Written by Caeley Jones. Illustration courtesy of Fred and Frankie.
What do a pirate, a widow and some raccoons have in common? More than one might think. They are all the subjects of different senior capstone films currently in production by SCAD Animation students. These short films take three quarters to complete, from pre-production to post-production to release. With teams of ten people, these films come alive through the work of students like Maddie Brennan, Catherine Brennan, and Daisy Julca.
Maddie Brennan is the Animation Lead on Three Raccoons in a Trench Coat. The story follows three raccoons who need to obtain something special in a gas station, but discover that they cannot get what they need unless they don a disguise.
“Our role is giving notes and critiquing animation,” Maddie says. “We work closely with the director to ensure that the film is working as a part of their vision. We examine the poses and expressions of the characters to make sure the film reads better.”
Maddie enjoys working on Three Raccoons in a Trench Coat because of the different animation style; she describes it as “cartoony and slapstick.” The film mixes a traditional 3D animation style with a more stop-motion-like style.
Illustration courtesy of Three Raccoons in a Trench Coat.
While Three Raccoons in a Trench Coat is quite light-hearted, some capstone films explore more difficult topics. Catherine Brennan is the Animation Lead working on Fred and Frankie, a bittersweet film that deals with heartbreak and loss. The story follows Frankie, a widow who, through reminiscing about her husband, remembers her passion in life.
“The most fulfilling part has been being able to work as a team with everyone,” Catherine says. “Everyone works so creatively, and it’s great to see everyone’s animation come together and look unified. The film has come together at this point, and it’s very special to see the final product come to life.”
Illustration courtesy of True Treasure.
Daisy Julca is the Animation Lead on True Treasure, a sea-adventure film inspired by a true story. It follows Anne Bonny and Mary Read, real pirates from history. The film sets itself apart from others as the entirety of the story takes place with the characters out at sea.
“Tech has been the most challenging aspect of this film,” says Daisy. “Our team had no members that majored in tech animation, so we had to teach ourselves new things. But working through these issues as a team and overcoming them has shown our resilience.”
Daisy is excited for everyone to see the film, an enemies-to-lovers sea shanty adventure. “As Animation lead, what I find most exciting is seeing the changes applied with every comp and the film coming together piece by piece,” she says. “It’s a really exciting portion of the pipeline.”
All films are in post-production and they will premiere at the SCAD Animation Showcase on May 31st. Selected films will move on to a special showcase on June 1st, where the Motion Media, Visual Effects, and Animation programs will present their films to a jury.
For more information and to keep up with the films, follow @3racoonsfilm, @fredandfrankiefilm, and @truetreasure.film on Instagram.
