The Jammin’ Jamboree
Using motion design principles and original design assets, I animated a title sequence for a hypothetical Netflix series that takes place in Nashville, Tennessee with an intended audience of 6-year-olds.
Scope: Character Design, Illustration, Market Research, Storyboarding, Animation, Sound Design
Deliverables: Moodboard, Animatic, Storyboards, Character Illustrations, Title Sequence, Character Designs
Tools: Adobe After Effects, Photoshop and Illustrator
Overview
A Game of Animation Roulette
Billy the Bear, Rudy the Raccoon, and Pat the Pig are an unlikely trio of best friends who share a passion for music and adventure. Residing in the heart of Nashville, the country music capital of the world, these lovable characters take on the mission of teaching kids about the rich history of country music. Billy, the responsible and level-headed guitar player, often tries to keep things on track. Meanwhile, Rudy, the harmonica-playing raccoon with a mischievous streak, is always looking for ways to turn their lessons into wild, spontaneous escapades. Pat, the enthusiastic yet clumsy banjo player, is the glue that keeps the group together.
Each episode follows their fun-filled journeys through iconic Nashville landmarks, where they encounter memorable characters, share toe-tapping tunes, and discover hidden stories behind the genre's greatest hits.
Challenge
How might I animate an engaging and age-appropriate title sequence for a children’s show set in Nashville, Tennessee, designed for a 6-year-old audience, while also incorporating Netflix branding into the promotional materials?
Solution
I developed a vibrant and playful title sequence that resonates with young viewers. Additionally, I designed a Netflix show tile and promotional materials using the platform's branding to showcase the hypothetical show in a real-world context.
Overview
It All Began With a Sketch
Despite not being formally trained in illustration, I grew up obsessed with the various shows on Cartoon Network and have loved to draw for as long as I can remember.
This led me to look at some character designs for inspiration, and I began sketching on my own, hoping that the mathematics-based vectors would compensate for where my character design knowledge was lacking. My first sketch was of an animal my research told me was native to Tennessee: a raccoon. A similarly anthropomorphic bear and pig followed.
Refine
Character Designs
It could’ve been the harsh thickness of the black stroke, but my original iterations didn’t move me. Looking back at my references, I decided to try out colored lineart, choosing to outline the characters in colors that complemented their fill colors instead of black. I believe this helped to make their designs feel softer and personable, and my second versions of my character designs became my finals.
Background Design
Working with AI
Since creating original character designs was already an ambitious undertaking, I decided to use AI to streamline my workflow. While I, like many designers, am cautious about the implications of AI for creative roles, I discovered that AI-generated outputs are only as effective as the prompts guiding them.Using Adobe Firefly, I drew inspiration from the backgrounds of the children’s show Bluey, using them as reference images. I then input prompts based on the locations I outlined in my storyboards to guide the image generation process and edited them where necessary.
Animating
Bringing It All Together
Bringing my character designs and backgrounds together in After Effects began a painstaking labor of love. I spent over 40 hours animating with puppet tools, and shake and stretch presets to incorporate the laws of motion, bringing Rudy, Billy and Pat to life, choosing copyright free music and sound effects to bring it all together.
Final
Jammin’s Always Better Together
This project began with a game of chance: I randomly selected three prompts from a hat: children’s show as the genre, 6 years old as the target audience, and Nashville, Tennessee as the show’s location. These constraints guided the creation of a title sequence for a hypothetical show, along with a Netflix show tile and promotional materials inspired by Netflix’s branding.
Ultimately, this project demonstrated the importance of navigating and adapting to constraints, whether they involve time, subject matter, or skillset limitations. I created memorable characters and am pleased with the final result.