In the world of animation, there are many creators who have raced headlong into the world of CGI and taken their tip from the Pixars of the world, producing super-slick work which leaves the 2D origins of illustration behind. It's understandable - the motion, emotion and versatility provided by new techniques opens up a whole new world of possibilities. But in the process, much of the depth of character, dialogue and inflection can get lost along the way. Which is why it's so refreshing to see work of high standard being produced by 2D animators the world over. Work coming out of the Gobelins School Of The Image in Paris is amongst the best in the world, and amongst that output the creators of today's video, the team at CRCR, rank highly.

'Les Chiens Isolés' (which has been nominated for a Vimeo Award this year) is a great example of how traditional animation still stands proud as an artform which requires nuance and insight to master. It's the story of Andrew and Julien, two co-workers on an oil rig - one old, one young - and how their freindship is torn apart by the older man's paranoia that his friend is only interested in leaving. This suspicion takes the form of a phantom dog, who appears to Andre whenever his fears get the better of him. The outcome is a sad end to an otherwise positive freindship. But don't take my word for it - see it for yourself here!

If you enjoyed this, you'll love our other featured Video Friday shorts - go here for more.