Background

Growing up, I found it difficult to open up to others. This animation captures that experience, exploring the moment when vulnerability feels safe.

Inspired by New England’s cold winters, it follows a character shedding layers—a jacket, scarf, and hat—mirroring the gradual process of revealing one’s true self. Just as we remove our coats in warmth, we open up when we feel the "warmth" within—when we feel safe.

At the heart of this transformation, the character reveals their real self: a fish, swimming freely in an uncharted sea—a symbol of the depth of our inner world. The fish represents the self that has always been there, hidden beneath protective layers, waiting for the right moment to emerge. As it greets us with a simple “hi,” it does more than just reveal itself—it allows us to see it, a quiet acknowledgment that being let in is not a given, but a privilege. To know someone’s true self is not something we take; it is something we are granted, only when they decide to share it.