As of today, Storyboarding on the Penguin Midnight Prequel - "Mother is a Stinkbug" has been completed!

Next up there are a few things to do, the first being that we can now begin our transition to "BG Layout" to set everything up for finals! These boards are more detailed than is typical due to the fact that a lot of the backgrounds are draw-overs from Photographs which should help expedite the process.

The other step is to begin to finalize timing with audio and calculate the total number of animation cuts necessary to complete everything. There has already been the occasional adjustment to the timing for dramatic purposes and some new lines of Dialogue got recorded as the visualization syncs with the script and the story continues to come together.

As mentioned, many of the backgrounds are draw-overs of actual photographs. In the final I hope to realize an element of what's present in many documentaries, that feeling of a "Beautiful Accident" to make the story feel more candid and real. Of course the Audio recording style should help with this as well.

Attached here and below are several images from the Storyboards and some BG sketches I've done as a part of boarding! All of these (AND WAY WAY MORE PLUS STUFF FROM PENGUIN MIDNIGHT) will be present in the "BTS Artbook" at that tier! 

10 days remain in the campaign! Please consider supporting if you haven't already! 

ONE MORE TIME, LINK TO THE CAMPAIGN HERE! Please consider supporting to production of Mother is a Stinkbug as the campaign reaches its final conclusion!

NOW LIVE ON KICKSTARTER

Mother is a Stinkbug is a fully traditionally animated, 30 minute short film, with the vibes and essence of a film like “Whisper of The Heart” or “Only Yesterday,” with a tinge of “Neon Genesis Evangelion” ‘s latter half. As well as the prequel to my previous short film, Penguin Midnight. Of course sharing in its same style of fluid animation with detailed and location accurate sound and background environments. 

**((ALL SUBSEQUENT BLACK & GREY DRAWINGS ARE ROUGH STORYBOARD IMAGES AND NOT INDICATIVE OF THE FINAL PRODUCT))**

It follows Penguin Midnight’s female protagonist, Masshiro Tanaka, and seeks to explore her further from a psychological and developmental perspective.

How does such a kind and warm-hearted girl become one who chooses to reject intimate connections with others, even when they’re coming from a place of sincerity? And how did she end up in the circumstances in which we saw her in Penguin Midnight?

Masshiro’s inability to be vulnerable with intimate connections was something I could relate to on a personal level, so I sought to look inward in that regard. Some elements and realities in my own past are present in Shiro's life; Non-supportive teachers, friends who betrayed my trust, and experiences with cold and gossipy school cliches. And although I didn't grow up in a house full of addicts, I often witnessed how it affected friends around me, so in that regard I drew inspiration from their behaviors as a result. But my most significant focus is the path she chose as a “Career Woman,” or Escort, on the streets of Tokyo.

If you’re familiar with Penguin Midnight, then you’re aware that in order to make the ambience of each scene feel as authentic as possible, I visited the areas in Japan that the short took place in to do both image capture for background references, and sound capture. 

And now I’ve done the same for “Mother is a Stinkbug.” Kabukicho is an infamous area of Tokyo, very well known for its nightlife, both among sex tourists and the burnt out salarymen. The Okubo Park area is where you’ll find girls standing like statues, mindlessly scrolling their phones, until a prospective customer offers the right price to spend anywhere from an hour to an entire night with them.

((ARTICLE CONTINUED ON KICKSTARTER PAGE))

The Newground run for this guy was incredible!!

I was so happy to hear everyones thoughts on the short, and the absolute out-pour of support towards my team and myself was amazing to read after all the work we'd put in to that guy!

Newgrounds will forever be its home and where it got its legs at first, but now we shift to getting more eyes, by getting it onto the devil's platform!

CHECK IT OUT HERE!

((P.S. I'm working on a prequel short as well))

It's on the front page as we speak, and the people are saying it's pure peak!

An entire year of my life was spent on drawing each individual frame of animation in this 26 minute long BEAST of a short film!! Go and check it out if you'd like!

CHECK IT OUT NOW :D

LINK HERE

EARLY ACCESS FOR MY SHORT ANIMATED FILM, "PENGUIN MIDNIGHT" NOW AVAILABLE!

The full film is now available on Gumroad and Patreon for $5!

This is of course temporary, and only for the sake of early access! I'm using this to give the film a soft opening release behind paywall, while it circulates through festivals as, most festivals do not like it when the films you send them are already available for free online.

