About Happy Haunts
"Happy Haunts" is a 3D animation created by Xander Morningstar and Selena Dornfeld for their 2020 thesis project in the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP - School of Art) at the University of Cincinnati. This piece tells the story of a young girl who is house sitting for a friend, with the unexpected twist that the house is actually haunted! The specter of this manor, is determined to spook the girl back to where she came, but that may not be easy as it would seem. It is aiming to be a roughly two minute animation that showcases learned skills in modeling, UV-ing, texturing, rigging, lighting, and animation.
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Conceptually, this piece was an exploration in character design, world building, timing, humor, and self expression. It was an exercise in woking on a piece of artwork, collaboratively. Each team member brings a different interest in the process of designing the animation, with the intense focus being translating dynamic poses in the body, to a kinetic, fluid form in an animation medium. In the conversation of starting this piece, Xander and Selena went with the approach of creating a piece that "is what it is" rather than pushing a more complex meaning in the narrative. After beginning the project, Xander and Selena brought on assistance and guidance from underclassmen, Ryan Bielecki, and former co-worker / DMC Adjunct Professor Matt Nelson.
About the Artists
Xander Morningstar is a 5th year Fine Arts student in the DAAP program at the University of Cincinnati, with an expected graduation in May of 2020. He worked primarily on modeling furniture in the house, and designing marketing material. He plans to graduate with a Bachelor's in Fine Arts, a minor in Marketing, a certificate in Animation, and certificate in Game Design.
@Morningshark
Selena Dornfeld is a 5th year Fine Arts student in the DAAP program at the University of Cincinnati, with an expected graduation in May of 2020. She was responsible for texturing, rigging, compositing, 2D Assets, and effects animation,
@selena.dornfeld2020
Dornfesr.Wixsite.com/Portfolio
Ryan Bielecki is a 3rd year Arts and Sciences students in the Digital Media Collaborative attending the University of Cincinnati. Ryan expects to graduate in May of 2021. His contribution includes the modeling of the two characters, the girl and the ghost, as well as the modeling of 3D objects in each scene such as boxes, the kitchen scene, 2D assets work etc. He plans to graduate with a Bachelors in Animation, a major in Digital Media.
@ryanb_arts