The project itself began with the option to animate a lyric video or an end/beginning credit sequence for my motion graphics course in the spring of 2024. This was a beginner level course that only allowed us to dip our toe into the world of animation, but it did provide unique opportunities for storytelling.
case study
I selected Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film “DUNE” after having recently seen the film. the movie had drawn my attention quite easily with its stunning visuals and erratic storytelling.
as a true illustrator at heart, i will jump at any opportunity to add hand-drawn images to my work as a graphic designer. This project was no exception; i decided very early on that the entirety of the project would be illustrated. I decided on a more minimal style that I had recently developed to illustrate with that focuses on the power of solid colors and saturated light. these are two artistic references I used from previous projects:
After choosing an illustration style, there was a lot of research required. This movie and it’s story are larger than life and contains a massive production crew, a star-studded cast, and multiple groups of people who needed to be featured in a credits sequence. I ended up settling on a total of 23 shots -nine scenic and fourteen character- to complete within the confines of three weeks.
The first draft was a roughly sketched animatic that served as a base for the final product.
each shot chosen for illustration was taken directly from the film and used a close reference. The process for developing the final shots was relatively simple: take the rouch sketch from the animatic, add in detailed sketching, fill in the sketches with solid color, and add in lighting and subtle shadows.
original movie shot
rouch sketch from animatic to define character placement
detailed character sketch
solid colors and background added
the final shot. The line work has been removed and lighting and shadows have been added.
final color palette
the project in it’s entirety took a four weeks. excerpts were taken from Hanz zimmer’s soundtrack - primarily “paul’s dream” - and spliced into a custom soundtrack for the final concept. The original finished product, finished may of 2024, had a duration of 01:49. The project was updated in march of 2025 and now has a duration of 02:54.
adobe after affects, adobe illustrator, adobe photoshop, and procreate were the programs used for this project.