THE SECOND LANGUAGE

The Studio

A small animation studio building alien worlds and the films set inside them. Every world, character, light and camera move is made in house.

Every world, body, light and camera move on this site was built here, in an engine written here.

The Slate

Every world below is real and already built. Each card says where its film stands.

• 0:52

  THE CLEARING

  Ten species share a fire in a forest, and try to explain to a newcomer what this place is.

  Released20 Sep 2026The glade
• 1:29

  THE ARTIFACT

  A human mug falls into an alien camp, and six species take turns deciding what it is.

  Released20 Sep 2026The fire ring
• 3:24

  THE POTLUCK

  Six species bring a dish to a fire, and not one of them brought anything the others can eat.

  Released19 Sep 2026The fire ring
• 1:50

  TOO BRIGHT

  A night meadow, four bodies, and a light that one of them cannot stop walking towards.

  Released19 Sep 2026The night meadow

Made in the same workshop, and playable today.

The same workshop makes games. The Alien Life Arcade runs in the browser you already have, with no install and no account, and the worlds in it are the worlds these films are set in. There are 7 in all.

• Puzzle · Observation

  Deep Field

  Two photographs of the same sky. One point of light has moved.

  Play it now
• Arcade · Reflex

  Downdraft

  Everything rises. Only what reaches the floor is yours.

  Play it now
• Survival · Defence

  Emberhold

  The fire is the only thing holding the dark off, and sap is the only thing holding the fire.

  Play it now

Visit the Alien Life Arcade