I just finished my first short film Deep Dive (stop-motion / 3D hybrid), and it was also my first time building a character using needle felting.

Overall
I really loved the material. Under lighting it reads as very soft and “alive,” which worked great for animation. It gives a kind of organic presence that’s hard to fake with smoother materials.

Unexpected problem - staining
I used a bit of water to set the felt in place so it wouldn’t shift during animation.
After a while, red-brown spots started appearing on the hands of the puppet.
Pretty sure it was a reaction between the water and the metal armature inside (rust/oxidation).
If you’re doing something similar:
wrap/seal the wire really well before felting, especially in thin areas like fingers.

Silhouette issues (in post)
The texture that makes felt beautiful also made it tricky-edges aren’t very clean.
In some shots it was harder to get a clear silhouette, especially against similar backgrounds.

Would love to hear if others ran into similar issues with armatures + moisture.

Pics show some of the process + puppet.

If you’re curious, the film is now online: https://vimeo.com/1187770376

I just finished my first short film Deep Dive (stop-motion / 3D hybrid), and it was also my first time building a character using needle felting.

Overall
I really loved the material. Under lighting it reads as very soft and “alive,” which worked great for animation. It gives a kind of organic presence that’s hard to fake with smoother materials.

Unexpected problem - staining
I used a bit of water to set the felt in place so it wouldn’t shift during animation.
After a while, red-brown spots started appearing on the hands of the puppet.
Pretty sure it was a reaction between the water and the metal armature inside (rust/oxidation).
If you’re doing something similar:
wrap/seal the wire really well before felting, especially in thin areas like fingers.

Silhouette issues (in post)
The texture that makes felt beautiful also made it tricky-edges aren’t very clean.
In some shots it was harder to get a clear silhouette, especially against similar backgrounds.

Would love to hear if others ran into similar issues with armatures + moisture.

Pics show some of the process + puppet.

If you’re curious, the film is now online: https://vimeo.com/1187770376

I just finished my first short film Deep Dive (stop-motion / 3D hybrid), and it was also my first time building a character using needle felting.

Overall
I really loved the material. Under lighting it reads as very soft and “alive,” which worked great for animation. It gives a kind of organic presence that’s hard to fake with smoother materials.

Unexpected problem - staining
I used a bit of water to set the felt in place so it wouldn’t shift during animation.
After a while, red-brown spots started appearing on the hands of the puppet.
Pretty sure it was a reaction between the water and the metal armature inside (rust/oxidation).
If you’re doing something similar:
wrap/seal the wire really well before felting, especially in thin areas like fingers.

Silhouette issues (in post)
The texture that makes felt beautiful also made it tricky-edges aren’t very clean.
In some shots it was harder to get a clear silhouette, especially against similar backgrounds.

Would love to hear if others ran into similar issues with armatures + moisture.

Pics show some of the process + puppet.

If you’re curious, the film is now online: https://vimeo.com/1187770376

I just finished my first short film Deep Dive (stop-motion / 3D hybrid), and it was also my first time building a character using needle felting.

Overall
I really loved the material. Under lighting it reads as very soft and “alive,” which worked great for animation. It gives a kind of organic presence that’s hard to fake with smoother materials.

Unexpected problem - staining
I used a bit of water to set the felt in place so it wouldn’t shift during animation.
After a while, red-brown spots started appearing on the hands of the puppet.
Pretty sure it was a reaction between the water and the metal armature inside (rust/oxidation).
If you’re doing something similar:
wrap/seal the wire really well before felting, especially in thin areas like fingers.

Silhouette issues (in post)
The texture that makes felt beautiful also made it tricky-edges aren’t very clean.
In some shots it was harder to get a clear silhouette, especially against similar backgrounds.

Would love to hear if others ran into similar issues with armatures + moisture.

Pics show some of the process + puppet.

If you’re curious, the film is now online: https://vimeo.com/1187770376

I just finished my first short film Deep Dive (stop-motion / 3D hybrid), and it was also my first time building a character using needle felting.

Overall
I really loved the material. Under lighting it reads as very soft and “alive,” which worked great for animation. It gives a kind of organic presence that’s hard to fake with smoother materials.

Unexpected problem - staining
I used a bit of water to set the felt in place so it wouldn’t shift during animation.
After a while, red-brown spots started appearing on the hands of the puppet.
Pretty sure it was a reaction between the water and the metal armature inside (rust/oxidation).
If you’re doing something similar:
wrap/seal the wire really well before felting, especially in thin areas like fingers.

Silhouette issues (in post)
The texture that makes felt beautiful also made it tricky-edges aren’t very clean.
In some shots it was harder to get a clear silhouette, especially against similar backgrounds.

Would love to hear if others ran into similar issues with armatures + moisture.

Pics show some of the process + puppet.

If you’re curious, the film is now online: https://vimeo.com/1187770376

I just released my short film Deep Dive after a 2-year festival run.

It’s a stop-motion / 3D hybrid built around a very minimal setup - a diver on a board in a void.

Most of the process went into visual development:
figuring out how can I use this space to create interesting compositions.
I put in allot of thought for how the board should bend, and how small changes in posture or timing affect the shot.

A lot of decisions came down to testing - adjusting proportions using a 3D layout, contrast, and movement until the frame felt just right.

Would be curious how others here approach visual development, added some pics of the process.

Film is here if you want to take a look: https://vimeo.com/1187770376

I just finished my first short film Deep Dive (stop-motion / 3D hybrid), and it was also my first time building a character using needle felting.

Overall
I really loved the material. Under lighting it reads as very soft and “alive,” which worked great for animation. It gives a kind of organic presence that’s hard to fake with smoother materials.

Unexpected problem - staining
I used a bit of water to set the felt in place so it wouldn’t shift during animation.
After a while, red-brown spots started appearing on the hands of the puppet.
Pretty sure it was a reaction between the water and the metal armature inside (rust/oxidation).
If you’re doing something similar:
wrap/seal the wire really well before felting, especially in thin areas like fingers.

Silhouette issues (in post)
The texture that makes felt beautiful also made it tricky-edges aren’t very clean.
In some shots it was harder to get a clear silhouette, especially against similar backgrounds.

Would love to hear if others ran into similar issues with armatures + moisture.

Pics show some of the process + puppet.

If you’re curious, the film is now online: https://vimeo.com/1187770376

My first short film Deep Dive just finished its festival run.
It’s a short stop-motion / 3D hybrid.
Over 2 years I submitted to 100+ festivals across 39 countries.
Here’s what I picked up along the way:

You just need one thing that works
After finishing the film, I asked people: what makes it stand out?
Does it have great cinematography or a strong concept? Does it touch current events or has a sharp script? Visuals? Emotion?
Whatever the answer is, lean into it.
Your synopsis, logline, and poster should all reflect that strength, so it’s easier for the programmer to relate to it.

Film stills are your first impression
Take the time to carefully pick your best frames.
I spent time selecting and polishing frames, and those ended up being used for festival promos and covers.

You already have a “no” if you don’t submit
I wasn’t always confident in the film, but that’s kind of the point.
Submitting is the only way something can happen.
Not submitting is a guaranteed rejection.
Once you take the first step and start sending your film, that’s when you start moving towards other futures.

It doesn’t have to be expensive
My total submission budget was about $100 (birthday gift from a friend).
When I look back on my submission sheets, turns out most festivals I got into were actually free.

If you’re curious, the film is now online:
https://vimeo.com/1187770376?fl=ip&fe=ec