Cloudy - background and prop design exploration

Abstract

“Cloudy” is a 2D animated short that aims to explore the relationship between adults and their parents – from dealing with the internal conflict of being vulnerable and upholding expectations of self-reliance, to finding security in one’s unity with their family. This is done through a man’s journey of opening up to his mother about his predicament of being fired – through the parallel adventure of helping Cloudy, a small sentient cloud that is looking for its mother.

This report will look specifically into the background and prop design of the animation. Through the different methods used to achieve the final renders for the animation, as well as discussing how certain challenges faced were resolved or mitigated, this paper will delve into how the settings are crafted to reflect the narrative’s driving force – time, and enhance the animation’s varied energy levels – from quiet, poignant moments, to high-energy tensions.