Book 2: Tina Goes to The Market
About Tina Goes to the Market
In which Tina goes to the local farmers market, meeting friends both old and new.
In the second book, we see new characters, namely the market vendor characters. Like the main characters in the book, they each feature real world elements. It was important to me that people see characters that are diverse but also real and not so far removed from reality. The characters with real world elements talk about important topics but in an easily digestible and understandable format without “weighing you down”.
Like Mr. Mouse the Slavic artisanal cheesemaker, dedicated husband and father with a love for sweater vests. Or
Augustus the Anteater, who is a distinguished gentleman who specializes in entomology (the study of bugs) and runs the stall that sells Spicy Kettle Cooked Bugs.
But also in Book 2, we get more into one of the main characters backstory (Slink the Weasel) and why they are the way they are and act the way they do while featuring generational and cultural trauma and how that affects their view of the world and how the world views them, shaping their perception of world.
To Read to Book, CLICK HERE.
Tina Goes to The Market Animated Short
I was lucky enough to make a condensed version of my original short story and turn it into an animated short. It’s in this short that we truly see the characters leap off the page, inviting us into the world and joining them on their journey.
About the Process
I set out to create this animation, serving as writer and director in addition to being the project’s sound designer.
I chose to take a non-traditional approach to this workflow. The traditional flow of animation is usually character design, storyboarding, rough animation, backgrounds and line art, lighting, shading and then having a final animation at the end of the production process.
With my approach we were highly collaborative and in constant communication due to us being in two production phases at the same time. I also modified the story, editing parts out of the script that were adapted from the book’s original content to fit the condensed digital telling of this story.
The Cast and Crew
Keeping with the theme of diversity of the Tina series, I also brought that same spirit to casting voice actors and crew. I wanted a diverse cast and crew of everyone: people of color, people with disabilities, queer people, gender diverse people, and women.
With a very diverse cast and crew, this really helped us to not only bring this story and these characters to life so they leap off the page and on to the screen, but also allowing us to become the characters. To allow ourselves to see ourselves reflecting back at us through the characters.
I strived (and still strive) to create media that people can see themselves reflected back at them on the screen because I want to bring more inclusivity and diversity to the world.