Developed a short 2D pixel art animation as part of an academic project, employing traditional frame-by-frame techniques to achieve retro-style motion sequences.
Timeframe
2 weeks
2 weeks
Tools
Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere
Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere
story
The animation depicts a pivotal moment in the life of Nathilda Rockeira, a deeply introspective teenager. After a heated argument with her parents about her lack of academic motivation and their concerns for her future, an upset Nathilda flees to her sanctuary – the cemetery. There, she walks solemnly to her hidden radio, presses play on an Evanescence song (her favorite band), and climbs onto a tombstone's steps to sit alone with the music.
storyboard
Despite the animation's simplicity, the storyboard played a fundamental role in defining the key poses and movements to be illustrated and animated.
SKETCHES
The sketches were part of the experimentation process with different elements for both the character and the environment. The aim was to identify the character’s key poses and to assess potential limitations for animation.
background
In order to more accurately represent the behavior of goth and emo subcultures in Brazil during that period, the animation was set in a cemetery. Several key elements were incorporated to enhance the setting’s recognition, such as a lamppost, an iron fence, a tomb, and a night sky illuminated by a full moon.
sprites
Details of some of the main sprites used and their limited color palette.
final animation
For the soundtrack, public domain audio tracks were selected to create ambient effects such as background noise, footsteps, and radio static. A segment of the song “Bring Me to Life” by Evanescence was also incorporated, chosen for its emotional intensity and thematic relevance to the animation. This track was used strictly for academic purposes, with full awareness of copyright considerations and no intent for commercial distribution.
