“The Box Assassin”

The proliferation of filmmaking materials—software and equipment becoming much more affordable and accessible (relatively speaking)—has led to a boom of new movies made by people who previously couldn’t have the means to do so. Some of that has resulted in all sorts of shorts, features, video essays, vlogs, and more diversity in subject matter and genres. But one of the most interesting sub-groups that has come along with this evolution is the abundance of cool animated shorts.

Large animation houses like Pixar, Disney, Dreamworks, and Sony clearly have a massive disadvantage in terms of budget, hardware, and personnel when compared to those smaller groups and individual artists. So while most of these independent animators can’t make the longer and more lavish productions, they can turn out these shorts that possess singular visions that needn’t adhere to conventional storytelling techniques or forms.

Case in point, THE BOX ASSASSIN by Jeremy Schaefer. A lot of the aesthetic is reminiscent of Alex Hirsch or some of character designs from UP or THE INCREDIBLES, but the plot is a great mix of juvenilia and dark comedy delivered in clever and economic ways. Here’s the plot summary:

THE BOX ASSASSIN is a short film about a pizza delivery boy's unforgettable night of running into a slick, legendary assassin that defeats his enemies in clever ways you couldn’t imagine.

All of this is considerably more impressive as it was made by one person. Check out Jeremy Schaefer’s other imaginative work and enjoy THE BOX ASSASSIN.