Surface
A woman wakes up in her childhood bedroom, only to find herself and her entire world submerged underwater. The familiarity and charm of her floating belongings comforts her, until she realizes she is running out of time. In a desperate search for air, she must make her way to the surface.
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Katherine WongDirectorMermicorno: Starfall, The Vindicators
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Molly HalpineWriterSpidey and His Amazing Friends
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Heather RenneyProducerMolly of Denali
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Project Type:Animation, Short
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Genres:Drama, Thriller
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Runtime:2 minutes
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Completion Date:January 6, 2025
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Country of Origin:Canada
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Country of Filming:Canada
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Shooting Format:2K
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:No
Born in Hong Kong and raised in Beijing, Katherine Wong moved to Ottawa at the age of 18 to study architectural design at Carleton University. After graduation, she pitched a 2D series through an open call to Netflix Canada. Although the project did not materialize, she found the experience of crafting a story to be challenging and mystifying, but above all, exciting. Merging her architectural background with her love of animation, Katherine joined Atomic Cartoons, where she works as a 2D background painter and location designer on various shows such as Mermicorno: Starfall (2025) and The Vindicators (2022).
Produced by Atomic Cartoons, Katherine pitched Surface as part of the Atomic Shorts Program, an incubator designed to encourage studio artists to develop and direct their own content. She was chosen as the 2024 finalist and was given the opportunity to direct Surface, leading a team of fellow studio artists and peers.
Surface is a vignette that captures one’s intrinsic desire to survive. Conceptually, the film was inspired by a childhood memory that left a strong impression on me - one where I had come close to drowning. I still recall how surreal it felt to be suspended in water, and how punishing it felt to be denied air.
When it came to a visual language, I was intrigued by the idea of a city completely submerged underwater. A place devoid of life, where all that remained were the belongings of its previous inhabitants. I wanted Surface to capture this essence, and feel mesmerizing, eerie, and bittersweet. In order to accomplish this, we combined different animation techniques. The story called for nuanced acting choices and environments, which benefited from digital rig-based characters and 3D tools. In contrast, the intense underwater motion called for a hand-drawn approach. Although we created Surface using a hybrid of both rigged and traditional animation, we tried to keep a distinct humanity throughout the film by incorporating hand-drawn special effects and watercolor-based textures in the background art.
As for the film's ending, I've noticed that one’s interpretation of the protagonist’s outcome is often very telling of their personal outlook. However, the goal was to present the viewer with a feeling of unease, as opposed to conclusive answers. The film is at its core a sensory tale, one that aims to impart suspense, discomfort, and urgency. Ultimately, Surface aims to convey the oppressive feeling of being at the mercy of water through a fleeting story of self preservation.