Synopsis
In a post-apocalyptic world where access to energy is limited, a scrappy robot must do the unthinkable to save his friend and himself.
About OBELUS
"Obelus" is derived from the Latin word obelos, meaning “pointed pillar” or “critical mark.” In ancient texts, it was used to indicate a section considered corrupt or doubtful. In writing, it marked the names of the deceased; in mathematics, it is the symbol for division. Obelus represents the manifestation of a spire — something sharp, pointed, and daunting.
The story of Obelus speaks to the point of stepping up to a challenge bigger than you. It was made for those who feel small in the face of their goal. When the challenge before you casts its shadow over you for miles, it's about rising despite your fear. This fear is present in every career, every walk of life, and in all people, especially in artists, and particularly young artists just stepping into the world for the first time.
In a world of rapidly advancing AI, industry instability, and mounting layoffs, creating art has become more challenging than ever. But when the desire to create is hard-wired into you, it isn't a choice — you must create. And as the world continues to build spires of fear around us, we must choose to face them. Just because the path is hard does not mean it’s the wrong one.
In Obelus, Arlo’s brave search for the battery represents hope, not just for him and his friend Blu, but for all of us. It’s about choosing to seize your life, for your sake, and for the sake of those around you. Go out, find your purpose, experience the world, and share your story. Brave the storm. Together, we are stronger — strong enough to hope for a better tomorrow, and bold enough to chase it.
From my 22 years on this earth, I realize that the things we seek most are often hidden behind the walls of our fear — fear of failure, fear of starting, fear of the future, fear of not being enough. But that fear marks exactly where we must go. Like Arlo, it’s why we must answer our call and conquer our spires. Those fears may never vanish — and new ones will appear — but through each challenge, we grow. We learn. And with shared creativity and teamwork, we never have to do it alone.
​
That’s why, as a director, I knew early on that I had to trust my team. I knew each person brought expertise and specializations I didn’t possess, and I relied on them to help us bring the vision to life. By recognizing people’s talents and positioning them where they could do the most good, I focused on flexibility, providing a clear direction while encouraging experimentation and personal expression. We set out to tackle our spire: To make Obelus something visually striking that we loved working on and could be proud of. And we conquered it. I feel blessed and honored to have been able to work with such amazing teammates, and I will cherish our shared experience of creating Obelus forever.
Director's Note- Hope Lee
Obelus has always been about confronting and overcoming challenges – may it be personal, professional, or shared as a team. From the very beginning, I knew this theme wouldn’t just define the story we were telling, but also the process of making it. Like many student films, Obelus was built under tight deadlines, steep learning curves, and the constant push to reach higher technical and creative standards. However, what made this experience unique was how we faced those challenges together. Whether it was troubleshooting software, balancing workloads, or simply supporting each other through burnouts, every step required trust, communication, and persistence.
​
As a Director and Producer, I made it a priority to connect with each of my teammates individually so I could better support them throughout the process. I took the time to learn and understand every step of our production pipeline, working with Maya, Perforce, Unreal Engine, Houdini, and Nuke. Gaining that hands-on knowledge became invaluable, allowing me to give more meaningful, informed feedback and help push the team further when we faced technical or creative obstacles. By gathering a deep understanding of the pipeline to help my teammates I was able to have a hand in every shot of the film from critique, to animation, to compositing, and I will be forever grateful for the friends I've made and the experiences I've had while leading the Obelus team.