← PLUM case study Character R&D · the search for the dream keeper

twenty directions. one kept.

a character is the hardest, most expensive thing in content, so we explore widely before we commit. twenty fully-formed creatures for PLUM, each turned front and side, framed close, and put through the full emotional range. three of them we took all the way into motion, looping animation studies to cast for performance, not just looks. then we chose Tuck.

IN-HOUSE R&D · 20 CHARACTERS × 9 RENDERS · 180 FRAMES

TUCKChosenMotion R&D a living corner of a child's blanket

Turnaround

TUCK Front — Front

TUCK Side — Side

TUCK Bust, front — Bust, front

TUCK Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

TUCK Joy — Joy

TUCK Sleepy — Sleepy

TUCK Wonder — Wonder

TUCK Worried — Worried

TUCK Sad — Sad

Animation R&D · looping motion studies, one of three directions taken into motion

Idle / settle

The unfold

Tired walk

Getting up

Clumsy hop

The tuck

Fear to comfort

Tuck + lantern

Chasing a dream

Climbing

FLICKMotion R&D a lantern-bug who lights the dark

Turnaround

FLICK Front — Front

FLICK Side — Side

FLICK Bust, front — Bust, front

FLICK Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

FLICK Joy — Joy

FLICK Sleepy — Sleepy

FLICK Wonder — Wonder

FLICK Worried — Worried

FLICK Sad — Sad

Animation R&D · looping motion studies, one of three directions taken into motion

Idle / hover

Lantern glow

Take-off

Loop flight

Chasing a dream

Tired / flickering

Fear to comfort

Landing

Guiding the way

Light trail

SKEINMotion R&D a ball of yarn that unravels into dreams

Turnaround

SKEIN Front — Front

SKEIN Side — Side

SKEIN Bust, front — Bust, front

SKEIN Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

SKEIN Joy — Joy

SKEIN Sleepy — Sleepy

SKEIN Wonder — Wonder

SKEIN Worried — Worried

SKEIN Sad — Sad

Animation R&D · looping motion studies, one of three directions taken into motion

