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Shadow Blues

"Shadow Blues" is an experimental horror short film. I participated in various aspects of its development, including scriptwriting, storyboarding, rigging, concept art, animatic, prop modeling, rigging, look development, animation.

Synopsis: Dreams can reveal the fulfillment of hidden desires in the human unconscious. In this short-film, a frustrated blues musician finds the apparent solution to his problems in an unexpected journey to the world of dreams.

The project was developed using Maya, ZBrush, Substance Painter, After Effects, Premiere, and Photoshop.

Story & Art

The story was co-written with my friend Fernando Gama and inspired by Faustian narratives, such as the legend of Giuseppe Tartini, as well as myths connected to music, like those of Robert Johnson. We explored themes of ambition and the loneliness it can bring, using conceptual elements from psychology and blues music to deepen the narrative.

For the setting, we drew inspiration from the atmosphere of 1920s New Orleans, a period when blues was establishing itself as one of the most influential musical genres. This choice not only reinforces the film’s mood but also directly connects with the legacy of the legends that inspired the short film.

Technical Development

During production, I worked alongside Nathan, contributing to various areas, including rigging, prop modeling, look development, animation, editing, sound design, and credits.

The character animation was enriched by the collaboration of musician Luciano, whom we hired to compose the short film’s soundtrack. His recordings served as a reference for animating the characters, ensuring authenticity in their musical performances.

Given the limitations of our team, we aimed for a feasible scope that balanced deadlines and quality. To streamline the process, we shared the same rigging between characters, ensuring efficiency without compromising the final result, while also reusing assets across different scenes.