cucumber knights
Cucumber Knights is a personal project aimed to be a children's cartoon pilot. It's about Laurel and Basil - two cats from a group of cats able to do magic. They live in half of a forest that borders with the land of Cucumber Knights - a group of dogs that are their natural enemies. Laurel and Basil are banned from going too close to the border due to the danger of the Cucumber Knights - which naturally sparks their curiosity about them. One day, they meet a Cucumber Knight.
SOFTWARE USED: Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 7
in plain sight
Neela has lived on her lighthouse island for her entire life, while Devin is a nomad who with a gift wants to encourage her to see the world out there for herself. It takes that one gift for Neela to leave, and discover not only herself on the journey, but also what she wanted all along - which was always in plain sight for her.
The film focuses on Neela, and her journey of self-discovery as she travels a path completely her own, using a spyglass she is gifted by Devin. The spyglass represents the spark of courage Devin is giving her, as well as her not-so-secret romantic feelings. In the end, she realises that although she wants to travel, it is with Devin by her side, who happens to come to terms with her own feelings at the same time.
"In Plain Sight" is a 2D digital animation, and the culmination of Marta Kwasniewska's study at Sheffield Hallam University, being her graduation film. The film has strong LGBTQ+ themes, as Marta Kwasniewska wanted to make a film normalising LGBTQ+ relationships, as well as female lead characters, while wanting to make the film still family friendly.
SOFTWARE USED: Photoshop CC
growth
Crafting crepe-paper flowers is the first step to young Anna learning a new life lesson. Her Grandad helps her understand that through patience and hard-work, she can create an outcome that lasts longer and is even more beautiful than a couple of delicate paper flowers.
The film focuses on Anna’s growth as person in the early stages of development; with the flowers she is growing as a replacement for the paper flowers, being a symbol of her emotional advancement.
“Growth” is a 2D digital animation, the result of Marta Kwasniewska’s Creative Media Project during her study at Sheffield Hallam University. The visual design of the film takes inspiration from Marta Kwasniewska’s Polish heritage. It was heavily influenced by Polish folk art, as well as folk tales and traditions. The backgrounds imitate a paper cut out style, with paper-cut out art being traditionally used in Poland; and the characters wear outfits similar to the traditional Polish costumes.
SOFTWARE USED: Photoshop CC
shallow
Dana is a weeping willow dryad obsessed with beauty - namely her own. She spends her days staring at her own reflection in the lake. She gets irritated when something destroys the clear mirror surface of her lake - such as a duck or a passing mermaid living in the lake. She meets Viv - a mermaid who's about to show her that there is more to the lake than just a reflective surface.
SOFTWARE USED: Photoshop CC