Current Projects
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Current Projects *
RDCWorld1 x DreamCon 2025
I was featured at DreamCon 2025! Here’s a description of the project, my role, and my thought process behind each step.
RDCWorld1 is one of my favorite content creator groups, so when I had the opportunity to work for them I jumped at the chance!
Dream Con is a culture-shifting convention created by RDC that celebrates anime, gaming, and Black creativity. Since its founding in 2018, it has grown into one of the most vibrant fan gatherings in the country. The event highlights diverse voices in spaces that are often dominated by mainstream media. From cosplay and esports to original animated premieres, Dream Con brings storytelling, fandom, and community together.
In 2025, the convention made headlines with high-profile guests and announcements. Its growing cultural impact has positioned the convention as a powerful platform for creators working at the intersection of pop culture and representation.
Background
Synopsis
CleanUniform is a series created by RDC member Affiong Harris. The series follows Dasobi and Yung Kleen, two polar opposites who both have the power to activate UNIFORMS, powerful forms which give them elemental powers. The duo navigate drug deals, criminal organizations, and their roles within the streets.
Teaser trailer for CleanUniform
My Role
Still from final video
I animated 4 character-driven scenes featuring Dasobi, which emulated old CD music videos, while still providing dynamic content and anime sensibilities. My task was to take rough boards and elevate them into final, full-color sequences, while maintaining RDC’s anime-rooted movement vocabulary and Clean Uniform’s design aesthetic.
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Dasobi
Music Videos and Intro
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4 unique scenes with a total of 25 sec of animation
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Keyframe animation
Clean-up and in-betweens
Coloring
Character consistency and expressivity
The Brief
CD Commercial used as inspiration.
Client: Affiong Harris
Project Manager: Lizzie Ashliegh
Partner: RDCWorld1
Event Premiere: DreamCon 2025
My Role: 2D Character Animator
Project Type: Short-form animated music promo
Timeline: 6 Weeks
DreamCon is one of the most dynamic conventions in the U.S., celebrating anime, gaming, and Black creativity. For this year’s event, Aff, a member of RDCWorld1, launched a series of animated commercials spotlighting two original characters, Dasobi and Yung Kleen. The project combined music, movement, and visual storytelling, inviting fans into the universe of each performer through stylized micro-shorts.
Character Design: Dasobi
The process began with internal character sheets and design references. While I wasn’t responsible for the initial character design, I used these materials to define pose language, facial exaggeration, and gesture arcs in my keyframes. The goal was to maintain a crisp, dynamic energy that combined the vibe of classic CD-era music videos with modern anime-style aesthetics.
Character Turn Around
Based off of the provided character sheet
Animation Pipeline
After being given a storyboard for each scene, I started with laying out the keyframes. From there I would create the rough animation which would lead into clean lines and then full color. If I had more time, and owned the compositing, I would’ve also loved to finesse lighting, shadows, and environmental FX. But within the scope, I focused on maximizing clarity, snap, and expressive poses.
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Here I’m focused on expression, posing, and composition. How do I convey Dasobi’s character and emotion within the scene? What are unique moments that can bring these out?
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Here I’m focused solely on movement and timing. How and when does Dasobi get to each key pose?
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Here I am focused on quality and consistency, making sure that Dasobi matches the character and expression sheet throughout the scene. This is also known as staying “on-model.”
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This is where the base color is applied. Dasobi had two color palettes: one for his normal atttire and one for when his “UNIFORM” activated.
Scene 4 from roughs to full color
Watch the Full Video Here!
Spec Work: Compositing & Background Design
While i was not responsible for designing backgrounds or compositing in the final video, I used this opportunity to refine my skills in these disciplines. The scene below is a speculative example of what I would do if I had control over these areas.
Backgrounds
Still from initial storyboard
My version of scene 2’s background
Alternate color palette used for special effects
Full render of my version of scene 2 if I had full creative control.
PICKPOCKET
A page dedicated to the design process behind Pickpocket. Check out the breakdown and inspirations behind things like character designs, logo designs, worldbuilding, and animation. Updated weekly.
Currently writing an animated series targeting teens and young adults. PICKPOCKET follows protagonists Mia and Indusa as they discover themselves while navigating a dystopian near future ruled by gambling and consumerism.
synopsis
In a society stratified by social credit and powerful abilities, every year the annual Roulette designates a Pickpocket to participate in a bloodsport designed to bar access into the best high school in the nation. After a tragedy frames two girls from opposing social castes as fugitives, Mia and Indusa have to outwit Nexia as the unwavering police force pursues them.
CHARACTER ART
mia
A former Pickpocket who was successful and now goes to Legacy Academy free of cost. Born and raised in Los Suenos, Mia wants to use the opportunity given to her by winning the Roulette in order to game the system and help out her Mom. After helping the current Pickpocket, Indusa, brandishes her a fugitive, Mia finds agency within a found community and strives to dismantle the system instead of work within it.
