Reflections

May 18, 2017

What do our memories become? They are alive inside, even when the reality is dead. The fleeting quality of love forces a girl to question if her relationship ever truly existed, or if it was all in her head. 

REFLECTIONS screened at NFFTY 2017 in the Art In Motion Screening and took home the Best Animation Jury Award. 

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Morgan Gruer is a multidisciplinary Designer, Animator, and Art Director based in New York City. Her work spans a variety of industries and media, including concept development, 2D animation, brand identity, package design and illustration. Morgan graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Communications Design and previously studied Studio Art at Skidmore College. Her work has been featured by Vimeo, The Creators Project at VICE, NFFTY, The National Society for Arts & Letters, Gizmodo, and Packaging of the World. She has worked with clients such as Ed Sheeran, Céline Dion, Bea Miller, and Gatorade.



A Brief Interview with Morgan:

Why did you decide to make this film?

REFLECTIONS was a personal story that I felt I needed to create in order to close a specific chapter of my life and move on to the next one. What began as a reflection upon numerous past relationships morphed into a story about one specific one that I had been unable to let go of. The cathartic process of this film acted as an outlet for me to package up my thoughts and feelings about this subject, and release them out into the world.

What was your favorite part about making it?

My favorite part about making this film was the collaborative nature that it encouraged. It was created on a shoestring student budget, and would not have been possible without the help of my incredibly kind, patient and talented friends. The actors, dancer, and sound designer are all close friends of mine, and I am very I’m lucky to be surrounded by a circle of so many creative people. 

The sound design for REFLECTIONS was an especially fun process; I contacted Spaer, one of my close friends, about creating the music once I had the story loosely written out, and he exceed all expectations. He knew the stories and relationships that inspired this song without me having to explain every detail, and succeeded in creating a song that expressed everything I was feeling and more. Even though the story came before the music, I wanted Spaer to have fun in his process, and be open for creative interpretation. 

What are you working on now?

At the moment, I’ve been busy with freelance commercial work, writing ideas for new short films, and in the beginning stages of discussing a possible VR collaboration with a fellow NFFTY alumni. I’m continually striving to experiment with new forms and media, make work that I feel passionate about, and use art as a vehicle to connect people.

Find Morgan & REFLECTIONS online:                                                                         

Morgan's website : www.morgangruer.com                            
Spaer's website (sound design / band member Psymon Spine): www.psymonspine.com