When I first stumbled upon this little cartoon I was convinced it was made by a team from a professional animation studio. Well, I guess the two undergraduates (at the time) from Ringling College of Art + Design who created this animation are not as far off – as a result of the film both landed jobs at DreamWorks.
The Monk & The Monkey is a beautifully crafted animation, with flawless design, composition, brilliant sound-work, (at least to my rookie eye) and simple yet lovely message. Let the story tickle your heart.
The main character of the story, Ragu (named after a brand of spaghetti sauce, apparently), is a determined young boy on a path of becoming a monk. However, just at the time when he thinks he have finally made it to the end of his journey, the master sends him on the final quest. What seems to be a very simple task turns into an unexpected challenge that will soon make Ragu discover the true value of the mission.
The creators, Brendan Carroll (’10, Computer Animation) and Franscesco Giroldini (’10, Computer Animation) have been recently featured in the 139th issue of 3D World Magazine.
Related Links:
The Monk & The Monkey on Vimeo
The Monk & The Monkey on YouTube