Flying Bark Productions on weaving together My Jumper, It Roars!

My Jumper, It Roars! was made by Flying Bark Productions, an Australian studio well-known for their use of stylized 2D animation. The creator behind this short film, Isabella Spagnolo, first developed the concept when Flying Bark hosted an internal pitch competition, inviting all staff members to submit their creative ideas. Isabella, then a 2D animator working on the hit series LEGO's Monkie Kid, pitched a concept based on a poem she wrote, capturing the whimsical journey of a young person finding their voice through a magical jumper. The idea captivated her colleagues and production on the short began soon after.

The short film is a coming-of-age tale brimming with comedy and sentimentality. Inspired by Isabella's personal sketches and poems, the film explores themes of self-discovery through the lens of magical realism. The jumper takes the audience on a whimsical adventure that reflects the protagonist's inner growth and voice. Flying Bark Productions brought this vision to life with remarkable creativity and dedication. Using Toon Boom Harmony, the team expertly used vector animation to simulate the sweater's texture along with dramatic lighting effects to create the film's visual language. This resulted in a visually striking and emotionally resonant film that has garnered acclaim and awards on the international film festival circuit.

Join us as we discuss the project with Isabella to delve deeper into the making of My Jumper, It Roars! and explore the artistry that make this short film a standout in the world of animation.

In a brief summary, please introduce My Jumper It Roars to our readers!

Isabella: My Jumper, It Roars! is Flying Bark Productions’ first ever short film. In 2020, Flying Bark held an internal pitch competition across the company. All staff (including those in non-creative roles) were invited to anonymously pitch a short film concept with the winning pitch to be produced and funded by Flying Bark Productions.

At the time, I was a 2D animator on Sarah Harper’s hit LEGO Monkie Kid, and I pitched my idea for a film based on my poem My Jumper, It Roars!. The poem beautifully captured the metaphor of a young person's journey finding their voice via a much-loved piece of clothing coming to life with a magical whimsy. The judging team of senior producers and creatives were captivated by the originality of my vision and drawn to its charming characters and heart.

How did the idea for the project come to being?

Isabella: The story was born from a poem I wrote and some amusing drawings I made of a woman struggling to control her very playful jumper in my sketchbooks. It is a coming-of-age adventure about discovering the power of our own 'voice,' full of comedy and pathos. I have always been drawn to writing stories exploring the inner self ever since I was at university. I find that magical realism can provide a strong framework for compelling storytelling. And I have always felt that animation is the perfect medium to visualize this territory.

My jumper, It roars! by Isabella Spagnolo

My jumper, it roars -
Far louder than I ever could.

I wear it to the pools,
I wear it to school,
I wear it even when I drool.
You see, it makes me feel free.
Though, for buttons and sleeves,
It can get quite peeved,
For always being worn - by me.

In that crisp autumn breeze,
I stand with ease,
And Jumper’s sleeves - they sway.
Up and around,
And all over town,
Jumper certainly has a lot to say!

“I’m dirty, I’m worn,
Young lady I’m forlorn!
Give me peace and give me rest,
For I don’t look at all my best.
Now off I come and off I go,
I need a wash now, as you know.”

Who were the key team members and their responsibilities on the project?

Isabella: My Jumper, It Roars! was an original idea I wrote, directed and animation supervised for Flying Bark Productions. As an emerging director who had been empowered by the Flying Bark leadership team, I embraced the belief that a good leader should empower others. Some of the most talented upcoming artists from the Flying Bark team were given their first opportunity to lead teams on this project. They too inspired their respective teams and facilitated a production that was a true passion project for all involved. Our team was a reflection of Flying Bark’s creator-driven ethos and commitment to talent development. 

Joshua Reh (art director) worked hand-in-hand with me to create a unique look to the project that ambitiously pushed Flying Bark’s beloved 2D style to new heights. Collaborating with Marthe Strand Mourier’s (lead visual development artist) ingenious creativity, they both excelled at bringing the charm and heart of Jumper’s story to life as they designed a beautiful, bold style for the film that is a visual feast for audiences.

