Ad Lunas (Latin for “To the Moons”) is a 3D animated short film created in Blender and composited in After Effects. I have only been doing 3D animation for about seven months now, but it has quickly become my biggest passion. With Ad Lunas I wanted to create something that would be a culmination of everything I have learned so far in my career as an artist, while telling a compelling story.

            Ad Lunas is set in the future and on another world. It follows a boy as he makes the perilous journey to the top of the tallest tower in the city. The tower sits above the clouds, giving him a view of the moons in the sky. At the end we find that he makes this trip so that his disabled little sister can see what it’s like for herself. I wanted to tell a story that feels epic but is also about love, the boy in the film wants his sister to get a chance to see the beauty of the world that lies beyond the buildings and smog, and so his love gives him courage. I wanted Ad Lunas to be visually engaging with some exciting action, and yet equally as important for me was for it to leave the viewer with a meaningful emotional impression beyond just the formalism of the animation.

            This film draws on many different sources of inspiration from movies and tv shows such as Blade Runner, Spider Man, and Arcane. I did a lot of research on the style of animation I wanted to have as well as paying attention to lighting and camera techniques to try and achieve a distinct artistic look that also has a filmic feel to it.

            I am looking to start a career in 3D animation upon my graduation, and so Ad Lunas was also created with my portfolio in mind. My chops as an animator have improved rapidly over just the last few months, and so I wanted to make something that showcases what I am capable of, not just as an artist, but also as a storyteller.