Hey friend,
It’s been a minute. Did you miss me? Because I sure missed you!
Over the last two months: I’ve constructed the majority of the interior set for Stitches Come Out, I drew a nearly entirely new animatic, and went to Los Angeles for the Black N’ Animated career summit.
Set Building
I was stressed about the set and it was paralyzing me. That’s a hard feeling to stomach on a big project with a looming deadline. After weeks of slow progress I realized I was lonely.
So, I asked my family if I could work my long hours at the house.
If we haven’t chatted about my living situation, I live in a multigenerational home with eight other people. Believe it or not, this was a choice born out of desire and not necessity. My daughter is an only child and it’s been a really beautiful way to raise her in a full house. But I digress…
My car all packed up at the end of this adventure in this surprisingly color coordinated ensemble. Pop Quiz! What language is on my pink bag?
I packed my materials and drove them to the house. It was just what I needed to break through my progress block.
I spent an absurd amount a time figuring out a way to mold two pieces of plastic to make the wobbly highlight associated with washer doors.
This is a homemade vacuum former, which allows me to shape hot plastic over a mold. An early use of this technique was in Star Wars: A New Hope. Much larger vacuum formers than this one were used to create the Storm Troopers costumes.
I still have a long way to go, but it’s so exciting to see the pieces that have existed as foggy images in my mind before my eyes (And now yours!).
More details to come !!
The Animatic
I’m so happy I have a complete second draft of the animatic!
If you missed my last edition: I presented a version of my story to animation legends and cried during the presentation.
Amazingly, this meeting turned out to be the best thing that could have ever happened to my film.
Kevin Lima, director of The Goofy Movie, Tarzan, and Enchanted, reached out to me. He was touched by the story, “saw through my feelings to my heart,” and offered to mentor me.
He led me through lots of narrative exercises that brought out the best story possibly. My favorite was where I wrote a script with the complete thoughts of each of the characters throughout the story.
If you’re a writer, I recommend trying this out with your next story.
For my little film with no dialogue, doing this revealed to me the crucial moments I was trying to capture, and I now think they come through much better in the film.
If you’d like to see the animatic, reach out to me! I’ll share it with you.
I’m a little nervous about the new runtime of seven minutes but…
It’s all going to be okay. My deadline was extended by a month.
The Summit
I was honored to be invited and flown out to the 2026 Black N’Animated Career Summit, and so happy that this is why I first traveled to Los Angeles.
It was a hot weekend! I walked a bit too long under that dry sun and fainted in The Last Bookstore while buying a copy of Passing by Nella Larsen. The cashier was very nervous, but you shouldn’t be: I’m fine now! This was all before the event even started.
It was a beautiful being around and connecting with so many talented black animators, writers, and artists.
I’m used to being around white people: I’ve been the darkest person in my very white classes and schools more times than I can count.
This weekend was flipped. In a room of nearly entirely black people, I was amongst the lightest in the crowd. I had my moments of overthinking and nervousness.
Do I talk too differently? Should I have understood that reference? Should I have talked more? Less? I belong here, right?
My fears were quickly quieted by open conversations, lots of laughter, and new friendships.
I can’t wait to go back later this year for the Showcase!
Also I had pictures taken! :)
On a Separate Note
We’ve been doing a family screen free day once a month
Picture this: You’re on the couch playing ukulele and Ellie asks you to help her bring her keyboard down so she can accompany you. Before you know it your sister on the violin and you’re all singing and creating a musical about remembering to put your shoes in the all-seeing shoe cabinet, Mr. Shoes.
Words of advice: If you’re having an issue with doing a chore, I 10/10 recommend creating a musical about resolving your relationship to said chore. It has not helped me at all so far, but it was so fun, and I have hope in dome delayed results.
If you loved this newsletter, send it to a friend. If you hated it, send it to an enemy. Also, if you’d like to see my animatic, just respond asking for it! 🙂
Yours,
Sara Inoa