This is what we call a compromise!

It will be available for free on NEWGROUNDS FIRST in September!

Youtube gets it in November, if you even care, but for now we have the Gumroad and Patreon for limited early access, as I let the film burn its way through some festivals!

If you'd like to support me, my team, independent animations, as well as many other projects like this one to come, please check out the film and consider supporting!

Also available is physical merch via Etsy!

A digital copy of the script (first and final drafts) as well as the Animatic!

The Toon Boom Animation and Storyboard files

If you want a TASTE...

Previews and select scenes can be found on Newgrounds; here as well as here!

and of course, one more time...

FULL FILM NOW ON PATREON AND GUMROAD FOR $5 !

CHECK IT OUT AND I'LL SEE YA IN SEPTEMBER!

HAPPY BELATED PICO DAY!

DOING COMMISSIONS!

CEL SHADING (unless u don't want 😳)

FULL BODY (unless u don't want 😳)

ALL $125 !! $125 !! (unless u ask 4 somthin' crazy 😳)

JUST ASK, LETS WORK IT OUT 💪

10 SLOTS OPEN!

DM me ??

e-mail ryanstorm1212@gmail.com ??

AS OF TODAY, DECEMBER 3rd 2025, PENGUIN MIDNIGHT HAS OFFICIALLY REACHED ITS FUNDING GOAL!

Every single person who contributed to the campaign, as well as anyone and everyone who decided to check out the preview clips, left feedback, shared everything around, and spread the word has my eternal gratitude. I fully intend to put everything I have into making something amazing for all of you.

I also wanted to just personally shout out Newgrounds for being such an amazing website overall. I've been on the front page with one video or another for like the whole month, and I know for a fact that contributed heavily towards the campaign's momentum. I Will forever love it here for being one of the final bastions of pure creator driven content, without the intensity or transience of any other social media platform. I'm so happy to have something to post here again.

I'm actually kind of late to coming in to write all of this, work burn out hit me hard today for some reason, and I fell into bed as soon as I got home. Not often that happens. Perhaps I came off of too much of a high with having so much stress off my back!

The entire campaign itself has been such a stressful and hair pulling grind, that it almost feels weird now, to not be mindlessly checking the Kickstarter page every hour or two to see if anythings happened. I'm so happy its over now, my conscious is completely clear and I have ample opportunity to focus on finishing this whole thing, with full confidence that I can pay my boys for their help!

You know I made a video dunking on AI generated art and actually LOST a $100 backer? I mean I gained more, but that's crazy. I really hope that was for a financial reason and not BECAUSE of the AI comments.

When you can, support art made by real artists, and support the proliferation of original and unique art that appeals to you. That doesn't have to be with your dollar, sharing things you love with other people is also such a beautiful way to participate in the artistic process.

I've also unlisted another video I made sorta chastising Kickstarters' algorithm bias. I still stand by what I said about all that, but now that everything's done, that doesn't need to exist in the public. All of you be it on Newgrounds, Youtube, Twitter/X, or Insta have done so much leg work spreading this around and I'm forever grateful and honored by that.

Thank you everyone, so much again, for everything you've done to support the campaign. I'm doubly motivated after reading so much positive feedback now.

Hopefully the Short Film Festivals all dig it as much as you guys did!

I've opened up a Ko-fi page for small donations, if you missed you chance to drop $5 for early access to the short film, you can do there instead now! Just be sure to have an e-mail connected so I can add your name to the list. Link to thats over in my bio. I'm so done panhandling now. Seeing me do nothing but that for a month has to grow tiresome huh? O_O;

Happy Holidays everyone, and thank you so much again!

THIS IS THE FINAL PUSH

The previews have gained over 20k total views on Newgrounds!

Recently pushed over 30k total on Youtube!

There's been a decent amount of coverage from tweets over the past month!

I've received so much positive feedback!

Let's not talk about Bluesky...

And over $6400 raised as of my time of writing with only 2 full days left to go!

WE ARE IN THE HOME STRETCH!

Kickstarter's algorithm isn't really boosting this, despite this project being so close to the end, so I feel I must keep the energy up on my own to constantly sing the praises of this project.

((Or Yap. You could also just say I'm endlessly yapping.))

The support and positivity for this has been incredible.

