28 March 2025

For her VCE Media project last year, Keeley Blackwood from Aquinas College, Ringwood, produced a 2D animated short film called Circuit, which has been selected not only for Top Screen, now screening at ACMI, but also for the Top Designs exhibition opening tomorrow at Melbourne Museum.

Keeley’s poignant film explores very topical and relevant themes of technology, the environment and humanity:

A robot existing in a world of technology is introduced to something previously unseen – a leaf. Curiosity leads it on a journey where it discovers sensations and a life it was never programmed to experience. Faced with its own existence and the dying planet, Circuit must make a choice: protect itself, or save nature? (ACMI).

Keeley dedicated nine months to her project in which she planned, developed and produced the animation. She undertook research to develop her ideas, character and narrative. She spent many hours drawing frame-by-frame, adding rigging, transitions, lighting and music. Her Media teacher, Sarah Elijah said, ‘Keeley was incredibly passionate about her idea and often sought feedback from her teacher that she utilised throughout the process’.

Keeley wanted ‘… the audience to come away with more appreciation for the world around them’ and found animation was the perfect platform for her, as it allowed her ‘… more creative flow to work with non-human characters and topics, as well as implement [her] love for art and … to display emotions through colour’.

Animation and animated characters appeal more to me personally and because I want to convey my own thoughts, feelings and emotions towards the topic, I'm going to express them in a way where I can have full control of things like colours staging, to characters. Showing a display of how technology is forever growing and developing, through animation, done using only technology seems to push the point further (Keeley’s intention statement).

Keeley’s outstanding film is one of only 13 selected for Top Screen and one of 77 imaginative works across 9 design studies selected for Top Designs.

Top Screen is on until 1 May, tickets available from ACMI.

Top Designs opens 29 March and runs until 20 July, tickets available from Melbourne Museum.