TO THE BRINK | Award-Winning Stop Motion Animation - Short Film

When it feels like the world is about to end, what do you do? How do you cope?

Content warning: puppet gore, edgy existential nihilism, recommended 18+

Spare Flesh presents "To the Brink", a dark comedy / musical / horror - animated short film. A violent stop motion cabaret for the cynical and depraved. Guilt, alcoholic apathy and the inevitable, looming apocalypse threaten to push a young man to the brink.

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AWARDS & ACCOLADES
Semi-finalist - Student Academy Awards (2024)
Official selection - Annecy Festival (2024)
Winner of “best student animation” award - Bolton Film Festival (2023)
Winner of “best animation” award - Unrestricted View (2024)
Nominated for “best animation” award - BFI Future Film Festival (2024)
Nominated for “best animation” award - Norwich Film Festival (2023)
Nominated for “best animation” award - Bolton Film Festival (2023)

A SPARE FLESH PRODUCTION
Directed, Produced & Edited by Hugo Docking
Written by Hugo Docking & Henry Blackaller
Music Composed by Henry Blackaller

Angel - Henry Blackaller
Demon - Hugo Docking

Animators: Pip Denning, Hugo Docking, Conor Mullin, Luke Frangeskou, Léo Bournas Milazzo
Puppets & fabrication: Mike Docking, Hugo Docking, Erin Hilsdon
Compositing: Amber Lee
Rig Removal: Shoray Madan

LYRICS
Everything was rightly placed
For you to give the world a taste
Of purity and harmony
And something rather sweet.

You could have changed things for the good,
Helped out others where you could
But you chose to lie and steal and cheat!

Life is for the living son,
What's the harm in having fun
Before we turn to Ash and bile and meat?

Seeing as the world is ending
There’s no point at all in caring really
Maybe you should stop and think!
You should have a drink!
You’re heartless, lazy
Uptight, crazy
Selfish scrote!
Neurotic maybe?
Stop it! Or you’ll drive him to the brink!

Seeing as the world is ending,
Just a poor excuse for failing clearly
Maybe you should have a drink!
You should stop and think!
It’s all perspective.
It’s objective!
Stubborn tart.
Well that’s effective.
Stop it! Or you’ll drive him to the brink!

[DIALOGUE]
What is your obsession with substance abuse?
Haven’t you heard? The world is bloody ending. He's got to have something to get him through the day.
Well, what about God? [pregnant pause] Okay, fair enough.

Even though the world is ending
There’s nothing that is worth mending
Everyone is just pretending
That their lives are worth defending.
You’ve been sold a pack of lies
So mark my words don’t compromise
Do anything to pacify your brain!
Your brain is surely riddled by these
Parasites that fiddle with your empathy
And reason that your life
should be more pleasing.
The world is dying burning
While you’re off your tits and gurning
So the only thing you’re learning’s
How to stop yourself from turning
In your sleep!

It does feel like the world is ending.
Reality is warped and bending, sinking.
Falling slowly out of reach.
I can’t stop thinking,
If life’s so fleeting,
clearly, maybe,
we should… get a drink?

If he can’t find joy in vice or lewdness
Selflessness or self improvement
F**k him! Let him fall into the brink!

Copyright: Hugo Docking (2023)