Yori Narpati (character designer) brilliantly designed an appealing, anthropomorphic jumper (voiced by Matthew Predney) along with our endearing heroine Ellie (voiced by Tess Meyer). Yori celebrated illustrative techniques in the designs and elegant linework through the characters. Samuel Read (character layout lead) worked attentively to ensure that the integrity of the charming designs were maintained, but also pushed, in dynamic and appealing posing throughout the film.

Xiang Tang (animation director) inspired the animation team to create yet another project with world famous animation quality and captivating character performance that fans have come to know and love Flying Bark for. I assisted Xiang and took on the role of Animation Supervisor for the first time, bringing my experience in all stages of 2D animation to the role.

Linden Li (colourscript and colour design) brilliantly brought to life my vision for a short film that would use colour and light in a non-realistic way to reflect the character’s emotions to the audience. Avery Sohee Park (BG colour lead) brought a passion for colour, and great skill in realising the very expressive colour design of the film in the painting of the backgrounds. Avery and Linden excelled in creating one of Flying Bark’s most visually striking 2D projects to date.

Alysha Chua (FX lead) is a true creative problem solver in how she expertly tackled the complex wool-related FX to create a visual spectacle for audiences. Including excelling at the impossible task of animating a woollen ocean and wool-related FX! 

Adriana Duran (Technical Animation Supervisor) brought the polish and technical prowess that Flying Bark’s crew are known for. A ‘queen’ of the Toon Boom Harmony node network she expertly utilized its features to enhance the final look of the animation and complement the story.

These leaders and the entire team on Jumper, brought their absolute all to their roles because they were passionate about my vision.  Collaborating with this entire crew has been, and always will be a highlight of my career.

Are there any notable influences on the short film, or references for its environment and character design?

Isabella: This whimsical story is told using a visual style that embraces charming linework, bold colours and dramatic lighting choices born from a love of traditional, hand-drawn styles. The reference to early European illustration can be felt throughout as it is a true homage to my heritage and history; the story of mother and daughter, and familial connection, living in the visuals as well as the story itself. 

The sets play on perspective, working in harmony with the characters to reveal the story to the audience. The spaces grow more and more exaggerated as Jumper comes to life and pushes Ellie to use her voice throughout the film. The set-pieces and colour design are reflective of the emotions and experiences that Ellie is going through. Again, these are those inspirations drawn from surrealist cinema and French animation techniques that favour subjectivity, pattern, poetry and illustration over realism. The play on these tropes is that they are flipped on their head and embedded in an uplifting story that we all can relate to.

Can you share how you created the stylized look of the character design of your protagonist?

Isabella: The characters are inspired by French animation’s charming line work, strong shapes and silhouettes. They feel organic like pencil drawings, since their designs favour illustration over realism. This was the cornerstone of my directorial vision; to have the designs pay homage to the way animation can immerse us into imagined worlds like no other medium can.

The line work on Ellie, our protagonist, is flowy and soft but certainly not without form. We specifically designed Ellie to have distinct sculptural lines on her face that define the nose. This is to reinforce the hand-drawn charm of the character and to add an organic flow to the facial features. We were inspired by the way studios like Cartoon Saloon and artists like Dr Seuss, create very appealing and imaginative designs that feel like they came to life from a storybook.

How were the psychedelic scenes featuring her jumper created?

Isabella: The psychedelic scenes where Ellie and the Jumper are transported to the ‘Woollen World’ inside of the Jumper, were an exciting blend of traditional artistry and technical skill. Segments of the portal were designed digitally to replicate organic concept designs and fit in nicely with the woollen world visual language. Bold and playful colours were used to wow the audience and add to the whimsy of entering the whacky fantasy realm. Segments of colour and texture were then manipulated using Toon Boom Harmony’s 3D perspective capabilities to add depth to the portal scenes. This sequence is one that audiences find particularly memorable for its inventiveness and visual appeal.

The woollen world is an extension of the Jumper itself, the designs such as the dancing thread, woollen waves and even land formations were all carefully developed to feel believable and fit within the world.

What were the main challenges on My Jumper, It Roars! and how were they overcome?

