Rushaa Qaiser - BA (Hons) Animation
Cat Burglar
Cat burglar is a whimsical 2D Animated family short film following a young girl, Riley and her cat side-kick, Nibbles in their quest to raid her sister’s closet. This film was drawn from my own experience of having a younger sibling, who used to go almost comical lengths to steal the most insignificant things with absolutely no value in the real world, simply because they belonged to me. It really got me thinking about how she percieved my things at that age, seeing me as the “cool teenager” she looked up to, even though I never saw myself in that way.
That is when I had the idea to create this heist-style film to explore and exaggerate the imagination of a young girl who looks up to her older sister and wants to be exactly like her by stealing her things. Through this I wanted to emphasize how Riley, the protagonist, percieved her sister’s room as a massive vault filled with more valuable treasures than any bank, shop or museum. I decided to model the story using classic tropes from heist films to highlight the importance and seriousness of this “mission” in Riley’s head, adding to the silliness of the whole situation when she is caught red handed towards the end.
My intention with this film was for it to be relatable, but also make people laugh and connect over shared experiences, seeing a usually frustrating circumstance from the perspective of the other. I really hope this film brings a smile to people’s faces, and makes them value having someone in their life who sees how extraordinary they are, even if they may not be able to see it for themselves.
