© 2023 Martino Prendini. All Rights Reserved.

  • Vertebrae series

Brief

An intimate series of short animated films

Vertebrae is a path in becoming aware of some aspects of my feeling and in finding new ways. A map that extends from some focal nodes that I felt the need to face. Each of these represented both an acquired awareness and a change, in a symbiotic path between a need to define myself and a desire to lose myself. As with any truly intimate aspect that one tries to express, the difficulty and the charm lies in rediscovering it outside of oneself. Everything seems inevitably more naive, less incisive, more rudimentary, but I think this laying out is much more powerful and meaningful than a refined form. For this reason I preferred to work alone on every aspect, animation, lyrics, music, voice over, with my means and my limits but looking for an honesty that starts from a confrontation with myself. My vertebral map in search of fixed points inevitably leaves me without maps, in the end, but with the kinetic momentum of an arc.

Vertebrae - Atlas

  • Atlas is the first of the vertebrae, which supports the skull. It's the highest part of the column, still the beginning of the path, in a cerebral space and facing outwards. The path begins by addressing beauty, as an essential element from which to start: beauty as involvement, as a movement of discovery and consequent vertigo. It is the initial kinetic thrust, which allows you to abandon yourself gradually.

    Model and muse Gio Scream


    Video Of The Day on Motion Design Awards, January 1 2022

Vertebrae - Axis

  • Axis is the second vertebra from the top, representing the pivot upon which the Atlas rotates. For this reason, this short film represents an axis and therefore a direction, an intent, a posture, a possible will, a more personal impulse.


    Week 81 winner on Buck U Back by BUCK

    "Wow, what a journey. Love the use of the eyes/face as a device to dive into the story. The mix of spatial morphing elements and fluid camera work kept me waiting for the unexpected." - BUCK

Vertebrae - Sacrum

  • From Axis, the second vertebra, the meridian points directly to the Sacrum: a curvature that falls into visceral aspects so tremendously alive and necessary. It is no longer a question of cerebral perspective, but a contagion with the other, outside of you. Everything changes in substance, it's no longer possible to go back to our past self.


Vertebrae lomborum

  • The lumbar vertebrae are the support. They represent the ability to support weights, jolts, changes of direction. Everything that happens is imprinted on them, leaving a mark. And, at the same time, they absorb the backlash for the entire spine. Here are the true roots of our body.


    "Martino Prendini’s micro-short film is an introspective journey that takes viewers into the inner workings of the creator’s mind and his spiritual journey towards self-discovery. This remarkable, unfiltered piece of animation is crafted entirely in black and white and showcases Martino’s remarkable artistic talents.

    The film is immersive and highly symbolic, imbuing every frame and every element with deep meaning and sensitivity. The film’s focus on exploring the artist’s psyche and inner clockwork through hand-drawn animation brings a visual and narrative uniqueness that is bound to attract audiences – and captivate them. The narration in Italian, with English subtitles, works well yet adds another level of international sophistication. The film is an experimental and artistic tour de force, with Prendini delving deep into themes of self-discovery, desire, and life path.

    Martino’s ‘Vertebrae Lomborum’ is a remarkable and emotive example of one man’s exploration of self-discovery through the lens of creative expression and art. The film is an intimate and intensely personal journey that touches on universal themes of identity, spirituality, and self-realization. Highly recommended for fans looking for something experimental in animation. A must-see for anyone seeking out a highly personal and visually impressive exploration of self."     - Short Films Matter


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