Created at Plankton Collective, an Animation studio in Bangalore, " The Chitin Hunter " is an animated series that takes a new look at the ups and downs and sometimes amusing mysteries of a girl connected with spirits.
Client
Plankton Collective
Date/Duration
2023
Concept
Announced as my Grad Project the film was made to portray the original story of the character "Anu" and her journey through the city with her connection with spirits. The concept had the backstory which told about how Anu attained a book from her grandmother and even after it was disliked by her mother she snuck it into her dorm. There she connected the dots and explored parts of the city and various other mythological creatures inspired by indian folklore. Inspired by the city the studio is based in the film captures the buildings and the nuances of schools around Bangalore. This was the first directed, animated, and rendered 3D animated film for production. The final film will be released in the coming year.
Process
It started with the ideation phase, which included the story concept, Character designs, Storybeates, Sketching and much more. The entire process was a loop system which made the story grow as the protagonist and the scenario changed.
Here are some of the initial concept sketches.
Initial Sketches for Anu & the Side character
Character Designs
Post the ideation phase the next was the Character and Concept sketch phase. Here the final Characters and their turnarounds were finalised.
Style Frames
The next step was to create the Story board and along with that choose certain shots to be made into Style Frames.
This was a prominent step as this would help decide the look and feel of the Film.
Production & Sound
The final step in the process was the production of 2D style frames and storyboards to 3D material look and feel. Add in the character animations, timing and spacing, and also the sound Design.
The music played an important part in the entire storytelling and this was facilitated by another fellow artist
Conclusion
The overall journey of making an independent film is truly amazing. Along with that getting to work with some amazing people at the Plankton studio made each day a memorable experience!