I Wanna Be Invisible - Yang Liu 2022 CalArts 1st year film

I Wanna Be Invisible - Yang Liu 2022 CalArts 1st-year film
A 2022 CalArts 1st year film By Yang Liu

-Thanks to my teachers and classmates!

-Please Watch other films by my classmates

[DanikaOliver]

I don't have paparazzi or a dumptruck, but I often relate to the feeling of wanting to be invisible.

[randommics]

the art style is so calm looking but the pacing and sound design gives the fast paced feel of pressure at the beginning. The door trying to be open and opening at the end is a nice touch. I also wanna be invisible x.x

[katarinacarrico]

I love this film so much. The animation and music help express the woman's anxiety and frustration, but when everything slows down, I feel a sense of peace. I especially loved the shot of the butterfly flying above the photographers.

[izzz]

I think the design of the main character is gorgeously unique, I love her expressions after she looks in the mirror

[ella]

This is a really good film!
For me, the part when she became invisible and the door opened was similar to the feeling of over-coming the social anxiety of being in densely populated areas and realising people are too focussed of themselves to even notice you.
Took me a very long time to understand that but I’m finally able to go outside into busy areas and be alright.
Also I know this might not be the exact meaning, but this is what it symbolises to me :)

[tropi_girl]

Wow!!!I love every second of it! The music is gorgeous and your artstyle is very beautiful. And I really love your message of celebrities not being able to enjoy life as it is.
Keep going❤💞 👏👏👏

[nilayandeysarkar]

For a first year film this is amazing. Looking forward to more amazing works in the future from you.

[ninicoh]

the sounds of texting, breathing and cameras clicking are so amazing

[mcmona]

Trust me, as someone who has felt invisible most of my life. It lonely. No one ever validates you and you never feel like you belong. You're just a ghost looking through a window. I ask a question, and I'm often forgotten. I stand in a crowded room but no one talks to me.

[yunuanimation]

This animation is gorgeous. This is the kind of art work that I longing to do for so long. Everything is flawless ❤️

[thatchanneleva]

I absolutely love the art style it's so gorgeous and the animation is perfect

[kairossnt]

I love how the beginning music actually made me anxious. It’s genius composition and it really brings the audience into the character’s brian.

[arcie]

Beautiful work. I know what it feels like to want to be hidden away. Especially when you’re at a place full of chaos and people.

[bobbotherosso]

For everyone wondering about what people are saying when they call the manager a racist caricature, most who say this immediately saw red flags due to her meeting the following:

1) the angry Black woman trope
This is unfortunately a very common trope where Black women are depicted as being very aggressive and angry. It's meant to dehumanize Black women and make Black women seem less feminine. It's just another way white people try and make Black people seem and feel lesser than and be reduced to stereotypes.

2) her overall design
Her overall design plays into a lot of past depictions of Black women including:
- her hair
- her earrings
- her body shape and features

Her hair is pulled into a very high bun leaving no hair on the sides of her head, leading into what is essentially a stick and a puffball at the top. The main character is shown to have a realistic looking bun halfway thru the short, so why can't thus character have a more realistic bun? To me at least, it is meant to make her more repulsive and ugly to the audience. Overall its just an inaccurate portrayal of Black hair and honestly looks pretty demeaning.

However, it gets even worse when adding in her other characteristics. She has large hoop earrings where was a VERY common stereotype and feature added to racist artwork in the past (and unfortunately it still is today). Hoop earrings themselves aren't racist, obviously. But when combined with all of the other issues discussed so far it's hard to not read them as a stereotype.
Finally, her body is very unrealistic and, again, fits into the stereotype of a plump and curvaceous Black woman. Just another detail added on top of many.

Overall, none of these characteristics are bad when isolated or portrayed correctly.
But in the few seconds she was in this short film, all of these characteristics came together to form a racist depiction of Black women, regardless of the artist's intentions. I think her design is meant to set her apart from the beauty of the main character, and the artist chose a Black woman to do that.
It's unfortunate, I think the film has potential. While it's perhaps a little confused in its message, it is gorgeously animated and I would have loved to see the creators future works. I only hope they can grow from this and better represent all ethnicities down the line.
And please correct me if I'm wrong about anything historically! I'll edit my comment if needed to prevent misinformation. This was written like 10 minutes after I woke up lol

[kitnorm]

the door opening at the end is so beautiful

[kalifuegue]

PLEASE CONSIDER PUTTING A FLICKERING LIGHTS WARNING. I'm epileptic and it made me have a gocal seizure. Othe than that, it's beautiful thank you :)

[stupidhed]

You made everyone a normal looking ish person except for the manager who looks like a racist cartoon from the 1930s . And she’s a stereo type of the angry black woman. Your short would be great if u removed that element and gave black women respect when you portray them in film. Nobodies perfect we all have internalized racism…. But this is not cool why did no one say anything to you? Did anyone even see this before you were done???

[flooryan]

From one Chinese artist to another, girl you can’t be drawing people the way you drew the manager, that’s for sure gonna get you fired if you go to any of the big western studios.

[hilton_chloe.e]

This truly is a depiction of how I feel, this is beautiful

[zepherfire]

Great work! The animation is so fluid and beautiful.