Idle

Roll across

Bounce

Unravel a strand

Re-wind

Tired wobble

Fear to comfort

Getting up

Chasing a dream

Tangle & untangle

LUMEN a luna-moth that guides dreams home

Turnaround

LUMEN Front — Front

LUMEN Side — Side

LUMEN Bust, front — Bust, front

LUMEN Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

LUMEN Joy — Joy

LUMEN Sleepy — Sleepy

LUMEN Wonder — Wonder

LUMEN Worried — Worried

LUMEN Sad — Sad

NIMBUS a little cloud that holds the rain of dreams

Turnaround

NIMBUS Front — Front

NIMBUS Side — Side

NIMBUS Bust, front — Bust, front

NIMBUS Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

NIMBUS Joy — Joy

NIMBUS Sleepy — Sleepy

NIMBUS Wonder — Wonder

NIMBUS Worried — Worried

NIMBUS Sad — Sad

HOOT a sleepy owl, awake when you are not

Turnaround

HOOT Front — Front

HOOT Side — Side

HOOT Bust, front — Bust, front

HOOT Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

HOOT Joy — Joy

HOOT Sleepy — Sleepy

HOOT Wonder — Wonder

HOOT Worried — Worried

HOOT Sad — Sad

PLUSH a pillow that pulls you into sleep

Turnaround

PLUSH Front — Front

PLUSH Side — Side

PLUSH Bust, front — Bust, front

PLUSH Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

PLUSH Joy — Joy

PLUSH Sleepy — Sleepy

PLUSH Wonder — Wonder

PLUSH Worried — Worried

PLUSH Sad — Sad

LUNA a sliver of moon, kept by the bed

Turnaround

LUNA Front — Front

LUNA Side — Side

LUNA Bust, front — Bust, front

LUNA Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

LUNA Joy — Joy

LUNA Sleepy — Sleepy

LUNA Wonder — Wonder

LUNA Worried — Worried

LUNA Sad — Sad

ORI a paper crane folded from a wish

Turnaround

ORI Front — Front

ORI Side — Side

ORI Bust, front — Bust, front

ORI Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

ORI Joy — Joy

ORI Sleepy — Sleepy

ORI Wonder — Wonder

ORI Worried — Worried

ORI Sad — Sad

STARLET a kitten stitched from the night sky

Turnaround

STARLET Front — Front

STARLET Side — Side

STARLET Bust, front — Bust, front

STARLET Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

STARLET Joy — Joy

STARLET Sleepy — Sleepy

STARLET Wonder — Wonder

STARLET Worried — Worried

STARLET Sad — Sad

COCOA the warm steam of a bedtime drink

Turnaround

COCOA Front — Front

COCOA Side — Side

COCOA Bust, front — Bust, front

COCOA Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

COCOA Joy — Joy

COCOA Sleepy — Sleepy

COCOA Wonder — Wonder

COCOA Worried — Worried

COCOA Sad — Sad

SNUG a hot-water-bottle with a heartbeat

Turnaround

SNUG Front — Front

SNUG Side — Side

SNUG Bust, front — Bust, front

SNUG Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

SNUG Joy — Joy

SNUG Sleepy — Sleepy

SNUG Wonder — Wonder

SNUG Worried — Worried

SNUG Sad — Sad

SOCKS the sock that went missing, found at last

Turnaround

SOCKS Front — Front

SOCKS Side — Side

SOCKS Bust, front — Bust, front

SOCKS Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

SOCKS Joy — Joy

SOCKS Sleepy — Sleepy

SOCKS Wonder — Wonder

SOCKS Worried — Worried

SOCKS Sad — Sad

DROWSE a sloth who has all the time in the world

Turnaround

DROWSE Front — Front

DROWSE Side — Side

DROWSE Bust, front — Bust, front

DROWSE Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

DROWSE Joy — Joy

DROWSE Sleepy — Sleepy

DROWSE Wonder — Wonder

DROWSE Worried — Worried

DROWSE Sad — Sad

WINK a gnome in a very long nightcap

Turnaround

WINK Front — Front

WINK Side — Side

WINK Bust, front — Bust, front

WINK Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

WINK Joy — Joy

WINK Sleepy — Sleepy

WINK Wonder — Wonder

WINK Worried — Worried

WINK Sad — Sad

MOTE the shy fluff that lives under the bed

Turnaround

MOTE Front — Front

MOTE Side — Side

MOTE Bust, front — Bust, front

MOTE Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

MOTE Joy — Joy

MOTE Sleepy — Sleepy

MOTE Wonder — Wonder

MOTE Worried — Worried

MOTE Sad — Sad

GLIM a glowworm strung with little lanterns

Turnaround

GLIM Front — Front

GLIM Side — Side

GLIM Bust, front — Bust, front

GLIM Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

GLIM Joy — Joy

GLIM Sleepy — Sleepy

GLIM Wonder — Wonder

GLIM Worried — Worried

GLIM Sad — Sad

BARNABY a felt bear, stitched with care

Turnaround

BARNABY Front — Front

BARNABY Side — Side

BARNABY Bust, front — Bust, front

BARNABY Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

BARNABY Joy — Joy

BARNABY Sleepy — Sleepy

BARNABY Wonder — Wonder

BARNABY Worried — Worried

BARNABY Sad — Sad

DRIFT a jellyfish adrift in the dark

Turnaround

DRIFT Front — Front

DRIFT Side — Side

DRIFT Bust, front — Bust, front

DRIFT Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

DRIFT Joy — Joy

DRIFT Sleepy — Sleepy

DRIFT Wonder — Wonder

DRIFT Worried — Worried

DRIFT Sad — Sad

EMBER a gentle flame, the first nightlight

Turnaround

EMBER Front — Front

EMBER Side — Side

EMBER Bust, front — Bust, front

EMBER Bust, side — Bust, side

Emotional range

EMBER Joy — Joy

EMBER Sleepy — Sleepy

EMBER Wonder — Wonder

EMBER Worried — Worried

EMBER Sad — Sad

Back to the case study Tuck's character bible