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A young girl named Harper twitches and shakes her hands in order to engage with her big imagination. For the first time, she comes to understand how her hand flapping is seen in the eyes of others.

The student team named their film’s visual style “Ugly Appeal,” in which the characters have an odd, but lively, appearance.

Awards and Recognition

  • 2020 Florida Animation Festival

    Winner, Student Animator

  • 2019 Southern Shorts Awards

    Award of Merit, Student

  • 2021 JellyFEST

    Finalist, Student - Short Animation

  • 2021 Drawtastic “Golden Pencil Awards”

    Finalist, Best Student Animation

  • 2020 Florida Animation Festival

    Honorable Mention, 2D Film

  • 2020 The Rookie Awards

    Finalist, Film of the Year, 2D Animation

  • 2020 Oregon Short Film Festival

    Finalist, Best Animated Micro Film

  • 2020 Carmarthen Bay Film Festival

    Finalist, Animation

  • 2020 New York Animation Film Awards

    Semi-Finalist, Best Animation - Student Film

  • 2020 Children Cinema Awards

    Semi-Finalist, Best Animated Film for Young Audiences

  • 2020 Kino Short Film Festival

    Semi-Finalist

  • 2019 Oaxaca FilmFest

    Finalist, Animated Short

  • 2019 The Short Film Awards

    Finalist, Best Animated Short Film

Official Selections and Screenings

  • 2020 Festival Angaelica
  • 2020 SCAD Savannah Film Festival
  • 2020 MINT Film Festival
  • 2020 Lady Filmmakers Festival
  • 2020 Chautauqua International Film Festival
  • 2020 LIFF – Lebanese Independent Film Festival
  • 2020 Overmountain Animation Festival
  • 2020 Living Skies Student Film Festival
  • 2020 Beirut International Children and Family Film Festival
  • 2020 MOVE Summit
  • 2020 International Children’s Film Festival (India)
  • 2020 Soul 4 Reel Festival
  • 2020 Big Shoulders International Student Film Festival
  • 2020 Animation Dingle
  • 2019 ReAnimania International Film & Comics Art Festival of Yerevan
  • 2019 Animation Chico
  • 2019 Anim!Arte - International Student Animation Festival of Brazil
  • 2019 Animaze - Montreal International Animation Film Festival

The Team

  • Jessica Gallaher

    BFA in Digital Art and Animation

    Role: Director

  • Lex Hobson

    BFA in Digital Art and Animation

    Role: Story Artist

  • Eric Klassen

    BA in Music and Sound Design

    Role: Sound Designer

  • Shannon Parayil

    BFA in Digital Art and Animation

    Role: Producer

  • Marko Pavicevic

    BFA in Digital Art and Animation

    Role: Layout Artist

  • Martin Penberthy

    BA in Music and Sound Design

    Role: Sound Designer

  • Brooke Robertson

    BA in Music and Sound Design

    Role: Sound Designer

  • Emily Skopp

    BFA in Digital Art and Animation

    Role: Background Painter

  • Chris Underwood

    BA in Music and Sound Design

    Role: Sound Designer

  • Caroline Zanchetta

    BFA in Digital Art and Animation

    Role: Background Painter

Animation Stills

  • A girl flaps her hands in the back seat of a car.
  • A girl looks out of a car window at a boy in the foreground.
  • In the backseat of a car, a girl imagines colorful creatures.
  • A girl flaps her hands in the back seat of a car.