Song of a Toad - Animated short film (2016)

“Song of a Toad” is the story about a stressed out human being who is carrying his unbeloved childhood right on his head – an old choleric toad. As a prisoner of his own grown-up situation, he tries to ignore this grumpy childhood talking from above, but one day he is confronted with something he almost forgot.

Have fun watching the winner of the Siggraph 2017 "Best in Show" Award :)

German title: Ein Krötenlied
Director, Story: Kariem Saleh
Producer: Alexandra Stautmeister
Toad Voice: Andreas Mannkopff
Svobodan Voice: Benjamin Hille
Psychiatrist Voice: Gerald Friese
Dialogue-Script: Robert Martin, Kariem Saleh
Design: Jelena Walf
Art Direction: Silke Finger
Music: ”Paradox Paradise” John Guertler, Lars Voges, Jan Miserre, Tomas Svensson
Sound Design: Dominik Kostolnik
Additional Sound Design / Mischung: Laura Schnaufer
Voice Recording: Dominik Kostolnik, Ana Monte, Denis Elmaci
Animation: Kariem Saleh, Ringo Klapschinsky, Anna Habermehl, Sveta Yuferova, Jessica Tegethoff Lighting, Shading, Rendering: Vincent Ullmann
Compositing: Silke Finger, Vincent Ullmann, Matthias Bäuerle, Florian Greth
3D-Modeling: Kariem Saleh, Meike Müller, Martin Grötzschel, Marco Hakenjos, Daniel Kannegiesser, Guillermo Molina
Texturing: Dominic Eise, Gero Eckhard, Natalia Alencar, Manolya Kuelkoeylue, Michaela Gote
Rigging: Sascha Langer
Additional Rigging: Helmuth Kriegseisen, Jessica Tegethoff, Hanna Binswanger
Pipeline-TD: Vincent Ullmann, Martin Minsel
Simulation: Vincent Langer
Puppeteering-Device: Florian Greth
Puppeteering-Software: Amit Rojtblat
Miniature Set Building: Valentin Kemmner, Alireza Hashempour, Silke Finger, Shadi Adib, Sophie Rekasowski, Thomas Sali
Photogrammetry: Vincent Ullmann, Timm Wagener, Christian Scheunert, Vincent Langer, Fabian Fricke, Yafes Sahin
English Subtitles: Robin Weber

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The Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg, with its Animation Institute and the postgraduate masterclass Atelier Ludwigsburg-Paris, is one of the internationally most acclaimed film and media schools. On a unique campus including the neighbouring Academy of Performing Arts, the 500 students receive an interdisciplinary, highly practical education close to the film and media market by the hands of over 300 freelance teachers directly from the industry.

[rusc]

VERY interesting idea. I think there are many ways to interpret this clip. Here's how I personally interpreted it: The patient went to a psychiatrist to solve his psychological problems because he started developing physical symptoms as a result of his past experiences. The psychiatrist first tried hypnotizing him to forget his childhood/past (the frog). But, since the patient's memories are so deeply engrained, the doctor recommended surgery as the only other option. When the hypnotizing machine turned on again, it reminded the patient of a few positive moments from his childhood. The patient then decided to keep his memories and put the frog back on his head. To me, this is a story of acceptance that you might as well live remembering the past instead of casting it aside, even if it's having negative consequences on you in the present moment, because there are still moments worth remembering.

[juicica]

2:56 I cannot even fathom the intellect and beauty that this phrase provides

[cymbala]

Ich bin froh, dass man im Internet so gute und zum Nachdenken anregende Filme findet wie z.B. diesen. Danke 👍

[lucakrall]

I could watch this over and over again.. Masterpiece

[privateperson]

So the patient goes to a doctor and the doctor asks: What is the problem?
The frog then says: Doctor something got stuck to my ass.

[jellyman]

I'm both confused and entertained.

[thenazigermancountryballco]

Moral of the story: If you have a dangerous frog on your head, don't take it off, use it as an instrument with other frog people instead.

[czar]

Absolut genial; ausgesprochen schön gestaltet und animiert und eine interessante Story - habe jede Sekunde genossen, vielen Dank für's Teilen!! 🤘🏻🤘🤘🏽🤘🏿👽✨

[frischeswiesel]

Jaa.immer auf die innere Stimme hören.
Toll gemacht .Danke

[peanutbutter]

I don't know who comes up with these "short" films ?? but I love all of them !! they are all just great

[Hellou]

amazing stuff these people should make a company cuz they will be so good on making movies like this

[dingdonghello]

I think it's how a society as advanced as us would cope with getting to our point if their species was part of a symbiotic relationship. As they progressed they would see the other as inferior and try to separate themselves, but not all would appreciate the change.

[wayneg]

I'm speechless! I have no idea what It is I just saw. It was creative, but also the most bizarre, strange, weird, and unusual thing I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of weird stuff. I gave it thumbs up without knowing why? The only part I seem to understand is it actually tells a whole story, which is the point of a short, but so rarely done these days.

[tekman]

Absolutely I love this type of art.... thank you VERY much for taking the time to make it (smile)

[rhayat]

I really enjoyed this one. Perfect in every way.

[chapstickwarrior]

Those creatures look like they're from Rayman

[pyros.]

Great, now I'm going to have nightmares for an entire yr, this creepy af

[charlesdavis]

It would seem that the same things that make us crazy are also the things that make us the most human.

[pkby]

This is like my singing monster but with their parasites and the creators are on crack. Lovely animation though.

[konradklukowski]

That the most bizzare interpratation of that joke i ever saw. Super creaitive