Cut out animation refections

Looking for a little inspiration on storytelling, I found this nice cut out animation from the BBC film network. This piece is called "reflections", it was a col-aberration of the award winning computer effects and animation studio Framestore and the advertising UK based company Inflammerable directed by Sharon Lock and written by Diarmid Scrimshaw.






Analysis

What I really like about this piece and i think is quite interesting is how the mood in cut out animation can contribute alot to the animation itself. Cut out animation I think can be very abstract without purposely doing so, the look of the cut out characters in this piece visually communicate the man by marking out the features of his face and showing a clear silhouette of the character reflecting on his past, a simple, clean and clear design. The scenes, camera, position of the character and the shots (long shot mid shot etc) are all staged like a real film, but the characters are 2D.  I think this shows how the silhouette of character be it, 2D 3D or live action can tell the audience what is happening in the scene and who the character is.
 The 2D transitions in the piece give a strong, surreal, dreamlike atmosphere, such as the section where the man is walking down the street then splits in two too reveal his younger self, (perhaps metaphorically his inner child?) and even though the animation is limited to cut out animation, I think Lock and Scrimshaw have explored the 2D techniques so articulately and used transitions which have meaning to the concept of reflecting on the past.
 I think the piece demonstrates alot of creativity, the transitions are beautifully executed, I really like the simplicity of the umbrella shadows in the background and the cut out houses.