and unexpected. Nothing looks like a cheap Star Wars or Star Trek ripoff, which makes the story feel more immersive. Surrounded by complex backgrounds and creatures, the two main characters are simple and plain. When they stick their heads into the big blue ball and see the city, they are once again surrounded by simple drawings.
ANIMATION
There are some great moments in this piece. Here are a few of my favorites:
This opening show does a great job at conveying tension and mystery. I love the floating debris and the exploding escape pods.
This show made me go "wow." The properties of water and smoke are both captured in a grand way that is added to by the weight of the creature.
The creative storytelling in this shot is delightful.
