This project was an interesting one for us at Pixvalue because the Visual Effects Supervisor, Johnson Thomasson, wanted the pig to move and behave realistically while still carrying a “derp-ish” facial look, a funny term we coined on the team to capture the quirky personality we were aiming for.

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The film tells the story of Al, a washed-up man who, at his brother’s funeral, comforts his grieving niece by recalling how he once discovered a magical tree that could bring his drawings to life. As he shares the memory, he rediscovers the spark of wonder and hope that once carried him through a time when he felt all was lost. The project came with many emotional layers such as grief, family, and rediscovery, but also plenty of technical and artistic challenges.

 

Our animators experimented with different personalities for the pig before finalizing its look, and some also crafted the lively dragonfly sequence, which added a playful, flightful counterbalance to the heavier themes.

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Someone from production asked if Pixvalue would ever stop making impactful projects like this. We simply smiled and said, “Only when pigs fly.”