Gembound
"Three siblings fight each other's opinions about a lost fight in the depths of an old castle"
How it Began
Gembound began as a way for me to practice acting animation, but it quickly grew into something bigger. A short film about the ups and downs of sibling relationships. I focused on bringing the characters’ emotions to life through performance and storytelling, making sure every scene felt genuine and heartfelt.
Production
On Gembound, I had the chance to lead a team of 13 artists across different departments, making sure we stayed on track and communicated smoothly to hit our deadlines. I also developed storyboards, animatics, and progress reels that helped the team plan animation, block out scenes, and fine-tune pacing. Along the way, I troubleshot animation and rigging issues in Maya, streamlining workflows and keeping the overall animation quality high.
Animation
I wanted to explore different animation styles through the characters. The two human siblings are animated in a semi-realistic style, the cat (who is also a sibling) gave me the chance to play with cartoony squash and stretch, and a non humanoid staff that makes us give a personality to a "inanimate" object.
Art Direction
This story is set in a medieval fantasy world, inspired by titles like Final Fantasy VII, Delicious in Dungeon, Octopath Traveler, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and Tangled. Each character’s design reflects their personality and role. Aria, the eldest, wears a long dress and hooded jacket that highlight her role as a flora mage. Vann, the middle sibling, carries heavy armor pieces that serve as both protection and training weights, fitting his soldier background. And Zid, the youngest, stands out as a bard with a colorful vest that captures his playful and vibrant spirit.
Gallery
