The Astronaut 2019

A stop motion film by Pei-Chi Lee and Céline Ducret a.k.a Studio Blah Blah Blah

Art Director/ Pei-Chi Lee, Céline Ducret
Animator, Film editor/ Ali Aschman
Sound Designer/ Anushka Tay, Francis Botu
Performer/ Luqitiao Wang
Gaffer/ Harry Johns
Technical Support/ Roddy Canas, Tom Olden, Mike
Supported by Royal College of Art

Starting with the inquiry of: ‘Why Mars exploration?’
We chose to answer this question with a poetic approach and created the character of the Astronaut.
This project is an exploration of the rapport between  necessity to invade, conquer or emigrate to Mars and the current state of the world.
With the emergence of harder political law on immigration, lack of governmental support toward drastic ecological changes and economical crises, there are radical changes needed in the current system in place.
Bringing together the believes that space is already polluted by space explorations, satellites and debris, the Astronaut metaphorically represent our hope and will of action for changes, right now, within our own community with a poetic approach.

Storyline
Somewhere, in London a character has a normal life. A traditional life, between a very boring office job, customer service, answering the phone all day. With for only companion two plants, cactus  and another cactus, the character likes to eat fish and chips and lives in harmony within its secured world of habits. While it is impossible to escape its life, the character likes to think about his promised life to Mars. Escaping its reality for the dream land he prepared himself for this journey. But one day he realise that he is undertaking this travel. The dream has come true, he has escaped London! Did he, who knowns.
The character is underlying the fragility of the human mind, wanting to find new space to emigrate, an escape from its reality.
The film is based on our real London experience and it is not offering the viewer a feeling of relief at the end.


Context
Millennials,
living in a big city, life precocity, juggling between the price of renting and having a life.
Most likely having a few different jobs.
Uncertainty about the future but not satisfied with the current situation,
You, me, and us.