2D Animated Short Film
Budget: $1,500 – $3,000 USD
TAG TEAM
Who: The New Parables – Independent film project
What: Short animated film (6–8 pages)
Style: blend Retro 8-bit video game → smooth, modern animation Mid-1980s pro-wrestling aesthetic
Rate: Open / negotiable (based on scope, experience, and
collaboration)
PROJECT OVERVIEW
We are seeking an animator to collaborate on a short
animated film for The New Parables, based on a 6-page
script, with the potential to expand to 7–8 pages
depending on pacing and visual storytelling.
The film opens in a distinct 8-bit, retro video game
style, as if the audience is entering an old-school arcade
game. This aesthetic is intentional and story-driven,
signaling heightened reality and mythic stakes from the
start.
WORLD & CHARACTERS
Setting:
A massive professional wrestling arena in the mid-1980s,
stylized but grounded in the spectacle of that era.
In the Ring:
• A tag team:
◦ A young boy (ages 10–13)
◦ His father
• Their opponent:
◦ The boy’s older sibling (ages 18–19)
All wrestlers wear luchador-style masks with covered
mouths, supporting the story’s mythology and allowing
for easy dubbing into multiple languages.
Ringside:
• Two commentators:
◦ One with a large, iconic mustache (covering his
mouth)
◦ One holding a microphone (over his mouth),
fully engaged in play-by-play
• A referee in the ring who communicates through
grunts or single-word lines
• A full audience filling the arena
VISUAL EVOLUTION & ACTION
As the camera moves closer to the ring, the animation
transitions from blocky 8-bit visuals into a smoother,
more detailed style, blending retro elements with modern
animation.
Once inside the ring, the film becomes fast-paced and
kinetic, featuring:
• Exaggerated wrestling moves
• Clear, physical storytelling
• High-impact, mythic action that feels larger than life
The motion should carry emotional weight while
maintaining clarity and rhythm.
I have a completed script for a short film that runs a little over three minutes, and now I need it brought to life through expressive 2D animation. Because I only have the script, I’ll rely on you to design a storyboard, refine the visual style, and carry the project all the way through to a polished final cut.
Key deliverables:
• Scene-by-scene storyboard (approved before animation begins)
• Animatic with rough timing and scratch audio
• Final 2D animation in 1080p (clean linework, colored, shaded)
• Working project files so I can archive every layer for future tweaks
Please include a link to samples that match the tone I’m after—narrative shorts, music videos, or commercial spots are all welcome as long as they show strong character animation and storytelling. If you’re comfortable handling sound design or original music as well, let me know; otherwise, I’ll handle the audio separately.
I’m ready to get started as soon as we lock in style frames and a schedule, and I’m happy to collaborate via Adobe Animate, Toon Boom, TVPaint, or a similar pipeline—whatever lets you do your best work.
Who: The New Parables – Independent film project
What: Short animated film (6–8 pages)
Style: blend Retro 8-bit video game → smooth, modern animation Mid-1980s pro-wrestling aesthetic
Rate: Open / negotiable (based on scope, experience, and
collaboration)
PROJECT OVERVIEW
We are seeking an animator to collaborate on a short
animated film for The New Parables, based on a 6-page
script, with the potential to expand to 7–8 pages
depending on pacing and visual storytelling.
The film opens in a distinct 8-bit, retro video game
style, as if the audience is entering an old-school arcade
game. This aesthetic is intentional and story-driven,
signaling heightened reality and mythic stakes from the
start.
WORLD & CHARACTERS
Setting:
A massive professional wrestling arena in the mid-1980s,
stylized but grounded in the spectacle of that era.
In the Ring:
• A tag team:
◦ A young boy (ages 10–13)
◦ His father
• Their opponent:
◦ The boy’s older sibling (ages 18–19)
All wrestlers wear luchador-style masks with covered
mouths, supporting the story’s mythology and allowing
for easy dubbing into multiple languages.
Ringside:
• Two commentators:
◦ One with a large, iconic mustache (covering his
mouth)
◦ One holding a microphone (over his mouth),
fully engaged in play-by-play
• A referee in the ring who communicates through
grunts or single-word lines
• A full audience filling the arena
VISUAL EVOLUTION & ACTION
As the camera moves closer to the ring, the animation
transitions from blocky 8-bit visuals into a smoother,
more detailed style, blending retro elements with modern
animation.
Once inside the ring, the film becomes fast-paced and
kinetic, featuring:
• Exaggerated wrestling moves
• Clear, physical storytelling
• High-impact, mythic action that feels larger than life
The motion should carry emotional weight while
maintaining clarity and rhythm.
I have a completed script for a short film that runs a little over three minutes, and now I need it brought to life through expressive 2D animation. Because I only have the script, I’ll rely on you to design a storyboard, refine the visual style, and carry the project all the way through to a polished final cut.
Key deliverables:
• Scene-by-scene storyboard (approved before animation begins)
• Animatic with rough timing and scratch audio
• Final 2D animation in 1080p (clean linework, colored, shaded)
• Working project files so I can archive every layer for future tweaks
Please include a link to samples that match the tone I’m after—narrative shorts, music videos, or commercial spots are all welcome as long as they show strong character animation and storytelling. If you’re comfortable handling sound design or original music as well, let me know; otherwise, I’ll handle the audio separately.
I’m ready to get started as soon as we lock in style frames and a schedule, and I’m happy to collaborate via Adobe Animate, Toon Boom, TVPaint, or a similar pipeline—whatever lets you do your best work.