Leaving For A Long Time
Director / Animator / Editor
On a remote mining colony marked for destruction by the corporate elites who control it, a couple’s love is tested when one of them secretly earns her chance to escape, forcing her to choose between chasing her dreams and leaving her partner behind.
An animated music video for the band Shiffley, part of a larger expanded universe created at Fulton Street Media Group. I directed, animated and edited the project, and was involved in every stage of production, including helping hire the team.
My directorial debut, co-directed with Sydney Lee. I worked on every step of production, from pitch to final edit.
01Pre-production
- The pitch
Alex Fulton of Fulton Street Media Group hired me and walked me through his outline for the video.
- Setting the look
We built a mood board, and Alex sent me a Syd Mead reference book to set the retro-futurist tone.
- Animation test
I made an animation test to try out the style before production started.
- Concept art and lore
Concept art from Alex and Jacob, plus a short history of the Catblaster universe the video lives in.
- Characters and sets
Designed the characters and blocked out the basic sets.
- Building the team
I hired Sydney, who then brought more artists onto the team.
- Partnering with Stephens College
We partnered with the Stephens College film program, who brought in actors to perform every scene. We filmed them from a shot list pulled straight from the storyboard, and that footage became the reference for the animation.
02Production
- Weekly workflow
Nathan on animation, Honor on set design, Sydney on 2D elements and Elizabeth on 3D modeling, with weekly assignments for everyone.
- Animating the band
We watched footage of Shiffley performing the song and mirrored the band members’ movements in the animation, so each musician’s personal style shines through.
- Directing across departments
I bounced between every department, working on set design, modeling and character animation before handing scenes off to the team.
- Painted backgrounds
Painted backgrounds gave the 3D scenes their hand-made, stylized look.
03Post-production
- The final edit
I finished the last shots and cut the final edit, adding the color grade, light effects, blur, 2D elements and text animation that give it its retro-futuristic feel.
- Sound
Alex handled the sound design.
- Watch party
We wrapped with a watch party for the whole team and got to see the band’s reactions.
- What’s next
Leaving For A Long Time is the start of the Catblaster universe, with more projects in development. The film has been submitted to festivals, and we’re waiting to hear back.
We made Leaving for a Long Time to enhance the original song through a colorful, stylized, and emotional tale in a retro-futuristic sci-fi setting. We attempt to evoke childlike wonder by mimicking stop-motion animation, hand-drawn assets, and other stylization. Everyone on our student team worked together efficiently to create this project, and we are super happy that our effort and long hours resulted in this wonderful project.Jack McDonald & Sydney Lee, Directors
- Directors
- Jack McDonald
Sydney Lee - Producer
- Alex Fulton
- Editor
- Jack McDonald
- Character Animation
- Jack McDonald
Nathan Rogers - 2D Animation
- Sydney Lee
- 3D Modeling
- Elizabeth Yenzer
- Environment Design
- Honor Morris
Sydney Lee - Sound Design
- Alex Fulton
- Band (Shiffley)
- Alex Ganes
Shaune Killough
Alex Jenks
Bryan Contreras
Kyle Banks - Reference Actors
- Asher Kenny
Sophy Poole
