Shown as part of the 2006 short films from the Animator in Residence scheme is "What Would Your Recommend", or at least in English it is. It is the story of a British traveller who sets out on holiday to Italy with one phrase under his belt but a real reliance on his phrase book to get by. However when he loses his book just outside the airport, his overuse of the phrase he knows ("cosa raccomanda lei?") sees him getting into trouble.
Usually with these short films I end up having to pull credits off the screen, search the internet and enter all the data onto this site before I can review it but in this case it seems that Ketchell himself has beaten me to it. Some might see this as a bit of an ego trip but personally I see it as perfectly reasonable because the film is very enjoyable and deserves what promotion it can get. The set-up is simple but the way that the script gets our man into trouble bit by bit is amusing, right up to the punch line (which is of course the title yet again). It is witty and amusing and I quite enjoyed the way it made the film out of one common and simple theme of foreigners abroad pretending they get the language when they really don't.
The animation is also very cool. Imaginatively shaped characters work within backgrounds and sets that are minimal but yet work really well within the film. I'm not sure if it is computer generated or a mix of techniques but I found it very cool and easy to enjoy, matching the wit of the film. I normally gush about the style of the Blackwatch-produced shorts and in a way the animation here featured many of the same strengths as those from that very strong stable. As writer and director Ketchell deserves credit for this because he has produced a great little three minute film.
Funny, cool, imaginative, well put together and with a solid punch-line, this is an entertaining piece of animation that is worthy of the primetime slot that channel 4 gave it in the UK.