Fungal Fantasia

Motion Graphics 3D Animation

Collaborator

Eunseo Ryu

Concept
This whimsical narrative celebrates nature’s resilience and quiet beauty amidst human destruction. Fungi are reimagined as both nature’s decomposers and powerful agents of death and rebirth, adding a fantastical dimension to the crisis.

I put my character design skills to motion in this animation, where the characters' journey drives the narrative of nature's cyclical strength—an unstoppable force that humanity cannot fully undo.

Programs

Blender Nomad Sculpt

Cinema4D After Effects Magic Bullet Looks

Key Insights

Through this project, I learned how to seamlessly integrate research and storytelling in a collaborative environment. Balancing teamwork, creative problem-solving, and multi-software workflows enhanced my ability to bring complex ideas to life, while also maintaining visual coherence throughout the animation.

Full Sequence

Storyboard

Character Design

Character development was key, as the characters drive the narrative and blend reality with fantasy. While we started with real-life mushroom designs, the final characters evolved into more stylistic and unique forms, with distinct colors and shapes that better suit the fantastical setting.

Character Model & Rig

Low-poly characters were initially modeled in Blender, but to enhance the whimsical aesthetic, we applied hand-crafted textures using Nomad Sculpt. Finally, we imported the models into Cinema 4D to retopologize and ensure the polygon count was controlled.

Character Texture

While the environment leans towards photorealism, the characters’ textures have an organic, handcrafted feel. This contrast was intentional, enhancing the surreal, whimsical atmosphere in line with the title, Fungal Fantasia.

Animation

To replicate plant growth, we experimented with effectors and vertex maps to achieve a natural look. Spherical pixies were also introduced as a secondary element, driving the growth and adding a touch of whimsy to the animation.

Post-Production

The post-production process is where the magic truly came together. Using Magic Bullet Looks, we color-composited the scene to achieve a nocturnal atmosphere—dark yet magical, capturing the perfect balance of light and mood.

Credits

Eunseo Ryu: World building, 3d animation, character modeling, environment texture, post-production, sound editing

Heji Joo: World building, concepting, 3d animation, character design, character modeling, character texture, lighting

@Haksil_0113: Sound Design