2d animation

Procrastinator!!!

Makenzie O’Malley

Cromwell, CT

Advisor: Heejoo Kim

Artist Bio

Makenzie O’Malley is an animator and storyteller living in Cromwell, CT. She has been working towards a BFA in Digital Media and Design, with a concentration in Motion Design and Animation. During her time at UConn, Makenzie has produced both personal and collaborative projects that incorporate her skills in animation, video editing, and storytelling. Having started out posting silly comics online, Makenzie has always sought to create work that can make people laugh. She has been able to reach a wider audience through her humorous storytelling with her Motion 1 project: Heist Gone Wrong, a 2D animated short film about a thief breaking into a castle to pull off the ultimate heist. This project has been selected to be showcased in First-Time Filmmaker Sessions Volume 10 and The Women’s Film Festival. Even though the process of creating animations can be grueling, getting to hear people enjoy the final product makes it all worth it for her.

Artist Statement

My project, Procrastinator, seeks to tell a relatable experience through the lens of comedy and slapstick humor. The main inspiration for this project and many of my past work is my life. I worry that I’m too reserved and struggle to talk about myself. Including a personal element in my art is an easy way of expressing myself. For years I have always struggled with procrastination. The number of times I’ve left an assignment to the last minute is staggering. I’d tell myself “I got time. I can do later”, then later comes and I’m panicking to meet the deadline. Even though it’s not a good experience, I like to clown on it because it’s the consequences of my own actions. It is also reassuring that I’m not alone and many people share the same issue as me. Telling this story about my procrastination helps me express how I feel about it.

In each of my projects, I try to include humorous elements that make people laugh. When I feel bad and I’m struggling, I like to take a step back and watch something that will make me laugh. Most of the time, it’ll be from cartoons or animations online. The exaggerated expressions and movement always get a chuckle out of me. I want this work to do the same thing and provide people with a break from the stress in their life to enjoy themselves.