Garden Knock Puppet

The concept is based on the juxtaposition between an animal commonly associated with trash and disease, the opossum, and the opulent gowns of the Victorian era. I also wanted to play with one of the characteristic traits of this animal, who plays dead when felt threatened, by contextualizing the animation in a period with strict social rules and behavioral etiquettes such as the 19th century.
The gorgeous dress from the Museum of Texas Tech collection solidified my concept. I set the scene at a garden party where ladies chat and play croquet.
In the short, Daisy, the opossum, is hit in the head with a ball thrown by an off-screen character. She instinctively plays dead but immediately collects herself as the stiff norms of the period require. Seeing someone dressed in a ball gown from the 19th century acting unexpectedly helps bring back life and relatability to something that seems to belong to the distant past.

The material adds a synesthetic approach to the animation, connecting the visual and tactile dimensions of sensorial experience and uncovering the trick. Moreover, animation makes it possible to bring the inanimate to life, providing deep layers of meaning in a few seconds and making an immediate impact on the viewer.