Where CREATIVITY finds CLARITY
The Challenge
PlayStation and Firewalk Studios needed a series of character-driven short films to launch Concord. The brief was ambitious: combine the grounded, dialogue-heavy filmmaking of a drama like Succession with a bespoke, 1990s-inspired anime look.
A Story in a Still Life
By sculpting personality directly into the model, we ensured the character's essence was baked in from the start, rather than being an afterthought for the animators.
We asked critical story-driven questions during the sculpt: How does a younger version of this star stand? What is their attitude? Posing the sculpt helped us answer these questions. This iterative, sculpt-first process proved that a character's narrative begins long before the first frame of animation—it starts the moment you begin to sculpt.
The Challenge
PlayStation and Firewalk Studios needed a series of character-driven short films to launch Concord. The brief was ambitious: combine the grounded, dialogue-heavy filmmaking of a drama like Succession with a bespoke, 1990s-inspired anime look.
A Story in a Still Life
By sculpting personality directly into the model, we ensured the character's essence was baked in from the start, rather than being an afterthought for the animators.
We asked critical story-driven questions during the sculpt: How does a younger version of this star stand? What is their attitude? Posing the sculpt helped us answer these questions. This iterative, sculpt-first process proved that a character's narrative begins long before the first frame of animation—it starts the moment you begin to sculpt.
The Challenge
PlayStation and Firewalk Studios needed a series of character-driven short films to launch Concord. The brief was ambitious: combine the grounded, dialogue-heavy filmmaking of a drama like Succession with a bespoke, 1990s-inspired anime look.
A Story in a Still Life
By sculpting personality directly into the model, we ensured the character's essence was baked in from the start, rather than being an afterthought for the animators.
We asked critical story-driven questions during the sculpt: How does a younger version of this star stand? What is their attitude? Posing the sculpt helped us answer these questions. This iterative, sculpt-first process proved that a character's narrative begins long before the first frame of animation—it starts the moment you begin to sculpt.
The Challenge
PlayStation and Firewalk Studios needed a series of character-driven short films to launch Concord. The brief was ambitious: combine the grounded, dialogue-heavy filmmaking of a drama like Succession with a bespoke, 1990s-inspired anime look.
A Story in a Still Life
By sculpting personality directly into the model, we ensured the character's essence was baked in from the start, rather than being an afterthought for the animators.
We asked critical story-driven questions during the sculpt: How does a younger version of this star stand? What is their attitude? Posing the sculpt helped us answer these questions. This iterative, sculpt-first process proved that a character's narrative begins long before the first frame of animation—it starts the moment you begin to sculpt.
Story & World Building
We didn't just animate; we wrote. Our Creative Director, Jon Saunders, digested the deep lore to craft scripts that paired specific characters for maximum dramatic friction.
We led the full 360-degree development. By understanding the game's "POV" on the world, we ensured narrative and visual identity evolved together. This wasn't just action; it was character study.
New Identity
Overview: We reimagined the game's 3D assets into a fresh, vintage anime aesthetic.
We took the "Freegunners" from in-engine assets and translated them into production-ready target renders. The goal was specific nostalgia—crisp lines and bold colors—while maintaining the fidelity required for a modern release.
The Challenge
PlayStation and Firewalk Studios needed a series of character-driven short films to launch Concord. The brief was ambitious: combine the grounded, dialogue-heavy filmmaking of a drama like Succession with a bespoke, 1990s-inspired anime look.
Front-Loaded
To make 3D behave like anime, we had to think in 2D first. We invested heavily in high-fidelity 2D animatics as our blueprint.
Read More: By collaborating with 2D animators (partnering with studios like Ninoc), we created a finessed guide that locked in timing and energy early. This "front-loaded" approach de-risked production, allowing our 3D team to focus purely on execution.
A Story in a Still Life
By sculpting personality directly into the model, we ensured the character's essence was baked in from the start, rather than being an afterthought for the animators.
We asked critical story-driven questions during the sculpt: How does a younger version of this star stand? What is their attitude? Posing the sculpt helped us answer these questions. This iterative, sculpt-first process proved that a character's narrative begins long before the first frame of animation—it starts the moment you begin to sculpt.
● Director / Antoine Perez ● Producer / Katerina Grecová ● Art Director / Anne Raffin ● Production Manager / Anne Raffin
