L'appel de la lumière - emeline thévenin

Artificial lighting at night is a major threat to flora and fauna, as well as to our health. Yet light emissions continue to increase. The aim of this short film is to show the disruption they cause by adopting the point of view of an insect disturbed by the artificial lights it encounters in a city.

Not all species are affected by artificial light in the same way. Some are attracted to it, while others shun it. But in all cases, the light will disrupt their behavior. The further we advance in the film, the more light there is, and the more chaotic our trajectory becomes.

Beyond the fauna (insects, turtles, birds…) disoriented by the artificial light, it is also a metaphor for humanity, which, drawn by progress, is blindly heading for its downfall. This idea is also conveyed by the excerpt from a poem by Albertine Benedetto that accompanies the image.

Prométhée de pacotille

nous sautons de poussières en étoiles

éblouis par leur éclat

mort depuis longtemps

The graphic style chosen is inspired by the pointillism and bokeh effects often seen in urban photography. The animation of the dots is reminiscent of insect swarms. Colors are saturated and get lighter and lighter, to create a gradual blinding effect. Sound design and aerial camera movements create the impression of being inside the eyes of a disoriented insect.

First, the animation was created using Cinema 4D and After Effects. To achieve the dotted effect, I used the Artomaton app on iPad (rendered below left), and then composited everything in After Effects.

This project is being showcased at the Anticipation festival (Gaité Lyrique, Paris), which takes place from September 20 to 22, 2024, where the film is screened.

Concept & animation

Emeline Thévenin