FEAR OF BASEMENTS IS A SHORT STOP MOTION ANIMATION THAT DIVES INTO AN UNSETTLING SCENARIO THAT SOME PEOPLE IMAGINE WHEN CONFRONTED WITH BASEMENTS. THE PIECE USES STARK SILHOUETTES TO DEPICT A WOMAN OPENING A BASEMENT DOOR, CAUTIOUSLY PEEKING INTO THE DARK BELOW, ONLY TO BE MET WITH AN EERIE DISPLAY OF GLOWING RED EYES BLINKING BACK AT HER. STARTLED, SHE SLAMS THE DOOR SHUT AND BOLTS AWAY, ENCAPSULATING THE PRIMAL FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN LURKING IN THE SHADOWS.
THE WORK WAS INSPIRED BY MY OWN CHILDHOOD FEAR OF BASEMENTS. GROWING UP, THE COMBINATION OF DARKNESS AND THE VAST UNKNOWN SPACE OF A BASEMENT OFTEN CONJURED VIVID, TERRIFYING MENTAL IMAGES. THIS STOP MOTION ANIMATION CAPTURES THAT SENSE OF DREAD, AMPLIFIED BY THE USE OF DARKNESS, SILHOUETTES, AND THE MENACING RED EYES THAT SYMBOLIZE IMAGINED CREATURES HIDING IN PLACES WE CANNOT SEE.
THIS PROJECT WAS A DEEPLY PERSONAL EXPLORATION OF MY CHILDHOOD FEAR, BLENDING NOSTALGIA WITH MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT STOP MOTION ANIMATION FOR A SCHOOL PROJECT FINAL. CREATING FEAR OF BASEMENTS ALLOWED ME TO CHANNEL THOSE IRRATIONAL YET INTENSE FEELINGS INTO AN ARTISTIC NARRATIVE, DEMONSTRATING HOW SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A DARK STAIRCASE CAN IGNITE WILD SCENARIOS IN OUR MINDS.
THE MATERIALS USED IN THE ANIMATION WERE ENTIRELY HANDCRAFTED, ADDING A LAYER OF INTIMACY AND DETAIL TO THE PROJECT. EACH SCENE WAS CONSTRUCTED USING HAND-PAINTED, HAND-CUT PAPER SHAPES TO CREATE THE CHARACTERS AND ENVIRONMENTS. THE RAW TEXTURES AND IMPERFECTIONS OF THE PAPER ADDED TO THE EERIE, HANDMADE AESTHETIC. POST-PRODUCTION EDITING WAS DONE IN PHOTOSHOP, WHERE COLORS AND LIGHTING WERE ENHANCED, AND SOUND WAS ADDED TO EMPHASIZE THE OMINOUS ATMOSPHERE AND BRING THE ELEMENTS TO LIFE.