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About

Adrift Animation

TIME FRAME
12 weeks

OVERVIEW
Adrift is a frame-by-frame animation that encapsulates the experience of grief. This project allowed me to practice my illustration and animation skills while processing my own grief during this period of my life.

ROLES
Illustration, Motion

TOOLS
Procreate, Procreate Dreams, Premiere Pro

PROBLEM TO SOLVE
Despite its universal impact, grief remains a deeply personal and often isolating experience that is difficult to articulate and share. Many individuals struggle to find ways to express and process their grief, leading to feelings of isolation. This project aims to address the challenge of visually and emotionally conveying the complex experience of grief through animation, providing a relatable and empathetic portrayal that can resonate with and support those who are grieving.

STORYTELLING & STORYBOARDING I drew much of my inspiration from a metaphor that resonated deeply with my experience: the idea that grief comes in waves. At times, you might feel like you’re drowning, and you can’t predict when the waves will crash down on you. The main motif of the animation focuses on water and all you can do is stay afloat.

I had to simplify my storyboard significantly from the original metaphor to fit it all into a 30-second animation. For each shot, I had a general idea of what I planned to animate and approximately how long each scene would last. Ultimately, I did not include the very last scene I had planned.

PROCESS & INSIGHTSMuch of the inspiration for my illustrations came from personal references to items that remind me of my grandma. Trinkets like a pair of jade earrings, a cup I gifted her that she drinks from every day, and a scarf she wears on chilly days were particularly meaningful. The many water animations also helped with the flow and transition from scene to scene. I found many helpful tutorials and references online to guide this process.

Overall, the process began with storyboarding, followed by line testing (creating the frame-by-frame line art), and then coloring the illustrations. After completing the animation, I focused on audio. I used Eleven Labs for an AI voiceover and Pixabay for sound effects and music. I also tried experimenting with Google AI Test Kitchen and Audiobox, but they did not produce the quality of sound I was looking for.

SOLUTIONBy creating a 30-second frame-by-frame animation inspired by personal metaphors and meaningful objects, I aimed to visually convey the unpredictable and overwhelming nature of grief, offering a relatable and empathetic portrayal to support those going through similar experiences.

See the full animation below

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