Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts

Untold stories, illustrated and animated

In a significant collaboration, we joined forces with PNW-based filmmaker Dru Holley and Black Bald Films to craft the animated sequences for the documentary "Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts." This impactful film, which premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival in early 2022 and was featured in other nationally-renowned festivals, offered us an opportunity to contribute to a project of profound historical importance. Working with local filmmakers on such a remarkable documentary was a genuine honor.

"Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts" delves into the complex and often contradictory roles played by the Buffalo Soldiers in American history, with a specific focus on their involvement in the settlement of the American West. To bring this narrative to life, our team of artists meticulously created illustrations based on real historical figures, events, and photos. We opted for a unique painterly style, employing scene-based color palettes to enhance the storytelling.

Our approach to animation was deliberately restrained, with minimal camera movements, allowing the power of each scene to be conveyed through carefully composed shots and intricately detailed facial expressions. This technique ensured that the emotional depth of the narrative was foregrounded. Quick transitions, aligned with the narration, guided viewers smoothly from one scene to the next, maintaining engagement and narrative flow. In total, we produced approximately 200 seconds of animated content across six scenes, covering pivotal moments such as the enlistment of Moses Williams, the life of Cathy Williams, the battle of Mexico, and the final ride of Charles Young.

Studio: Deep Sky
Client:
Black Bald Films
Executive Director:
Jared Hobbs
Creative Director:
Barret Thomson
Producer/Project Manager:
Jack Ellis
Black Bald Films
Executive Director: Dru Holley
Producer: Iana Amauba
Editor: Ryan Graves
Color Correction: Jordan Snider
Historian: David-Paul B. Hedberg

More Credits

In a significant collaboration, we joined forces with PNW-based filmmaker Dru Holley and Black Bald Films to craft the animated sequences for the documentary "Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts." This impactful film, which premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival in early 2022 and was featured in other nationally-renowned festivals, offered us an opportunity to contribute to a project of profound historical importance. Working with local filmmakers on such a remarkable documentary was a genuine honor.

"Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts" delves into the complex and often contradictory roles played by the Buffalo Soldiers in American history, with a specific focus on their involvement in the settlement of the American West. To bring this narrative to life, our team of artists meticulously created illustrations based on real historical figures, events, and photos. We opted for a unique painterly style, employing scene-based color palettes to enhance the storytelling.

Our approach to animation was deliberately restrained, with minimal camera movements, allowing the power of each scene to be conveyed through carefully composed shots and intricately detailed facial expressions. This technique ensured that the emotional depth of the narrative was foregrounded. Quick transitions, aligned with the narration, guided viewers smoothly from one scene to the next, maintaining engagement and narrative flow. In total, we produced approximately 200 seconds of animated content across six scenes, covering pivotal moments such as the enlistment of Moses Williams, the life of Cathy Williams, the battle of Mexico, and the final ride of Charles Young.

Studio: Deep Sky
Client:
Black Bald Films
Executive Director:
Jared Hobbs
Creative Director:
Barret Thomson
Producer/Project Manager:
Jack Ellis
Black Bald Films
Executive Director: Dru Holley
Producer: Iana Amauba
Editor: Ryan Graves
Color Correction: Jordan Snider
Historian: David-Paul B. Hedberg

More Credits

We partnered with PNW-based filmmaker Dru Holley and Black Bald Films to create the animated scenes in the new documentary Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts, which premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival early 2022 and showed in other nationally-renowned festivals.

It was an honor to work with local filmmakers on this incredible project. Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts explores the often-contradictory role played by the Buffalo Soldiers throughout American history, with particular emphasis on the settling of the American West.

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CREDITS

Studio: Deep Sky
Client: Black Bald Films
Executive Director: Jared Hobbs
Creative Director: Barret Thomson
Producer/Project Manager: Jack Ellis
Storyboarding: Matthew Seely
Illustrator: Finn Sylwester
Animator/Compositor: Tyler Benjamin

Black Bald Films
Executive Director: Dru Holley
Producer: Iana Amauba
Editor: Ryan Graves
Color Correction: Jordan Snider
Historian: David-Paul B. Hedberg

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