The Animator

Howard (Michael Del Ray), a handsome but unfashionable accountant, sits and eats his oatmeal at the kitchen table. Everything in Howard's life is monochromatic, from his beige shirt and brown jacket to his lumpy grey cereal. He stares forward as his wife (Aaliyah Love) criss-crosses the frame to put things on the table. She is manically explaining her plans for the day, her voice distorted in Howard's mind. He zones out until she asks for confirmation. He snaps back to reality, looking up to agree with her. The camera cuts to reveal that he has been staring at the empty chair across from him the whole time. Howard takes a few final bites of oatmeal before getting up from his chair and grabbing his briefcase. Howard exits his house, taking the garbage out before getting into his car. He has a hard time opening the car door and does so with quiet frustration. He is driving, trying to find something on the radio. He seems distracted and cannot choose, ending up on a station that just plays static. Giving up, he continues driving. When he gets to his office, he turns off the ignition, grabs his briefcase from the passenger seat, and exits the vehicle. Howard heads for the building, walking past a dumpster on his way. There is a male mannequin lying beside the garbage, its bare chest exposed. It catches Howard's eye as he passes, so much so that he turns back to look at it again. He stares at the plastic man, regarding it with a quiet fascination, before walking away. Later that day, Howard is at his desk. Even though he is working, he is distracted by thoughts of the mannequin. A colleague steps into the frame to ask if he can send a copy of the preliminary reports for the Mills file. This snaps Howard back and he diligently agrees to email it right away. After work, Howard walks past the same dumpster on the way back to his car. The mannequin is still there. Howard looks over to where his car is parked. He looks back. Howard rushes over to his car, throws his briefcase inside, and drives back to the dumpster. Getting out, he struggles to stuff the mannequin into the back seat of the car before hurriedly driving off. Howard sitting at the table during dinner. He's eating and listens to his wife. She doesn't stop talking once, too busy hammering out a detailed summary of her day. Howard feigns interest but his eyes keep drifting from his wife. He is thinking of the mannequin lying in the back seat of the car outside. Completely unphased, the wife starts clearing up and taking dishes back to the kitchen while he forks his food. She tells him to finish up and goes to take a bath. As soon as he hears the bathroom door close, he puts down his utensils and rushes out of the house. Howard carries the mannequin through the hallway before stopping and taking him the guest bedroom. He stuffs the plastic man into a closet before quietly closing the door and wiping the frame. Later that night, Howard and his wife lay in bed. His back to her. He pretends to close his eyes. She reads a book. After a few moments, she realizes he is out, so turns off her light. They lay in the darkness as the camera fades to black. Howard laying with his eyes open. He's been waiting anxiously. Hearing the soft sounds of his wife resting, he glances over his shoulder before slipping out of bed Howard enters the room and walk to the bedside. The light from the hallway streams into the darkened room, casting a glow upon the bed. He turns on the bedside light before realizing he forgot the door. He closes it and then opens the closet. Turning on the light, he carefully takes the mannequin out and lays it on the bed. Howard stares down at the plastic man. He can barely contain his arousal. He takes his shirt off, revealing his chest. Then he removes his pajama pants, revealing briefs. Sitting down beside the mannequin, he rubs his hand over both of their chests before pressing himself against the body. He grazes his fingers against its crotch, closing his eyes and going deep inside his mind. He slides himself up until he is lying face to face over the mannequin. Howard closes his eyes to kiss the mannequin. When he opens them again, he discovers that he is kissing a real man (Elliot Finn).