I've already spent nearly a year working non-stop on the same thing, and completely financing out of pocket, so hearing so much excitement and positivity towards the project brightens my spirits like you couldn't believe!

And to be frank, even if we make it, this doesn't even cover the entirety of my funding;

What I've been pushing for all this time is simply an amount of money that would be "good to have" and doesn't come anywhere close to fully footing the bill on every aspect requiring some form of monetary compensation. This isn't me trying to make up some kind of pity party for the project, its just the reality that animation is NOT ONLY TIME CONSUMING, famously its also very EXPENSIVE.

To throw a number out, I'm asking for 8k in funding, but in total its expected that I'll be down more like 18k after we hit the finish line, likely to never recoup just due to the nature of the beast.

(And for the record, NO that DOES NOT include flying to Japan for reference materials and audio. That was a convenient synchronicity, not an intended deductible.)

Back in Spring, when I first started showing animatics to peers and bringing this up to fellows in the industry, one comment I heard a lot from some of the older folks was "Have you considered using AI?"

Besides the fact that trying to publicize, let alone fund, such a project with AI would do nothing but make people with functioning brains furious, I think that innately misses the entire point of making an animation...or any art really.

Art is a human form of expression.

A human being's ability to express one's self and tell a story that could only come from the miracle of their existence, limited only by the personal abilities and knowledge of director and team, is one of the reasons animation/art is so special!

So many amazing things in not just animation, but Filmmaking have been brought about not by typing some half assed prompt into a computer, they've come from the miracle of knowledge. As much as artistic creation is developed skill, the truth is; a grand portion of it is also problem solving.

Identify weaknesses and limitations in your artistic abilities and then constantly wonder;

How do we surpass our limitations?

How do we make this work?

Whats the most efficient way to do this?

How can I make this look good?

Whats the right cut to make? Stroke to draw?

And so on...

So for that exact reason, why the hell should I so much as dignify the idea of "using AI" to tell a story?

As a tool does it have a use? Certainly, in some cases. But to consider usurping the human expression for something shat out by a machine just because it saves time is no different to any person with a modicum of creativity (or dignity) than taking pre-chewed gum, scraping it off the sidewalk, and putting back into your mouth simply because it's there and someone else made it easier by already chewing it a little.

Not only is it sapped of flavor, and full of germs, its overall simply idiotic and uncivilized to entertain the thought.

Is my work perfect?

No.

That's what makes it my work, and I will always strive for improvement. Imperfections are what makes the project tangible. Makes it Human.

Once again, after myself and my small team have kept our noses buried in our screens for such a long time, hearing so much excitement towards the completion of the project is exhilarating. To hear that our work might be worth it, that it might resonate or communicate, and that people may enjoy it is insanely motivating.

No matter what happens I'll remember how much was raised towards this and how incredible of a feeling it is to see this happen. I will make something great for you, and I just hope you will help me survive the birthing process of it.

$5 and up get to see this as early as April, everyone else has to wait until November.

$45 gets you a complete media package. Poster, shirt, behind the scenes, early access, collectable Polaroid, and a nice bonus book!

Everything after that is awesome too, and ensures you get even more bang for your buck if ya have the bucks to give!

Check it out and please consider supporting Penguin Midnight on Kickstarter, as we trudge through our final stretch!

With 11 days left in the campaign, we've hit an incredible milestone of around $3,500

I can't stress enough how amazing that is, and how thankful I am to everyone who has contributed thus far. We still have a ways to go, but all the same, it can't be understated how incredible this is, and how much it means to me that so many people are interested enough to lend their support.

As of sometime next week I'm planning to release one final preview clip onto NG for the short film, the very first scene to clarify. Considering I've been working in a "flower blooming" sorta method (starting in the middle and then fanning outward) I've only just recently begun work on the very beginning and ending respectfully. This is to make it so the start and finish of the animation look the best, having been worked on when I'm at the absolute peak of lucidity when it comes to drawing these characters and making them move and act. The start is what hooks people, and the ending is their final impression. Its best practice to make those look great. For that reason, its not an exaggeration to say, the best has yet to come...

So get hyped for that final preview!

After that, unless you're a backer of $5 or higher, then you'll have to wait until November of next year to see it. $5 onward and you can watch it in April! Even earlier if you're a producer.

That's also not without additional reward, not only is the poster design just straight up something I'd forever be down with having on my wall as a cool design, then Cheki polaroid designs are all set.

