Animator Needed — Short Film "The Puppet" (Non-Dialogue, Performance-Driven)

We are looking for an exceptionally skilled character animator to bring a fully realised short animated film to life. "The Puppet" is a 4-minute 28-second non-dialogue film following a newly conscious wooden puppet through a single day of discovery, self-awareness, and emotional collapse — told entirely through physical performance and timing.

There is no dialogue. No score. The animator is the actor.

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ABOUT THE PROJECT

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This is a performance-driven character animation project with a complete script, storyboard, shot plan, timing sheet, and detailed animator brief already prepared. You are not being asked to develop the concept — you are being asked to execute it at the highest possible level.

The film is structured in four sequences:

• Awakening (Dawn) — 1 min 19 sec
• Learning to Walk (Morning) — 46 sec
• Self-Awareness / Mirror (Noon) — 58 sec
• Control & Break / Tantrum (Night) — 1 min 25 sec

The visual language is cinematic and restrained — long takes, locked-off cameras, two deliberate handheld moments, and a lighting grammar that shifts from warm gold to cold silver across the day. Style reference: stop-motion aesthetic or high-quality 3D, to be discussed.

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WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

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• Demonstrable mastery of character performance animation — weight, anticipation, follow-through, and above all, timing
• Experience animating non-dialogue, pantomime-style performance (this is the core skill; lip sync experience is irrelevant here)
• Ability to convey complex emotional states through body language and micro-movement — not facial over-animation
• Strong sense of comedic timing alongside the ability to hold dramatic stillness
• Familiarity with cinematic camera language (you will be working with specific camera rigs, not free-floating cameras)
• Portfolio that includes emotionally grounded character work — not just technical demos

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WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE

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• Full script (Production-ready)
• Complete storyboard and shot plan (23 shots, all sequenced and timed)
• Detailed Animator Project Brief (character bible, gesture vocabulary, camera rules, sound design notes, performance direction)
• Clear creative direction at every stage
• A project worth putting in your reel

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TO APPLY

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Please include:

1. A link to your portfolio or reel — specifically highlight any non-dialogue or pantomime character work

2. A brief note (3–5 sentences) on how you approach animating emotion without dialogue

3. Your estimated timeline for a project of this scope

4. Your rate (fixed price)

Generic applications will not be reviewed. We are looking for an animator who reads the brief and responds to it specifically.

This is a paid professional engagement. The right person will have genuine creative investment in character performance.