Have you ever wondered where you would find yourself if you dug a hole in the ground all the way to the opposite side of the earth?
I have, as a kid, but have never attempted it – lack of the right motivation is my excuse. But Doug has. He’s the young protagonist of Philip Hodges’s short film Dig. The motivation — the reason – a pursuit of true love. How’s that for a driving force?
Starring Justin Tinucci and Malia Tyler, Dig is a charming short film about a boy who is willing to dig his way to find his love on the other side of the world – in China! On the way, he meets up with some intriguing creatures of the underworld – a rabbit, a worm and a weasel who are only too happy to provide advice or an opinion regarding Doug’s journey. Will Doug listen to their advice? Will he find his true love? Find out!
Justin Tinucci stars as Doug in Dig
Short films with a Coming-of-Age motif, especially those shot with the amount of creativity as this one, are true cinematic gems. In Dig, Philip Hodges utilizes puppetry as a narrative device in combination with stop motion footage. The result is a charming film that appeals to kids while returning many older viewers back to their own childhoods. The scenes in which Doug encounters the inhabitants of the underworld remind me of Alice in Wonderland – a bit of surrealism and magic – and a guaranteed smile on your face.
Besides the cute story, there are a lot of things to like about Dig. It features beautiful production design, lovely colors, an adorable young cast and, yes, a creative ending!
Highly recommended!
Watch the entire film below :
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