CGI Animated Shorts : 'Francis' - Directed by Richard Hickey | TheCGBros

Check out this well animated and creepy CGI animated film "Francis", Directed by Richard Hickey, and written by Dave Eggers.

The story of "Francis" came about interestingly from famed radio show "This American Life". Broadcaster Ira Glass asked 6 American writers to create a short story about Adventure. One of these stories written by novelist & screenwriter Dave Eggers, it was read on the show to much acclaim and praise., Richard worked with producer Kevin Batten & a team to turn the words into this short. He worked on the film tirelessly & had 40 people work on all elements of the animation. The film has been shown at Cannes Film Festival and Raindance.

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[salvinsam]

The narrator mentioned that the lake is very clean that you could directly drink water from the i saw the girl threw her cigarette. I think the Lake's guardian is mad for polluting the lake. And that's why she wrote in her note "I DID KNOCK FIRST, " stating that it was her fault and deserve the punishment.

[graceharvey]

Did anyone else have to watch this in primary school

[catherinebrown]

Its very hard to make a movie that is scary these days, the audience is jaded and knows all the tricks, but this was engaging, full of pathos and foreboding, and all this is less than 7 minutes. A brilliant piece, skillfully done.

[igotnothingbettertodo]

I remember when I was like 9 or 10 I watched this short. I was a little scared and didn't understand it but I loved the creepy feeling. Now I found this again and by looking in the comment section I understood more. This will forever be one of my favorites

[zakialaali]

I think it has to do with the ciggarette she threw in the water. At the beginning we were told the lake's water was so clean you could drink it straight from the lake. The ciggarette would have been the start of pollution: the 'first knock', maybe. Then whatever was in the water got angry.

[Tb-ibuc]

I only came here cuz of old primary school memories

[istartedbawlingwheniwasyou]

In my head when she heard the first knock I was like "hoe you better row outta there fam"

[deadbutmoving]

My take on the meaning of the story is that the monster wrote "I did knock first" to point out that Francis had put herself into such a vulnerable position (Being out by herself late at night, in the middle of the lake) she couldn't run, even if the monster warned her of his impending attack. Thus his point is she was partly or entirely responsible for what happened to her.

In this world there are "monsters" everywhere in many forms. If we are naive and/or careless, we put ourselves at their mercy. And Monsters don't have mercy, otherwise we wouldn't call them monsters.

[purdypaints]

Plot twist:*the water is the same water from Moana*

[martham.]

I wish I could find more animations like this.

[jdf]

it took her because she dumped the cigarette butt in the water

[apxbyonic]

I watched it at school, and there are clues. At the beginning in the bedroom you see him placing down toys on the map. He places down some kind of monster, which might have killed the girl. And in the fish tank you can see something under the boat and it sinks. There are also 3 shadows in the forest that shows it watching her.

[whale]

they need to make a movie or a game from this animation

[yusufmohammedcsabuwala]

who else was sent here by their english teacher

[BamBam]

The "I did knock first" deal is supposed to relate to the whole concept of politeness which makes it all the more creepier. The thing that wrote in the last page was basically saying "oh well I did knock first so it's okay." It's kind of like if a serial killer, after invading their victim's house, responded to questioning about why they thought what they did was okay with "I did knock first." I don't know how to express this properly but basically think of it as they are saying well I was polite at first...

[mikuhatsune]

After the first knocks, the only response I had was to say, "Who's there?" XD The lake inhabitant killed her because she wouldn't participate in the joke. Silly girl.

[erikandersson]

People are reading too much into the last line. "I did knock first" is pretty simple; it's like when someone unwelcome knocks before barging into a room and complains "I did knock first".  It means the unwelcome creature came on board, and the knock was it's creepy way of being courteous before doing whatever terrible thing it did..

[candyapple]

I know this is supposed to be scary and it is but I'm just laughing thinking about this super polite lake monster like he knocked on her boat to let her know that he was gonna kill her and then he was like WELL I KNOCKED FIRST JEEZ like honestly can someone write fanfic about this v civil lake monster who just wants to be able to eat people in the most polite way possible

[zwnekmh]

2:17
As soon as she threw that cigarette all hell breaks loose

[BlueMaskCrew]

This powerful piece is about depression, suicide, and the never ending psychological battles that people suffering from depression go through.

Francis suffers from depression. The dark, dreary camp grounds (her depression) are too much for Francis to handle, so she escapes, hoping to find a new, happier path in her life. The huge lake represents the cold, dark depths of death (a way out). The boat (Lifeboat) symbolizes her weak and fragile will to live that she desperately clings onto. The lantern (Lifeline) is the last glimmer of hope Francis has that could guide her out of her depression. The "knocking" represents the "voices" within Francis's mind that tells her to end her pain and misery ("Just-Do-It").

This is not to say that Francis didn't go out without putting up a fight. She tries her hardest to row out of the lake, to break free from the depression that wants to drown her, but to no avail. Not letting go of Francis, the depression has finally overwhelmed and consumed her. Loosing her lantern and finally the oars, all the hope in her has been drained out. Even the Campfire back at the camp went out, symbolizing there is virtually no chance of going back. Francis finally decides to give up.

Having made up her mind, Francis writes her suicide note in her journal ironically titled: "Vive La Francis". The last words Francis penned were: "I did knock first", meaning that it was indeed, her inner voice, suggesting and commanding her to do the most powerful thing she can ever do: end her own life, under her own terms.

This was a very memorable and touching short...