Animate a 3–5 Minute Cinematic Sci-Fi Short Film (Hybrid / Full Character Animation)

Hello,

I’m producing a 3–5 minute animated sci-fi short film titled Mindwalker, and I’m looking for a skilled animator (or small team) to bring it to life.

This project is a cinematic proof-of-concept short that will be submitted to film festivals and used to develop a full animated series.

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PROJECT OVERVIEW

The story follows AJ, a teenager struggling with self-doubt, who is pulled into a distant world where he discovers he may be the last heir to a powerful bloodline. As his abilities awaken, he must confront both an interplanetary threat and the internal voice telling him he isn’t enough.

Tone:

• Emotional and cinematic

• Sci-fi with grounded character focus

• Inspired by Arcane, Love Death & Robots, and Invincible

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ANIMATION STYLE

This project is a hybrid between:

• Cinematic motion-comic (camera movement, lighting, parallax)

• Select full character animation (key scenes only)

This is NOT full frame-by-frame animation throughout, but key moments should feel alive, dynamic, and expressive.

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WHAT I ALREADY HAVE

• Full script (3–4 minutes, structured with scenes and timing)

• Production deck and shot list

• Character designs (consistent Midjourney style)

• Environment artwork (Elise, hallway, throne room, etc.)

• Some animated loop references (6-second clips)

• Existing trailer (for pacing reference only — style will change)

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WHAT STILL NEEDS TO BE CREATED

• Missing scenes (ex: arrest scene, power awakening sequence)

• Character placement into environments

• Visual effects (energy, portals, particles)

• Cohesive animation style across all scenes

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KEY SCENES

• School hallway (with dialogue + flashback cuts)

• Deli arrest flashback

• Portal activation

• Planet Elise reveal

• Lucious mentorship introduction

• Meeting Madam Serenity and Phoenix

• Training sequence

• Artifact discovery

• Final power awakening (major cinematic moment)

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AUDIO

• Narration already exists (temporary voiceover)

• Final voice acting will be added later

• Music and sound design can be basic or left minimal if needed to stay within budget

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BUDGET

$3,000 – $3,500 total

Open to milestone-based structure (preferred: 10–12 milestones)

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SUGGESTED MILESTONES

1. Style test (short sample scene)

2. Scene blocking / animatic polish

3. Hallway + flashback sequence

4. Portal sequence

5. Elise world reveal

6. Character intro scenes

7. Training sequence

8. Artifact scene

9. Power awakening (priority scene)

10. Final edit, transitions, and polish

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TIMELINE

4–6 weeks (flexible depending on workflow)

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IDEAL CANDIDATE

• Experience with cinematic animation (not just explainer videos)

• Strong sense of lighting, pacing, and storytelling

• Comfortable working with existing AI-generated assets

• Able to unify visual style across scenes

• Bonus: After Effects, Blender, or similar tools

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TO APPLY, PLEASE INCLUDE

• Portfolio (especially cinematic or story-driven work)

• Examples of similar animation styles

• Your approach to combining still assets with animation

• Timeline estimate

• Any ideas or suggestions for improving the project

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GOAL

Create a high-quality, festival-ready short film that feels like a real series pilot — visually compelling, emotional, and memorable.

Looking forward to collaborating.