With a background in graphic design and after working on character illustrations as a freelance for several years, I had some familiarity with concepts such as anatomy, colour theory and character design, so animating felt like the next step to tell a story and really bring my work to life, and this course has only further complemented my skills. I am particularly attracted to 2D animation since after drawing characters for so long, it feels a bit like home due to its hands-on nature, as well as allowing me to have full control of animation principles, as I hand-draw each frame in the canvas, which as opposed to 3D animation, tends to result in a lower frame rate that results satisfactory due to its organic and hand-made feeling.
I have always been inspired by the work of animators such as Malcolm Wope (The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, Sirens of the Deep, Devil May Cry), who specializes in dynamic action scenes, often inspired by kung-fu moves, delivered in precise, well-choreographed sequences; Aaron Blaise (The Lion King, Brother Bear), who has directed films I grew up with and who demonstrates incredibly smooth animation and a great understanding of movement mechanics, especially in animals; and previously mentioned Wesley Louis (Super Turbo Atomic Ninja Rabbit, The Mighty Grand Piton), whose projects showcase high production quality, compelling storytelling, appealing characters and great, dynamic shots. I believe my personal work shares a similar tone in terms of storytelling and “genre,”, and I hope to one day create projects with an impact like theirs in the future.
I am especially drawn to cinematic storytelling in the format of short films, such as Kung Fu Is Dead (Rocketboiart, 2020), feature films such as Summer Wars, (Mamoru Hosoda, 2009), My Neighbour Totoro (Hayao Miyazaki, 1989), music videos like Gorillaz – Humility (Gorillaz, 2018), SIAMÉS – The Wolf (SIAMÉS, 2017), and even game trailers or cutscenes such as Overwatch 2 x TRANSFORMERS (Blizzard, 2024), Overwatch 2 x Cowboy Bebop (Blizzard, 2024). These formats challenge me to create memorable characters, relatable stories that captivate an audience, while also allowing me to put part of myself into the project.
References
Blaise, A. (1994) The Lion King. USA: Disney.
Blaise, A. (2003) Brother Bear. USA: Disney.
Hosoda, M. (2009) Summer Wars. Japan: Madhouse.
Louis, W. (2015) Super Turbo Atomic Ninja Rabbit. UK: The Line.
Louis, W. (2019) The Mighty Grand Piton (short, in development). UK: The Line.
Miyazaki, H. (1988) My Neighbor Totoro. Japan: Studio Ghibli.
Wope, M. (2021) The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf. South Korea: Studio Mir.
Wope, M. (2022) The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep. South Korea: Studio Mir.
Wope, M. (2022) Devil May Cry: Animated Feature. South Korea: Studio Mir.
Blizzard Entertainment x Cowboy Bebop (2023) Overwatch 2 x Cowboy Bebop | Collaboration Trailer [YouTube]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS480mqndzQ [Accessed 23 Nov. 2025].
Blizzard Entertainment x Transformers (2023) Overwatch 2 x TRANSFORMERS | Collaboration Trailer [YouTube]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3K-Avl7yFY [Accessed 23 Nov. 2025].
Chocolate City Comics (2023) KUNG FU IS DEAD: ANIMATION TEASER [YouTube]. Available at: https://youtu.be/5v3s_KDUntI?si=6Ms6mFVLDJsJoOgC [Accessed 23 Nov. 2025].
Gorillaz (2018) Humility (Official Video) [YouTube]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5yFcdPAGv0 [Accessed 23 Nov. 2025].
SIAMES (2022) “The Wolf” [Official Animated Music Video] [YouTube]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX44CAz-JhU [Accessed 23 Nov. 2025].
THE MIGHTY GRAND PITON (2022) THE MIGHTY GRAND PITON [YouTube]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9hbmMkdPzo [Accessed 23 Nov. 2025].
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