Sands United x COPA90 & EA FC
Saved by the Ball Series
ROLEs
3D Artist, Motion Designer, Interviewer, Creative Direction, Edit Assistant and Narrative.
"It's a bond that comes from something nobody wants to go through" - Zane Murray
Brief
Create a 60 sec short film for Instagram raising awareness for a team driving positive change in their community through football.
Sands United FC
– Sands United, part of Sands Charity, provides a UK-wide network for men who have experienced baby loss, offering a space to share grief, express emotions, or find a healthy escape.
– The project aimed to show the positive impact Sands United has on communities across the UK and how football helps these men move forward in life as they navigate their grief.
– I connected with with my local Sands United team in Solihull to be the feature for my project. The project focuses on Zane Murray, a player who joined Sands United Solihull after the loss of his daughter Ophelia in May 2022, sharing his story and experiences with the team.
Moodboard
Early in the project, I decided to use animation to visually convey the difficult emotions in Zane's story. This approach would effectively communicate his words while maintaining viewer engagement. I created a mood board for stylistic and narrative inspiration, focusing on a rough, hand-drawn style to reflect the emotional depth of his experience.
Style development tests
Using Alan Wyatt’s tradigital filter, I tested its application on a character, evaluating its interaction with light and animation. This streamlined production which was crucial for meeting the project deadline. I was pleased with the final look, as the "boiling effect" of the filter effectively conveyed the turbulent emotions of grief.
Production
We scheduled a filming session with Sands United Solihull during a training game, allowing us to engage with the players and understand the influence of Sands United. I conducted a 17-minute interview with Zane, which I later edited to 1:30 minutes to highlight his story. The editor then crafted the final 1-minute narrative. While editing, I noted key quotes and began storyboarding for the 3D section of the film.
Storyboard
After receiving the final edit of Zane's interview, I refined my storyboard for the animated scenes. I opted for a simple animation focusing on a character representing Zane in a dark space, rather than an abstract style, to create a stronger connection to Zane’s story and enhance the film’s emotional impact.
Shotlist
3D Production and symbolisation
I selected a colour palette reflecting sadness and grief, using blue to represent the deep sorrow Zane experienced. The dark environment symbolizes this period of his life, while purple, associated with death and grief, complements the blue. I kept the character's details minimal to signify a loss of identity during grief. Lastly, I gave the football a warm glow to symbolize hope and an escape from the darkness of grief.
Style Frames
