Dreaming Of Ewe
Dreaming Of Ewe
Created an original animated short that follows a white sheep as it journeys through a nightmare, transforming fear into bravery. The story unfolds across a dreamlike cloudscape where the character confronts a threatening black sheep that has captured a group of lambs. Through expressive animation, pacing, and sound design, the project emphasizes emotion, tension, and resolution while maintaining a clear and engaging narrative.
Project Type: Stop Motion Animation
Software & Equipment Used: DragonFrame, Krita, Adobe Premiere, Canon DSLR camera
Project Brief
Develop a short stop-motion animated film (approximately 2 minutes) that explores storytelling through a chosen animation style. The project emphasizes the application of animation principles, thoughtful planning, and effective use of production time to create a cohesive and engaging narrative. A range of techniques may be explored, including puppet animation, claymation, cut-out, pixilation, silhouette, and drawn methods, while refining a distinct visual style. Post-production editing and enhancements are completed using Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects to strengthen the final piece.
In addition to the animation, the project includes the creation of a short documentary capturing the creative process. This involves filming key stages of development, conducting interviews throughout production, and reflecting on idea generation, workflow, and final outcomes.
Process
Brainstorm Ideas
The project began with brainstorming potential storylines. Through iteration and building on each other’s ideas, a clear direction for the narrative was established.
Storyboarding
Once the story was finalized, each scene was mapped out in a storyboard to plan composition, action, and progression.
Animatic
With a visual outline in place, an animatic was created to roughly animate the entire video. This served as the primary reference during production, helping guide pacing and track every frame that needed to be captured.
Paper Puppet Construction
Using the animatic as a guide, a detailed set of paper puppets was designed and built. Articulated joints and double-sided, reusable pieces were incorporated to maximize efficiency and reduce the number of assets required to be built.
Studio Set Up
The animation was filmed in a controlled studio environment. Overhead lights were turned off in favor of focused spotlighting to create a nighttime atmosphere. The camera was carefully positioned to allow enough space for background movement within a limited area.
Animation
The full animation was completed over three days. After each session, footage was reviewed and lightly edited to identify any shots that needed to be reshot, ensuring a smooth final edit without unexpected issues.
Post-Production
Once filming was complete, the footage was edited to refine pacing, and audio, text, and credits were added to complete the piece.
Publication
With post-production finished, the final animation was exported and shared with the world!
Takeaways
One of the most valuable lessons from creating this animation was how much the visuals shapes the final outcome. Designing and building every paper puppet, then animating each movement, made it clear how intentional every visual decision needs to be, from character design to staging, color, and motion. It also reinforced how important pacing is in supporting both the story and the visuals, and how small timing adjustments can completely change the way a scene feels. This project highlighted the importance of craftsmanship, visual clarity, and iteration throughout the animation process.
Successes
This is my favorite video project, largely because of the level of ownership I had over the visuals. Every puppet was designed and created by hand, and all of the animation was done individually, giving me full control over the look and feel of the piece. I’m especially proud of the visual interest and overall beauty of the animation, the textures, layered paper elements, and compositions create a style that feels engaging and intentional in every frame. While the story is clear and lighthearted, it’s the visuals that really carry it, using movement, contrast, and composition to keep the viewer’s attention and bring the world to life.
Changes
If I had more time, I would push the animation further by incorporating more squash and stretch to enhance movement and add a greater sense of weight and energy. I would also refine the pacing in certain areas to better highlight key moments and improve the overall flow. These changes would strengthen both the visual impact and the clarity of the animation, making the final piece feel even more polished and dynamic.
Documentary
Contact
I’m always excited to connect and discuss new opportunities, projects, or collaborations. Whether you have a question, a project idea, or want to work together, feel free to reach out!