Before fidget toys were a thing, I managed to stay focused at work by twirling pens and doodling - a lot. My doodles were either floral patterns, insectoid creatures or human-like silhouettes. One day, my doodle took the shape of a hunched, lanky girl. Her silhouette looked like she was carrying a backpack the size of a house. I imagined she was a misfit who was bullied at school. The backpack was literally all the unhappy experiences she was forced to lug around every day.

I wrote the script The Backpack based on this story idea. It won an emerging scriptwriter competition and eventually received funding from Screen Australia.

CREDITS

Writer/ Producer: Marianna Shek

Director and Lead Animator: Liam Hill

Concept Artist: Dave Collinson and Kyle Woodley

Animators: John Grist, Francis Stanton, Sen Wong, Ainsley Herd

SCREENINGS

West End Film Festival (shortlisted for Best Animation (2013)

Auburn International Film Festival for Children (2013)

Chilemonos Film Festival (2012)