3:19 - Feature Film Animated Sequences
3:19 film trailer
The Who:
When former mathematician turned director, Dany Saadia, reached out from Mexico City about a film he was going to shoot in Spain, we were interested. When he said the animation would need to show the tragic story of two doomed geniuses without dialogue, we were in.
3:19 came to our studio through a fellow artist who had begun early character sketches, but the animated segments needed refinement and a cohesive artistic direction. Director Dany Saadia had already completed the script, and the animation was intended to reimagine key historical moments in a way that live-action couldn’t achieve. The challenge was creating something visually striking that also fit seamlessly into the larger film.
Working as both the Art Director and one of the Heads of Story, I helped establish the animation’s visual language and storytelling approach. I refined the early designs, developing them into stylized 3D characters that maintained the handcrafted look of traditional Mexican cut-out puppets. I handled most of the storyboarding, ensuring consistency across sequences and overseeing additional artists contributing to the boards. I also created hand-drawn layouts for sets and characters, many of which were scanned and digitized for texturing and animation. Beyond pre-production, I animated key scenes and later worked closely with the director, post-production supervisor, and colorist in Mexico City to integrate the animation into the final film, ensuring it aligned with the live-action footage.
As Art Director and one of the Heads of Story, I was responsible for refining the character designs, leading the storyboarding process, overseeing visual continuity, and ensuring the animated sequences were integrated seamlessly into the live-action film. I also contributed to animation and post-production, helping shape the final look of the film’s animated segments.
The What:
The animated sequences in 3:19 serve as a stylized retelling of historical events, inspired by traditional Mexican cut-out puppetry. This approach gave the animation a handcrafted quality while allowing for more expressive character performances through 3D animation techniques. The goal was to balance artistry with practicality—using animation to depict moments that would have been difficult or cost-prohibitive to film in live-action while maintaining a visual style that felt like an organic extension of the film.
The final product was well received, with 3:19 earning recognition at film festivals, including an Honorable Mention at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and Best Director at the Málaga Spanish Film Festival.
The smog-filled city view of the main industrial setting: Metal City
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