Look around.
What do you see?
Do you notice anything that feels off?
Isn’t it absurd — the world you’re looking at?
And can you see that you’re part of that same hypocrisy too?
That’s what I asked myself at the very beginning of creating this animated short.
I wasn’t searching for answers.
I was simply observing — and ended up wandering into darker places.
I’ll never forget those 48 hours I spent creating this animation non-stop. It was pure chaos — full of stress, improvisation, and adrenaline. But that was the rule of the contest I was participating in, called the “48 Hour Film Race.”
The concept was simple: you had to make a short film in just 48 hours. The catch was that you couldn’t start early — everyone had to begin at the same time. At the start of the contest, you’d receive an email containing three specific elements that had to appear in your film. That way, the organizers made sure no one got a head start.
This contest takes place every year, and it’s usually all about live-action short films — real cameras, real actors, real sets.
And then there was me — deciding to jump in as an animator, hoping to create a full animation in just two days.
Two days, man. It felt absolutely crazy.
This contest takes place every year, and it’s usually all about live-action short films — real cameras, real actors, real sets.
And then there was me — deciding to jump in as an animator, hoping to create a full animation in just two days.
Two days, man. It felt absolutely crazy.
So, when the contest began, I opened that email — and the clock started ticking. This time, the three required elements were a clown, a bridge, and the phrase “And that’s not all.” The timer started — 48 hours to create a complete short film.
I knew I needed a simple visual style, something that wouldn’t eat up too much time drawing each frame. I wanted to focus instead on the script, visual storytelling, metaphors, and meaning.
A year earlier, I had made a small animation built around symbolism and visual storytelling — inspired by my childhood and centered on the theme of collaboration over competition. It was simple to make, yet expressive. So I decided to use that project as a blueprint for this new one.
I began sketching, testing different styles in search of the simplest form. I removed all color and reduced everything to its essence — just lines, shapes, and meaning.
I spent about four or five hours developing the script and shaping the idea for the animation. Time was slipping away, and the whole concept came from my observations of what was happening around me. I guess I was too stressed to come up with something more optimistic — but at least I was being honest, trying to reflect what I truly thought and felt.
I stuck with the title “Look Around.” It was simple, but it captured the essence of the animation perfectly.
With my background as a graphic designer — and after creating dozens of logos — I came up with the idea of designing the title itself as part of the concept, by incorporating a clown face into it. Since the animation featured lots of clowns, it felt like a natural fit.
Still, the concept wasn’t fully ready. I didn’t know exactly where I was headed, so I kept improvising, following intuition more than a plan.
I leaned heavily on visual storytelling, hoping the story could speak for itself — clear and universal. I wanted to communicate complex ideas through simple imagery, so that anyone, anywhere, could feel its meaning without needing words.
I asked my friend, musician Miran Turdiev, to compose the music for my animation. He had only 48 hours — and hadn’t even seen the film yet. I sent him references and explained the concept. While I was animating, he sent me drafts, and somehow he still captured the mood perfectly — without seeing a single frame until it was done.
I spent around 26 hours animating, the rest on writing, food, and short naps. Two hours before the deadline, eyes red and nerves shot, I finally sent it in.
When the audience reaction came, I saw my work differently. People found their own meanings in it — some I hadn’t even imagined. Maybe I was too hard on myself.
You can watch it below and decide for yourself.
My animation made it to the final TOP of the contest — the first animation ever to do so. I traveled to Almaty, Kazakhstan for the final event, where I saw the works of many talented artists. Watching my animation on the big screen and seeing the audience’s reaction was an unforgettable moment.
Unfortunately, I didn’t win any prizes in the nominations.
But this contest gave me a reason to create something I’m truly proud of.
My work managed to touch people’s hearts and make them reflect on what’s happening around them — and that, to me, is priceless.
