Mike Russo, 2D motion designer at Block & Tackle in Brooklyn: “Upsides is an ongoing collaborative animation project by Garret Beard and I currently focused on the silver linings of the COVID 19 Pandemic.

“We had one overarching goal when making this series, and that was to spread positivity. We decided to flip the switch on all of the negative aspects and focus on the positive gestures that people have done instead.

“Now more than ever we feel it’s important to give people hope. Millions of lives have been affected by this horrible disease and will continue to be affected for years to come.

“It feels as if it’s our duty as creatives to hopefully put a smile on people’s faces through heartwarming design and animation. Were not trying to change the world but maybe we can start by making someone’s day a little bit brighter.

“While we’ve worked together on many fronts before, this time around was especially tough because of the fact we only relied on zoom and phone calls. Everything from conception, to art direction and general execution was all accomplished through the use of staying connected digitally in a time of social distancing.”
 

Director/animator: Mike Russo, Garret Beard
Sound: John Poon, Vinny Alfano