Sara Lyons
CATalyst
2020
2D Digital animation
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Character Lineup
2020
Digital illustration
Statement
CATalyst is about a girl whose apartment is overrun with stress and self-doubt. With the help of an unexpected house guest, Jainey is taught that though things can feel impossible from time to time, it never is. Whether that be a friend, a family member, or even just a cat, we are never in this alone.
Living with monsters is not easy, and I think that anyone who does will know where I am coming from with CATalyst. Battling with something that doesn’t always make itself known to you is like battling a shadow in an already dark room. Sometimes you catch a glimpse of it, but most of the time you just feel it creeping up behind you. I recently discovered what that pit in my stomach and constant worry in my head was called. The unease I felt was numbing, yet the tapping of my feet soothed me, and made me feel like I was running in the right direction. We all have our tricks for dealing with our stress.
CATalyst is just a glimpse into those feelings, of being so overwhelmed and pieced together that it takes everything you have to keep yourself from falling apart. Sometimes, it’s an outside force that is what pulls you from the caverns of your own mind, and that’s okay. It’s important to know that you don’t ever have to go through it alone.
My film is done in a narrative 2D cartoon style using PaintTool SAI, Photoshop, and After Effects. CATalyst is a play-on of the actual word and it capitalizes on the animal character in my film. The word means to experience change, but to not let it change you permanently. I think that definition is perfect for the story I am telling here. We are not defined by our anxieties, but it is okay to have them.