Director Brian O’Donnell at The Mill Design Studio in NY: “‘The Very VERY First Christmas’ is a deep dive into holiday nostalgia – a take on Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer starring a bright-eyed pterodactyl who hasn’t quite learned to fly.

“Our core group of lead designers collaborated under only one rule: Imperfect is perfect. The result is an inspiring handmade approach to 3D modeling: blending modern tools with charming traditional cel animation and a whole lotta heart. This labor of love spanned across our NY, LA, Chicago, and London studios.”
 
Watch the making-of video:
 

 

 
Production: The Mill Design Studio
Writer/director: Brian O’Donnell
Producer: Katharine Mulderry
Editor/Creative Development: Al Benoit
Creative Resource Manager: Taylor McDade
Lead Layout Design: Salmah Beydoun
Lead Character Design: Yuri Byun
Lead Look Development: Eddie Livingstone
Design: Salmah Beydoun, Yuri Byun, Morad Enayet, Devin Hayes, Yewon Kim, Eddie Livingstone, Brian O’Donnell, Amy Staropoli
Animation: Brian O’Donnell, Yuri Byun
Cloud Simulation: Akshay Tiwari
Cel Animation: Amy Staropoli
Matte Painting: Tara Holland, Kris Sharabinskaia
Title Design: Laura Nash
Technical Director: Justin Sucara
Marketing Director: Brenden Hand

Composer: Manu Beker
Sound Design: Echoic Audio
Narrator: Manu Beker