Filmmaker Statement

Produced by Atomic Cartoons, Katherine Wong pitched Surface as part of the Atomic Shorts Program, an incubator designed to encourage studio artists to develop and direct their own content. She was chosen as the 2024 finalist and was given the opportunity to direct Surface, leading a team of fellow studio artists and peers. Surface is a vignette that captures one’s intrinsic desire to survive. Conceptually, the film was inspired by a childhood memory that left a strong impression on me - one where I had come close to drowning. I still recall how surreal it felt to be suspended in water, and how punishing it felt to be denied air. Thematically, our protagonist's underwater struggle speaks to larger themes of mental health. Although we created Surface using a hybrid of both rigged & traditional animation, we tried to keep a distinct humanity throughout the film by incorporating hand-drawn special effects & watercolor-based textures in the background art.