Amarra D. Simien
2D Animator & 2D Effects Animator
Kettle Down
A one-and-a-half-minute hand-drawn 2D animated short film. Animated in Toon Boom Harmony, and storyboards and layouts in Procreate and Storyboard Pro. I worked on a team of 10 individuals. My responsibilities for this project included being a Storyboard Artist, Prop Designer, Character Designer, Color Script Artist, Rough Animator, Digital Ink and Paint Artist, and Effects Animator.
The Film
Keil, Muriel, and Tati are a trio of witch friends who get together at their special place in the woods for a lovely tea party. They all bring their own chairs and snacks to the table. Keil brings the pot, but his friends can't agree on whose tea they'll drink today. Muriel, the prude, laughs at the thought of drinking Tati's tea. Tati, getting offended, throws her tea in a fit of anger, leading to an all-out fight. When the glitter and smoke clear, there's a big mess, and Keil stands in the middle of it, disappointed in both of them. Muriel and Tati reconcile and work together to make tea from both of their blends. They all give their combined creation a taste only to find it's horrible, but who cares? They're having a good time as friends.
Who brought tea?
In Progress
Keil asks Muriel and Tati whose tea they are going to drink for the party? When both offer their blends, it leads to conflict as the posh Muriel believes her blend is clearly superior. Upsetting Tati and making Keil nervous.
Who brought tea?
Final Version
I worked on the beatboards, the cleanup, and digital ink and paint for this scene.
Final Attack!
In Progress
Tati leaps onto the table, aiming her wand at Muriel. Muriel, frazzled from having something thrown in her face earlier, aims her wand as well. Muriel and Tati face each other in an explosion as both their beams of magic collide.
Final Attack!
Final Version
For this scene I did cleanup animation, and digital ink and paint.
Our Bad
In Progress
Muriel and Tati realize that they ruined the tea party and hurt Keil's feelings. They feel remorseful and decide to work together to remedy the situation by combining their tea and their magic.
Our Bad
Final Version
For this scene, I did the beatboard and storyboards, rough animation, cleanup, and digital ink and paint.
Sick of This!
Final Version
Keil is angry at Tati and Muriel for making such a big mess. He screams in frustration and storms off to sulk. I created the beatboards, did the cleanup, and the digital ink and paint for this scene.
Happy Again
Final Version
The friends laugh, their bond reforged, after tasting their nasty abomination of tea as the screen fades to black. I created the beatboards, rough animation, and digital ink and paint for this scene.
Visual Development
Character Design and Prop Design
For this project, I was hands-on in the pre-production phase just as much as in the production of the short. I cycled through many variations of our characters even as we "lost" one amid pre-production, fusing the blue and green witch into the character we know as Keil. I created the final design and color palette for Keil. I also created the color palette to be used for all of the production's backgrounds/ layouts, and assets.