Apathetic, cynical, rebellious, good natured
indusa
A member of the Founding Families who was disowned after being marked. After being disowned Indusa is named the current Pickpocket and has to learn how to survive the ruthless city life. After learning more about the real Nexia, Indusa becomes radicalized and begins to use her family name to help those wronged by the system.
Optimistic, naive, stubborn, hard working
Carrion
The leader of the Debt Collectors’ Special Division who is sent after the girls for the duration of the series. As the girls continue to evade capture, he becomes more and more ruthless until he eventually goes rogue and hunts the girls on his own terms. Everyone who is captured or killed by Carrion is scarred on half of their face.
Vengeful, perfectionist, sadistic, obsessive
Carrion version 2
Debt Collectors
The Debt Collectors are a militarized police force who man inspection stations across Nexia as well as perform regular police duties. These stations monitor one’s credit and if that amount reaches zero, a bounty is placed that the Debt Collectors come to collect. Those who are zeroed often end up disappeared. Who knows where they end up?
Debt Collectors camo version
LOGO DESIGN
The design process for Pickpocket’s logo was challenging because I wanted to incorporate two opposing aesthetics to the design. Since Pickpocket is set in a dystopian future and the series has sci-fi elements, I needed to hint at that within the title. Sci-fi typefaces are usually sleek, uniform, and segmented and often evoke technology like alarm clocks, digital interfaces, or industrialized factories. On the other hand, the heart of these characters is a punk attitude which determines the tone of the series. Punk typefaces are usually jagged and sharp or extremely inconsistent. They evoke band logos and concert promotion posters. The only thing uniform is that nothing is uniform.
In order to bring these two contrasting aesthetics together I decided to focus on the sharpness of both styles and the idea of distorting the technological aesthetic.
STORYBOARD
CONCEPT ART
Vids Agency
A design guide for my work with Vids Agency. Learn about the brief, inspiration behind some designs, and see the final product.
Brief
I was tasked with creating a viral short revolving around “Business Owner Archetypes.” I had a week to create the visual iconography to follow the script as well as craft professional sound design in order to bring the viewer into a believable world.
As this was short-form content suited for Instagram Reels and TikTok, attention span is the most important thing to keep in mind. Everything had to change constantly while also not letting the viewer lose themselves in the chaos.
Design Guidelines
The brief required that I emulate Zach’s style as much as possible. Through research I found that most of his short-form content is identified by 4 main aspects:
Simple Geometry
Contrast
Fluid Transitions
Great Sound Design
While focusing on these, I also wanted to add something never explored in any of his videos: texture. Texture helps expand the B&W color palette into something more visually intriguing in my opinion.
Vids
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Viral
Vids 〰️ Viral
Initial Storyboard for Brief
Rendered Animatic
Which Business Owner Are You?
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Great at forming connections but often overlooks the actual product
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Expert in visual distinction and brand identity but misses out on opportunities due to perfectionism
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The most knowledgable about the product and the industry but struggles with forming personal relationships
“King of Sales” Design
King of sales
The script spoke of the Salesperson as someone who easily makes connections and builds teams. Playing cards are one of the oldest ways in which people bonded and spent time together. Think of the countless games that use these cards or a variation of them.
One of the downsides of the “King of Sales” is that their oversight often leads to their undoing, as they are too focused on expanding the “empire.”
I felt the suicide king, most commonly known as the king of hearts, was the most fitting card to fashion after the salesperson due to the iconography of the card as well as its name fitting the upsides and downsides of the salesperson.
Final submission for Vids Agency Viral Challenge. Includes sound design and editing.
MORE BLACK SUPERHEROES
Starring: Mazen Alsafi, Andre Meddar JR, Anique Edwards
After seeing the latest superhero blockbuster, Maz, an aspiring artist, questions the modern state of Black representation. Seeing a void, Maz takes it upon himself to create a Black superhero; however, through investigating past tropes and clashing with peer opinions, Maz has to discover what it means to be a “hero” within the Black community.
MORE BLACK SUPERHEROES is a multi-media short film which combines live action and 2D animation. I wanted to use the different media to follow Maz’s story while also transporting the audience into different eras and superhero genre tropes. The Blaxploitation film era (1970s) was a major inspiration and a time period I wanted to focus on specifically as it also questions the nature of “good representation.” The early 70s was a time period when Black filmmakers were able to curate Black films for Black audiences and achieve success.
Animated segment from MORE BLACK SUPERHEROES
Targeted Release Date: 3/10/2025
no Current Festivals
ABOLISH
Starring: Mazen Alsafi, Daequan Brooks
A documentary short surrounding up and coming fashion brand Abolish and its creators Mazen Alsafi and Daequan Brooks. I dive into their motivations and struggles as they strive to release their first product into the New York streetwear scene.
When we think of New York and fashion, we often think of New York Fashion Week and supermodels and clothes that most people will never be able to afford. I wanted to bring to life the New York street wear scene in a way that’s grounding and inspiring at the same time. Abolish’s story, one that many Black creatives can relate to, is a story about staying true to your identity and carving your own way within an industry profiting on your likeness and culture.