CONFINED

An Animated/Scannermated Short Film.

In the autumn of 2025 I made an animated short film called “Confined”. I basically animated the whole thing with a flatbed scanner, arranging items on the scanner bed and then capturing a frame. Move, adjust, scan, repeat. It was kinda stupid and a lot of fun. There was the usual editing and manipulating of the images once they were in the computer, but the original image capture for every frame was on a slightly cranky Epson XP-434.

The film itself explores the comfort and the frustration of living within certain restrictions and limitations; the danger and exhilarations of freedom. Or it’s about cycles of rebirth and the repetitions of mundane existence. Or it’s about the damn power bill arriving every month. Or something. It might also be about moving objects around in small increments on top of a piece of glass.

It’s probably about sex, too. But someone will have to explain that to me when I’m old enough.

Confined has been accepted as an official selection in two different festivals: The Overlea Arts Fest/CCBC Film Festival in the Baltimore area, and Animovies at the Festival of Animated Objects. Both events look really cool and I’m honored and stoked the Confined was accepted into them.

Here are some stills from the movie:

And here are some behind-the-scenes shots featuring the Red Guy and the Epson XP-434: