Disney XD
Animated Bumper
Medium: 2D Animation
project overview
Title: Football Girl
Client: Disney XD
Project Overview: In February 2018, I was commissioned to create an animated bumper for Disney XD. The project required delivering three versions: a 15-second, 10-second, and 5-second bumper. These bumpers would air throughout the month. Working closely with the Disney team, I took on multiple roles including director, creator, music director, writer, and character designer.
Roles and Responsibilities:
Director: Guided the creative process and ensured the final product met the project's goals.
Creator: Developed the original concept, character, and world.
Music Director: Composed and selected music that conveyed the desired energy and tone.
Writer: Crafted the narrative to fit within the short time frames.
Character Designer: Designed the characters to be visually appealing and memorable.
The bumpers successfully aired on Disney XD, capturing the attention of viewers with their dynamic and engaging style. This project helped solidify my approach to animation, blending action and cuteness in a compelling way.
director Notes
As the director of this animated bumper for Disney XD, my goal was to create something unforgettable and engaging. Inspired by the popularity of powder puff football among girls, including my daughter, I imagined a vibrant world where a little black girl competes against cute yet intimidating monsters.
This project marked the beginning of my distinctive style, blending high-energy action with adorable characters.
The creation process was both challenging and exhilarating, demanding meticulous attention to detail and a strong dedication to the craft.
Each frame was carefully designed to ensure fluid and expressive movements, packing as much action as possible into the brief 15-second duration. My aim was to craft a bumper with a clear narrative arc, making every moment impactful.
One of the most fulfilling aspects of this project was witnessing how the constraints of the short time frame spurred our creativity. The music-driven animation helped convey the dynamic and edgy atmosphere I envisioned, making the bumper both lively and captivating.
With the average NFL play lasting about 4 seconds, 15 seconds felt simultaneously expansive and fleeting, allowing us to explore creative possibilities within a concise narrative.
This project was early in my animation career, and although it was only 15 seconds, those 15 seconds can change your life forever.
The Disney team was generous with their time, and I was a sponge, soaking up everything they were saying. Interestingly enough, they trusted me creatively.
I communicated my creative vision and what I wanted to do, and we worked together to make it happen.
The bumper is very sporty, incorporating the vibrant Disney XD color palette as the color story, as well as the shapes and visual language of their XD programming. The bumper fits seamlessly into the XD world of characters, as if she always belonged on the network.
Every chance you get to express yourself creatively, pour all of your imagination into it.
final cut
The Disney team loved the final product, as did my team and I. I am very proud of these 15 seconds. It empowered me to believe that one day I could have 15 minutes, 15 episodes of a show on Disney, and I was right.
I am now working on a new animated series at Disney.
I can't help but look back at the time I spent with them working on these 15 seconds and the impact it made on where we are today as collaborators.
No deal is too small.
Every chance you get to express yourself, do it with everything you've got. You never know who is watching, literally!
Adventure Awaits…
with love + imagination
-MR. TOMONOSHi!