Sorry I’m Late

As much as I enjoy a film that challenges the intellect, every now and then I feel a strong draw toward one that is simple, smart, and just plain entertaining. Sorry I’m Late is a prime example. The story is light and simple—a man misses his bus and must embark on an adventurous journey home. But the execution is what makes it shine.

In a sentence, Tomas has created a film that uses life-scale stop-motion (or pixelation) using found objects all shot against a gym floor. It builds from the thread of Pes and his stop-motion films that repurpose found objects in meaningful ways.

The big difference here is scale—a property that Tomas utilizes in his effects by holding up objects in front of the camera at a closer, foreshortened distance. This LoFi effect works surprisingly well and helps to solidify the notion that no CG was involved here. The LoFi effects + stop-motion + flat perspective create an amusing reference to the 2D adventure worlds of yesteryear’s video games.

On set, the film is shot from a balcony looking down on to a gym floor.

Let me take the chance to explain the appeal of the LoFi aesthetic (low fidelity) that is growing increasingly more prevalent. It’s a backlash against the ultra-real CG of today that tries to cover its tracks. Instead, it reveals the maker’s hand (in this case, quite literally). The more ghetto the special effects, the greater the props. But as much as it is a statement against big budget effects, it’s also a statement for the home-spun ingenuity of our YouTube generation. A sort of nose-thumbing that says, “look what I can do with what little I have.” However, as the French filmmaker Michel Gondry could tell you, LoFi effects are not necessarily the fast, cheap methods most make them out to be. No, in fact, LoFi most always requires more time and often burns a bigger hole in your pocket. So why do it? Craft. The LoFi aesthetic reveals a customization, dedication, and level of care that none can match.

Shotlist and storyboard all in one—looks like a game level.

If you’re interested in learning more about how Sorry I’m Late was made, drop by the Making Of page and view the many animation tests. Turn back the page from Sorry I’m Late, and you’ll see that Tomas has created another short stop-motion film called Little Big Love. Check this, and other entrepreneurial endeavors out on his personal website.