The CMU Spring Carnival this week has shortened our production timeline, giving us only three workdays to focus on our animation progress.
Following our latest team consensus, our project has pivoted; we are now developing a video demo with integrated musical elements rather than a traditional music video. Despite this shift, we remain committed to a high level of polish. Our faculty consultant, Mo, provided valuable feedback on Wednesday after reviewing our animatic. He highlighted the Hallway scene as particularly effective, noting how the differing walking speeds between Light and Shadow create a compelling dynamic as Light pulls ahead.
We also discussed the dramatic exterior fight scene, which Mo flagged as being slightly over-the-top for our current direction. As a result, we have decided to pivot the final scenes to evoke a sense of pain rather than rage. Guided by the idea that the opposite of love is disappointment rather than hate, the Light character will now walk away with a sense of dejection. This movement will mirror the earlier hallway scene, ultimately leaving Shadow alone in the bleak winter setting.
Mo noted that the interaction between Shadow and Light shares a thematic resonance with the Pixar short Day & Night, a reference previously mentioned by John. Day & Night serves as a powerful model for how character interaction and environmental shifts can create profound emotional impact.
Day & Night:
The most significant takeaway from our session with Mo was the recommendation to prioritize a few key moments, ensuring they are positively memorable for the final presentation. While we will keep that goal in mind, it is important to acknowledge that perfectionism can serve as a barrier to sharing work-in-progress. There remains a general societal stigma against revealing vulnerable or “ugly” early drafts; however, we must continue to overcome that fear and embrace the value of showing our process, especially internally, with our teammates.
4/6-4/10/2026