“Vuduzinha” originally began with a school project on consumerism proposed by one of my teachers. After the project was finished, my reaction to the final product we presented was: it’s boring! It was too serious and academic. Teenagers are a tough crowd, and I wanted to do something that could really resonate with them. So, I decided to start again from scratch and create an animated version.
The entire production of the video, including the idea, design, script, illustration, and animation, was done by me. It’s my first animated video that is more than a minute long, and it has many hidden details. It took me nearly a month to finish it.
Before watching the full video, you can read some explanations below.
Brief explanations:
The animation starts with the doll "Vuduzinha"
being hand-made by the main character.
In a simple crafting design, an original idea is created.
Then, the “idea” gets stolen by a big factory manager.
After that, the doll is produced on a large scale.
It’s not original anymore; it has become a product.
The factories making the “Vuduzinha” doll grew too much
and are out of control, filling the air with smoke all over the city.
The smoke becomes a disease, being a metaphor for
shopping addiction, making everyone who breathes it
addicted to the viciously consuming behavior.
The city is packed with the product;
it has become essential for people (even though it is not).
People are getting crazy; the ones who don't have the product
are anxious and feeling out of society.
When the main character thinks he has escaped the temptation
of consumerism, he realizes the smoke is still after him.
Then he sees a child next to him, who is about to be infected.
He decides to sacrifice himself and give the kid his own gas mask.
Meaning that there’s still hope the next generations
can break this vicious cycle.