Isabella: After being selected as the winner of the pitch competition, I was given the opportunity to professionally direct my own project for Flying Bark which was greenlit in 2021. This meant the majority of production took place during the pandemic. Flying Bark invested heavily in tech and infrastructure during Sydney’s lockdown to ensure the whole team could overcome the logistical challenges of remote production. In many ways, My Jumper, It Roars! became a morale booster for the team during this time. The benefits of a small team on the short film meant that I was able to take a hands-on approach to directing and communicated closely (albeit digitally) with all artists who worked on the project. This helped the team feel connected, inspired and mentored which was very important to me.

Throughout the production, I found that the journey from loud-kid to quiet-adult is one shared by many young women. To the crew and I, who shared stories of when we felt unheard and unseen, this short film pays tribute to the seemingly humble pursuit of asserting yourself as a confident young person in a very loud world that is so often discouraging to new voices. Life truly imitated art on this production as I embraced my directorial debut - inspiring an international team of emerging artists to trust their own voices with me, in a unique and fresh collaboration. This approach of empowering emerging voices in animation reaped rewards instantly as the short film became a film festival darling. It has received critical acclaim and numerous awards on its very successful international film festival run. 

With a jumper as a central character, what was the approach to colour and texture in the animation?

Isabella: Joshua Reh and I worked closely together to develop a visual language for wool that was stylised to suit the film and interesting to look at. Utilising Toon Boom Harmony’s powerful node network, the vector animation was able to simulate the textured linework in the backgrounds. Lighting and colours that wrapped the characters were also designed with an organic edge to add to the hand-drawn look and bring the elements of the film together.

This helped the team create a believable woollen Jumper and ‘Woollen World’ that looked inviting, tactile and charming. Patternmaking in the linework was used throughout the sets and designs in order to uniquely stylise the way wool looked in our film too.

How did Toon Boom Harmony help you realize your vision for My Jumper It Roars?

Isabella: Flying Bark Productions has set an industry standard for how versatile Toon Boom Harmony can be for 2D productions. Over the years they have developed a successful pipeline that allows them to complete many stages in the one program which creates a smooth workflow between teams. This is in large part due to the innovative capabilities of Toon Boom Harmony’s node network and vector based format which allows for polish and versatility that suits the 2D animation standard that Flying Bark prides itself in.

For My Jumper, It Roars! Toon Boom Harmony allowed the creative team to bring to life the vibrant final look through cleanup and initial compositing that were completed using the program’s exciting node network features. The team also developed custom pencil textures that allowed us to accurately translate the charming linework from the concept art into a vector based program. Flying Bark’s 2D productions are beloved for their attention to detail and cohesion in our compositing stages. It is the growing technological capabilities of Toon Boom Harmony’s node network that inspire and allow our artists to continue to make our projects look so unique.

Does My Jumper, It Roars! have an overarching message, or lesson? 

Isabella: My Jumper, It Roars! tells an uplifting story that I hope inspires audiences to resign the fears that often prevent us from living life to the fullest – those fears that make us shy – shifting away from observing life to actively participate in it. The story urges the audience to come full circle and rekindle that childhood confidence into adulthood, embracing the power of your own voice and how you can affect small but substantial change in the world. As a woman in a very male-dominated entertainment industry, this story was very personal to me and our team.

Ellie herself is a woman who grows discouraged by the world to use her voice and be heard. She eventually allows her voice to be snuffed out completely as she stops expressing herself and hides in her jumper. Her journey is one that all of us face as we become young adults - not only finding our voice but also finding value in our ideas too.

What did you and your team learn the most from the project?

Isabella: Our passionate team proved that Australia has a lot to continue to offer the animation industry. The award-winning short film has received high praise from judges and audiences all over the world who resonated with the relatable story and ground-breaking visuals. 

I learned that when artists are given autonomy over the work they love to do and feel valued, they shine. The team on My Jumper, It Roars! embraced the chance to really show-off what our Flying Bark team was capable of at this exciting point in the growth of the company. Coming off of the success of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and LEGO Monkie Kid, a short film felt like the perfect milestone to continue to celebrate our in-house talent and 2D pipeline. Toon Boom's programs are a strong component of what makes our process of animation creation so streamlined and successful.

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• Interested in seeing more from the team behind My Jumper, It Roars? You can find Isabella Spagnolo on Instagram at @ladybugbells and be sure to visit Flying Bark Productions' website.
• Ready to start production on your animated short? Artists can download a 14-day trial of Toon Boom Harmony.