The Train Ride Home

The Train Ride Home is a short film created during my senior year at the School of Visual Arts, and a culmination of quiet murky thoughts. 

Character Concept Ideas

One stylistic choice made early on was the absence of pupils. Reducing their eyes to blank holes reduced their emotions. Wanting to depict a fragile topic with a more realistic take, I did not want the story to become too dramatic or cheesy. So I'd think, "How can I make an emotional impact with as little emotion as possible?"

Visual Development 

Although the story went through many revisions and explorations, the core idea always stayed the same. New York City was a big inspiration. It's full of beautiful bright lights and life but ultimately depressing to live in. I wanted to try and capture the essence of feeling trapped and attempting to take a train elsewhere, only to be brought back to a grim reality again over and over again.