Sculpt-apocalypse is about this post-apocalyptic world that’s overrun by the oppressive Aluminum Regime, which seeks to eradicate clay in favor of aluminum, but a young clay boy by the name of Goob forms and leads a resistance against them called The Uglies in order to avenge his people.

Scouring through the oversaturated gray wasteland that was once the land of Sculpticipica, two hooded figures were trying to find survivors from the Aluminium Regime’s previous cleansing.  

“Goob, how much longer are we going to look?” asked Cy.

“For however long we need to, Cy,” Goob replied, scanning every square inch of gravel and rubble in his vicinity with the infrared setting on his mask. “Until we find someone.”

“Alright, man,” sighed a defeated Cy.

Suddenly, the infrared setting on Clay’s mask picked up something. He screamed: “Hey, dude! I think I got something or someone!” 

“Really? Where to and how far?”  responded Cy.

An automated female voice spoke: “Two hundred meters away.” 

“Two hundred meters away under that sheet of foil ahead,” said Cy.

“Let’s get there quick,” answered Goob.

The two made their way across the abandoned land, where they picked up the location of a possible survivor. They crouched down to meet the gaze of a scared girl who was badly disfigured by the cleansing. 

“P-please don’t hurt me!” she whimpered, curled up into a ball.

“It’s okay,” assured Goob, as he slowly lifted his mask off his head to show the girl that he wasn’t one of them. 

“We’re here to help,” he added, stretching out his hand toward her. 

She slowly turned her head to look at Goob, hesitating to take his hand and murmuring, “H-how do I know I can trust you?”

“I know it may not look like it, but I’m clay, just like you—me and my partner over here,” Goob explained, nudging his head toward Cy and reassuring her not to worry. She unclenched her expression a little less. 

“Come on.” Goob stretched his hand to her. 

Slowly, she took his hand to get up and dusted herself off. Goob handed her an aluminum cloak and mask. “Here, put this on, for protection from the drones.” 

She quickly put it on as Goob slid his mask back on. The three headed back the way Goob and Cy came, with Cy leading the way.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“We’re going somewhere safer than here, with others like us,” Goob explained, scanning the sky to make sure all was clear. 

They reached a big aluminum-covered vehicle. Cy opened the door and gestured for both to go in. They packed into the vehicle, started the engine, and sped away. 

---

A moment of silence passed. Goob decided to break the silence. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Riis. You?” she asked, glancing at the two sitting across from her. 

“I’m Goob,” he shared, then signalling over to Cy, “That’s Cy. It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too,” she meekly replied, looking down at the two aluminum stubs where her hands once were and at her arms, where the last remains of her clay skin were chipping off. Riis clung to the aluminum cloak, concealing her arms in shame.

Goob moved closer to her, laying his hand on her shoulder to console her. “Hey, it’s okay. It gets easier over time.”

Her eyes then shifted to his other hand, clay intact, but from his wrist to shoulder, a dull gray aluminum. She asked: “How did you manage?” 

He glanced at his hand and confessed: “I had to. I hated getting rid of my skin, but I had to, for protection.”

“We really are scum, huh?” admitted Riis, as she lowered her head to hide her face and the tears that came.

Goob wrapped both his arms around her. “We’re far from it, which is why our people need to rise up against the Aluminum Regime.” He let go of her for a moment to meet her gaze.

“Which is why me, Cy, and others like us are trying to lead a resistance against them to bring Sculptipica back to its old glory.”

Process

It took me several painstaking days to complete this stop-motion animation. I used the Stop-Motion Studio app and a video editing app. I was able to learn how stop-motion animation works, and I was surprised that it came along as well as it did. Finishing this project makes me feel accomplished.