Colorado Springs-based filmmaker Sam Barnett wanted to make an Industrial Wasteland-inspired film to instill empathy for someone who is powerless, "[s]omeone who is trapped in a system against which they have no defense." Driven by this theme and notion, he has created a stop motion short that features a puppet hand moved by an animator and photographed frame for frame to create the illusion of movement. Barnett's stop motion animation called Operator was made from working in his studio, eight hours per day for eight months.
The video features Bob, an employee at Infocorp, a bodiless, efficiency and profit obsessed megacorporation of the future. All Bob does everyday is follow instructions on where to change the plugs that are screwed into individualized sockets.
Bob manages to get through the dehumanizing industrial corporation and thinks about his family when a parasite crawls through one of the sockets to try to take over his mind.
Industrial Wasteland Animations
Operator Deals With the Dehumanizing Effects of Megacorporations
Trend Themes
1. Industrial Wasteland Animations - Stop motion animation to create empathy for the powerless worker against dehumanizing megacorporations.
2. Efficiency-obsessed Megacorporations - Megacorporations may create uniformity and low cost, but at the cost of worker dehumanization and loss of individuality.
3. Stop Motion Animations - Stop motion animations provide a unique and engaging method of storytelling that can evoke empathy and emotion in audiences.
Industry Implications
1. Animation Production - The animation industry can leverage stop motion animations to create unique and engaging content that resonates with audiences.
2. Industrial Film Production - The film production industry can use Industrial Wasteland settings to create thought-provoking films that raise awareness of workplace conditions and workers' rights.
3. Corporate Social Responsibility Consulting - Consultants can assist corporations in creating socially responsible policies that consider the impact on workers, balancing the need for efficiency and cost effectiveness with respect for individuality and respect.