These are still rough sketches of course, the final thing will have some nice lines and coloring and all that expected stuff, but I love offering little teasers.

Get hyped for next week when another preview clip drops! And consider supporting the completion of this project on Kickstarter!

First of all, long time no see...second, sorry for being dead for so long on NG!

I haven't stopped loving this site, but its been awhile since I've had the free time to make things to post, at least for myself.

I mean, why am I so busy you mask? Well, TL;DR, work and life, and animation is a procedure that requires constant dedication on the scale of nurturing a child. I typically have to commit time to longer, bigger projects, rather than short quick fun ones these days.

The good news is, I've set out to do EXACTLY THAT, and I need the help of the people to finish everything!

And before you ask,

YES OF COURSE I'M GONNA PUT IT ON NEWGROUNDS WHEN ITS DONE! EVERYTHING BY EVERYONE BABYYYY-!!

LINK TO THE KICKSTARTER RIGHT HERE!

Penguin Midnight is an Animated short film clocking in at 25 minutes...

It’s about a youthful relationship that, at first, seems perfect. A love between an introvert and an extrovert: A mixed-raced artist from Hokkaido, who spends his whole life being treated as an outsider, and a former escort living in Tokyo, who seeks to leave behind anything related to her depraved past. Two outliers, who find perfect chemistry as they rendezvous for a night in Tokyo that culminates into a love that was never meant to be, but a moment in life that will be treasured by both of them forever. 

AND I NEED YOUR HELP TO FINISH EVERYTHING!

This ambitious project has consumed an entire year of my life so far.

And I've gone to some fairly insane lengths to actually get the materials needed, since I have an obsession with authenticity, both in the character of the setting and...y'know, the characters!

The actors for this short weren't recorded in sound booths or buried under a blanket to isolate them. 

We EMBRACED the echo in our mix, just as so many great films of the past have done. Why go so far out of our way to make the dialogue sound like the person talking is in a recording booth, when you can capture clean audio with good quality that really places the characters in the room? We aped great films like "Fantastic Mr. Fox" and "Rango" by having our actors actually record their lines in physical rooms with each other, without the typical limitations of the recording booth. This lends to what I strive to create as incredibly human and authentic performances from incredibly talented people. 

It’s not just the voice acting though, the distinctly Japanese settings will be authentic in appearance and audio.

While I was in Japan on business, I took advantage of whatever free time I had to capture both the images and audio recordings of the locations in the film. The backgrounds will look and feel like real places, a-la Makoto Shinkai (Your Name,) because we took photos of the EXACT angles and locations we wanted, and then ieJoMaFlo converted them into beautiful background paintings. Any blind spots we had were supplemented by crafting 3D models based upon our reference image to give us even more flexibility with the camera and angles. 

And even all of the sound effect and atmosphere recordings were done in the exact locations in which the short takes place; From the Shibuya Love Hotel/Red Light area, all the way up to remote Hakodate, what you see will accurately depict what you'd hear when traveling in these parts of Japan. 

Why a Kickstarter? 

From its conception until now, this film has been funded entirely out of pocket.

Thus far, I've been the sole animator on the entire project, with the artistic support coming from my friends Remuslab (compositing,) and ieJoMaFlo (Background Art.) Then we factor in things like Music and product licenses, compensation for my actors and audio engineers! I'll be fair and say we can ignore my voyage to Japan to capture sound and image references for the short. There are still more expenses to come, which are currently being funded by my classic 9-5 and having to move back in with my parents so I can dedicate all of my free time towards art and creation.

Know that every last cent that is donated will go towards funding the completion of this short, whether it’s by compensating the friends who are helping out, submitting Film Festival fees, or making my own existence economically viable during the final stretch of the project. And, if by some miracle there is anything extra, that will be invested into future projects. 

I'm an insanely passionate person when it comes to what I create. I fully intend to complete this short, no matter what. And it will be completed even sooner with your help.

But Ryan, I have no money…

That's okay, neither do I!

If you want to help support this project but don't have the economic means to do so directly, then just contribute through the power of your voice by sharing this campaign, or even videos related to it, to boost exposure. Even that gesture will be EXTREMELY helpful.

I hope you will consider supporting me and my project!

Please feel free to have a look at some of the goodies on offer for higher donation tiers! And at the very least, please spread the word around. Thank you!

ONE MORE TIME! <--- LINK