Impossible 

  Journey

Client Aster

Agency Area 23

2024

Art Direction

Black women are 3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. Impossible Journey is an animated short film that addresses the urgent crisis in maternal health care in the US, using visual metaphors to approach the topic with the impact and craft it deserves. 

The film was built by a predominantly female team over a process that took over a year, produced in Brazil and NYC. Each frame was printed and painted meticulously to reveal the layers of reality our protagonist experiences throughout the story. Every aspect of the animation has metaphorical construction and meaning, just like the whole project built around it.

80%

of cases are preventable.

The Stork as a Metaphor

Using the fantastic universe of storks and their immediate connection with motherhood, the first and greatest metaphor we bring is the stork representing the female experience. The character's conception was created by many hands of female illustrators, mothers, predominantly black women.

We went through many different versions and paths, and each one contributed in some detail to the final version of our storks and their babies. Women conceiving and drawing the stork that represents them.

Scenario as a Metaphor

Each scenario was designed and constructed to represent violence suffered by black women on the real journey of motherhood. The increased risk of miscarriage, high rates of hemorrhage, lack of reception and dignified treatment, high blood pressure, unauthorized cesarean sections and so many other forms of violence. The natural forces that act against our protagonist are the metaphor for these situations that are unfortunately routine in the lives of black mothers.

43% of 

black women have an increased risk of miscarriage.

Black mothers

are 2x more likely to experience post-partum hemorrhaging.

Over 20%

of black women receive unwanted C-sections.

Painting as a Metaphor

The painting is a very important narrative element and connects us with the stork’s emotions. We wanted to modify the line, texture and look throughout the stork's journey. As if we were literally deconstructing the idealization of motherhood experience, as if everything was gradually blurring and falling apart until we reached the height of chaos and the danger of reality. To do this, we made a traditional 2D animation and printed more than 3000 frames, which were then painted manually, highlighting the protagonist stork.

Credits 

Direct Director YUCA

Production Company The Youth

Post-Production Company COLOSSAL

Executive Creative Director Eduardo Lubiazi and João Machado

Executive Producer Eduardo Lubiazi

Head of Production Daniel Maia

Art Directorion Rosa Eduardo Studio

Animation Director YUCA and Bruno Brasil

DOP Yuri Maranhão

Producer Yasmim Uehara and Mauricio Kazu Yamashita

Post-Production Coordinator Yasmim Uehara

Post-Production Coordinator Assistant Nicole Lia Rêgo da Silva and Ana Paula Godoy

Production Coordinator Carol Cherobim

Assistant Coordinator Camila Pires and Lu Krasa

Finance Department Iza Lubiazi

Head of Art YUCA

Art Director Eduardo Rosa

Animation Director YUCA and Bruno Brasil

Screenplay Viton Araújo and Eduardo Tavares

Editor Leonardo Salomão

Assistant Editor Victor Balestrin

Printing Studio Farbewerk Fine Art Lab

Printing producer Daniel Farbewerk

Painting Studio Ateliê 39

Painting Artists Ana Beatriz Artigas and João Paulo de Carvalho

2D Animation Supervisor Denis Bargos, Daniella Schuarts, Bruno Brasil and André Ruivo

VFX Supervision Rodrigo Stradiotto and Diogo Gameiro

Conform and Delivery Ricardo Jug

Character Design Beatrice Bandiera

Lead Concept Artists Beatrice Bandiera and Fabio Miraglia

Lead Illustration Beatrice Bandiera, Marília Mafé, Diogo Saraiva and Bruno Rosal

Concept Artist Marília Mafé, Taíssa Maia, Che Marcheti, Ana Maria Sena, Bennê Oliveira, Camilla Muniz, Cinthia Saty, Helô Rodrigues, Fabio Miraglia, Diogo Saraiva, Bruno Rosal, Daniel Cramer, Gabriel dos Anjos, Fernando Nas, João Capoulade, Douglas Lopes, Wilson Panassi and Felipe Parucci.

Storyboard Walfrido Monteiro

Previz Animation André Ruivo 2D

Animation Carol Caporrino, Nana Siqueira, Gabriela Chamorro Diniz, Danila Ribeiro, Thalyne Chrystyna, Gabrielle Paparelli, André Ruivo, Diones Ignacio, Robson Vilalba, Anderson Omori, Gilson Júnior de Souza Bastos, Bremo, Gui Kirinus, Geovani Angelo, Carlos Yury, Gui Klein, Sid Ahearne, Alexandre Sales, Gabriel Fraga, Gabriel Chagas, Robb Reis and Denis Bargos.

Motion Graphics and VFX Animation Nana Siqueira, Hermes de Lima and Fhilipe MarmoriJanaína da Veiga

Lead Clean-Up Mateuz Fernandes

2D Compositing Gabriel Rocha, Diego Eduardo Loz, Tiago Castro, Adelir Boeira, Lucas Santiago, Jean Lamin and Alan José Dias

Clean-Up / Painting Clara Luz Carvalho Salazar, Nana Siqueira, Giovanna Jahjah, Melissa Ferreira Sartor, Renata SHP, Brenda Maryan, Taiza Nogueira, Mateuz Fernandes, Robson Vilalba, Diones Ignacio, Dudu Querubins, Ulisses Jucá, Luiz Alvares, Pedro Solano, Thallyson Silvestre, Moacyr Neto, Diogo Saraiva, Carlos Yury, Lucas Batalha, Rosinaldo Lages, Josias Bosio, Bruno Mazzilli, Leonardo Vincensi, Rafael Sinnott, Lucas Moraes, Fabio Soro, Lucas Fernandes Siqueira, Jonatas Freire da Silva Souza, Rhuan Gonçalves de Oliveira de Farias, Diego Akel and Lucas Felipe Pereira

Compositing Michel Takahashi

Colorist Erick Moraes

3D Previz Lucas Lira

3D Animator Tiago da Silva

Still Craft Photographer Diego Cagnato

Stabilization Compositing Everton Ricardo Sabino (Tom) and Nícolas Braga de Medeiros Nicolak

Live action Director YUCA

DOP Yuri Maranhão

1st AC Jenny Desrosiers

Make-up Artist Cris Severo

Steadicam OP Emma Leavy

BB Melquan Q Ali

Sound Mixer Emily Strong

Producer Stella Bloss

Producer Livia Borjaile

PA/Driver Elijah Joseph Still

Photography Talitha Ramos

Casting Amanda Gabrielle Baia, Bruce Arturo McIntyre III, Camilla de Souza, Carla Williams, Denise Miller, Emilie Rodriguez and Sarry Nemorin

Portraits Painter Eduardo Rosa

Music Company Satélite Áudio

Music Direction Roberto Coelho, Kito Siqueira and Hurso Ambrifi

Account Fernanda Costa, Renata Schincariol, Daniel Chasin and Karen Nakamura

Music Production Roberto Coelho, Hurso Ambrifi, Thiago Colli, Koitty , Alexandre Avicena, Pedro Pelotas and Nando Diniz 

Post Production and Mixing Carla Cornea, Vithor Moraes, Arthur Dossa, Andre Giannini and Esteban Romero

Production Coordinator Camila Guedes, Letícia Oliveira, Bea Vieira and Mariana Tardelli

Special Thanks Filipe Zapelini and Cris Severo 

In memory of our beloved friend Juca Salomão

If you need illustration, concept art, art direction, or a full animation project,  send me a hello.

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