Because creative inspiration comes from the world around us, from our experiences — shared and individual — we post a bunch of things here. Whether it’s updates from the team, behind-the-scenes insights on projects, general inspiration, or just pretty things, this is the best place to get and stay inspired.
Supernaut is a design and animation studio in Sydney, Wollongong and Canberra.
Creative Design for Carriageworks
Life Paint
The best way to survive a crash, is not to crash. LifePaint is a unique reflective safety spray. Invisible by daylight, it shines brightly in the glare of car headlights. Making the invisible, visible. Find out more at www.volvolifepaint.com #volvolifepaint
Danny and The Wild Bunch — Robert Rugan
Robert Rugans new short film takes a turn as — a children’s book author is told that her new manuscript needs to be “darker”, the characters within her creation come back to make some changes of their own.
With a slew of awards under its belt already, Danny and the Wild Bunch is a great example of a short with a nice idea and great production value. The animation/performance, lensing and camera work is fantastic — feeling wonderfully considered.
Winner “Best Short Film” – Las Vegas Film Festival
Winner “Best Animation” – Catalina Film Festival
Winner “Best Animation” – Asheville Film Festival
Winner “Honorable Mention” – LA Underground Film Festival
Official Selection – Bahamas International Film Festival
Official Selection – Golden Door Film Festival
Official Selection – Asheville Cinema Festival
Official Selection – Catalina Film Festival
Official Selection – Las Vegas Film Festival
Official Selection – Cucalorus Film Festival
Official Selection – Indie Memphis Film Festival
Official Selection – Atlanta Shorts Fest
Official Selection – LA Underground Film Festival
Official Selection – Cinequest Film Festival
Official Selection – Sedona International Film Festival
Official Selection – Cleveland International Film Festival
Official Selection – Beverly Hills Shorts Festival
Welcome – Jayne da Costa : Executive Producer
After some time working together, Supernaut are proud to welcome Jayne da Costa on board in the role of Executive Producer. Jayne’s background maps many of Sydney’s most respected post-production, animation and design companies — including Heckler, Sixty40, Method Studios, Cutting Edge and Ink Project. With a string of award winning projects and history, Jayne’s experience, knowledge and sense of creative adventure align perfectly with the studio’s focus (and future).
Game Loading
The Supernaut team had the pleasure of working with Anna and Lester from Melbourne based production house, Studio Bento on the graphics for their feature-length documentary ‘Game Loading’. The release is coming soon, but for now, you can view the trailer here
The project was entirely crowd funded which is a stellar effort … well done EVERYONE involved.
‘Oh my god you guys your final logo animation is exquisite (the rest of the trailer is awesome too)!’
— Ken Wong, Monument Valley
Off the Record – Design and Visual Arts Documentary
Off the record is a dialogue of opinions with topics that are aimed directly to the design and visual arts field. It has 6 Chapters that can be watched entirely or simply watched chapter by chapter. The chapters interweave together but also work independently. These ideas sometimes spill into more than one chapter.
Her Idea – Rilla Alexander
Lovely lass and studio friend, Rilla Alexander, has released a new book (well … new to some anyway) — Her Idea. The book features stunning illustrations as readers travel with the cute bundle of thought character, Sozi, as she experiences the elation, struggle and triumph of making ideas happen.
Her idea is a truly beautiful story for all ages, and great inspiration about getting to THE END.
Copies available through Rilla’s site, or buy through Flying Eye Books
Also check out some of our recent collaborations with Rilla here, here aaaaaaand here — yep … we love working together
The most personal and accurate watch in the world
Planet Under Pressure – Animation by Moth Collective
Some really lovely design, illustration and restrained animation direction in this spot for the Global Canopy Programme — a tropical forest think tank working to demonstrate the scientific, political and business case for safeguarding tropical forests as natural capital.
Man Seeking Woman – Main Title animation
We love a great an graphic, 2D animation approach … and this is a snappy little example.
US-based Digital Kitchen crafted an iconic and graphic approach (over a live-action approach) where symbols of ordinary dating life mix with over-the-top, genre-spanning imagery. The 30 seconds are filled with enough action, with viewers sure to catch new details each time/episode they watch.
Based on Simon Rich’s book of short stories — “The Last Girlfriend on Earth” — the series is a sweet and absurdist look at the surreal life-and-death stakes of dating and the quest for love.
New Harvest – Meat Culture
Strong work from Derek Lau (a Sydney based animator, friend and collaborator).
Raises some interesting questions and discussion on meat production and processing.
Business town – Tony Ruth
Amazing series of illustrations and characters (in the style of Richard Scarry – who we love … who doesn’t?!). Many chuckles and memories combined to create some awesomeness. Thankyou internet.
There’s also this … and clearly a whole corner of the internet we’re about to get lost in.
Zoetrope Animation – Fibonacci Sculptures
Mesmerising (yet simple) … these 3-D printed sculptures are designed to animate when spun under a strobe light. The placement of the appendages is determined by the same method nature uses in pinecones and sunflowers.
The rotation speed is synchronised to the strobing light, so that one flash occurs every time the sculpture turns 137.5º (the “golden angle”). If you count the number of spirals on any of these sculptures you will find that they are always Fibonacci numbers.
For this video, rather than using a strobe, the camera was set to a very short shutter speed (1/4000 sec) in order to freeze the spinning sculpture.
John Edmark is an inventor/designer/artist. He teaches design at Stanford University.
Visit John’s website here: web.stanford.edu/~edmark/
For an insight into how he made the sculptures, check out instructables : instructables.com/id/Blooming-Zoetrope-Sculptures/
Cinematography and editing by Charlie Nordstrom
Panda Bear – Boy’s Latin
Beautiful execution, animation and technical approach in this 3D animated music video for Panda Bear’s ‘Boy Latin’. While the character design of the hero is perhaps a little (refreshingly) androgynous, the design sensibility and style can’t be ignored. Great stuff.
And a making of (for you behind-the-scenes types).
Animation ‘Power Glove’ – Dillon Markey
Dillon Markey, an animator for Robot Chicken and PES, modifies a Nintendo Power Glove as the most awesome animation tool ever.
Have You Seen Alex’s willy? Be share aware
A very important message and no nonsense advice told with some strong story-telling sensibilities (and 2d animation) in this spot for Share Aware (https://www.nspcc.org.uk).