The Ship of Fools

1996

13min

Admiral Flipside is one crazy sea-dog. Driven by a darker than black alter-ego he embarks upon a bizarre voyage of destruction and self discovery. Haunted by his subconscious he is driven by ghostly manifestations into a surreal world of circus and theatre inspired by Sebastian Brant’s 1494 book ‘Das Narrenschyff’ (The Ship of Fools). Unbeknown to him he is the leading actor in a stage play based on the ship of fools. He leads the witless fools on a disastrous voyage to find ‘Narragonia’ (Fools Utopia). Flipside finds himself the sole survivor after the ship is set upon by fire breathing monsters from the deep. He is washed up on the very beach that he left many years ago, only to discover his innocence waiting for him. Here at last, after so many long years searching, he is forced to confront the grim reality that is himself. These short films combine computer animation, traditional animation, video and concepts of theatre to produce a bizarre visual story.