As a 3D Animator at Cocomelon, I worked as part of a team of five animators, overseeing our assigned short films. For this particular film "My Dog Song," I was given the chance to handle the creative process of the entire project from concept to publication, including the writing. I aimed to create a film that resonated with my childhood experiences and would connect with young children, specifically focusing on the bond we form with our dogs.

Growing up with a dog in my home, I recognized the friendship we shared with them. I wanted to capture the moment when JJ is searching for Bingo, reflecting on my own experiences with my childhood dog, Gizmo, who I always wanted to be sure was close by me. Additionally, I wanted to portray the interactions between children and their dog Bingo, as well as the challenges they face, such as potty training, and also how they’re there for us through tough times, like when JJ is sick.

It was important to me to me to have an emotional journey in this piece, as I approach any creative project. Relatable emotions in our characters are what always connect our audiences to the work we do and keep them coming back.

The production time for this project was tight, only having a month from idea to finishing to be complete. With that schedule, I was able to not only write the film, and create a quick storyboard (seen below), but also do all of the 3D Layout and 3D Animation with the help of a short sequence of shots that I directed another 3D Animator through. Otherwise, Modeling, Lighting, Audio, and Rendering were all done by the respective teams.

Programs: Autodesk Maya, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, and Adobe Premiere