Meet Star Child

Afrofuturism

source: BGSTR

In addition to the show package, we were able to create a unique graphic ask for their episode about Afrofuturism - a concept that explores the intersection of the arts and science fiction through a Black lens and Black culture.

Inspired by things like Hair Love and the Boondock Saints, the ABC team was looking for a comic-book-inspired sequence to help explain what Afrofuturism is and its importance in celebrating Black pride and escapism from a tumultuous world.

Building off of the ABC team’s “star-child” concept, we landed on an illustrative direction by Art Director and Illustrator Jane Wu. Our illustrated sequence begins with Star-child in their bedroom, dressing up in a crafty, DIY superhero costume, and opening the door to chaos. When they open the door again, they’re transported to Ytasha Womack’s planetarium universe. And by the end of the episode, Star-child has become their fully realized self, in a shiny well-made costume, zooming through the galaxy, ready to take on the world.

Using cel animation and parallax techniques, our illustrators and animators really brought each piece to life, from the moment Star-child wakes up in their bedroom to the spin move of the fully-realized hero in space.

Pre-Production - Storyboard

Credits

Thanks so much to the ABC team for entrusting us with such an important series.

Check out new episodes on ABC and Hulu.

Show Package

• Founder, Executive Creative Director

  Josh Norton

• Executive Producer

  Carson Hood

• Producer

  Kristen Pritchett

• Main Title Designer

  DayDay

• Art Director

  Jane Wu

• Lead Animator

  Casey Drogin

Afrofuturism

• Founder, Executive Creative Director

  Josh Norton

• Executive Producer

  Carson Hood

• Producer

  Kristen Pritchett

• Art Director

  Jane Wu

• Design

  Carol Cai

• Animators

  Casey Drogin, Blake Patrick, Jane Wu