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OVERVIEW

Whimsical Worlds of Something's Awry

Since its unofficial inception in 2012, Something's Awry Productions has steadily grown from a modest stop-motion Lego animation creator on YouTube into a dynamic studio known for its remarkable 3D animation and live-action VFX shorts. Founded by Kris, Amy, Kurtis and Nik Theorin, the studio has successfully evolved into an incredible commercial studio creating content for notable brands such as the Lego Group, Disney, Warner Bros, NBC, Mattel, and Syfy. By 2017, Something's Awry had fully embraced 3D animation, consistently delivering visually engaging short films and promotional content across multiple platforms, including Instagram and TikTok.

"We want to deliver content that is a true storytelling experience, using 3D animation and VFX to create visually stunning and engaging content," says Kris Theorin, Creative Director of Something's Awry Productions.

Balancing commercial work with personal projects has been a key strategy for Something's Awry. Theorin uses personal projects not only as a creative outlet but also as a way to experiment with new techniques and attract new commercial opportunities. This approach allows the studio to continually innovate and improve its offerings.

"Using KitBash assets saved me countless hours and allowed me to focus on the creative aspects of the film. It was like building a city with Lego blocks," Theorin adds. 
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CYBER KICKS

Cyber Kicks: 
Sprinting on a Solo Project

One of the standout projects from Something's Awry is Cyber Kicks, a 3D animated short film created entirely by Theorin. The film showcases his ability to optimize production processes and deliver high-quality animation under tight constraints. 

"Cyber Kicks was born out of my desire to create a visually striking 3D short film. I handled everything from modeling to compositing, using efficient workflows and tools like motion capture and KitBash3D assets," says Theorin. 

By leveraging pre-made assets and focusing on efficient production techniques, Theorin was able to complete Cyber Kicks in just three months. The film's setting, a bustling sci-fi city, was populated with KitBash3D assets, allowing Theorin to quickly build a detailed and immersive world. 

"It's just me in a motion capture suit fighting off imaginary skeletons, but the result is a dynamic and lifelike battle scene," says Theorin. 
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BONEYARD BRAWL

Boneyard Brawl : Fighting Imaginary Skeletons 

Following Cyber Kicks, Something's Awry Productions created Boneyard Brawl, a medieval-themed short film aimed at showcasing their ability to produce video game cinematics. The film features a wizard battling hordes of skeletons in a classic video game scenario. 

"It's just me in a motion capture suit fighting off imaginary skeletons, but the result is a dynamic and lifelike battle scene," says Theorin. 

Theorin has always been ambitious in his projects, sometimes biting off more than he could chew. "Boneyard Brawl was a learning experience in scope and production efficiency. In the past, I've taken on more than I could handle, but with this project, I focused on containing the scope and using efficient production techniques," says Theorin. 

To bring this vision to life, Theorin employed a strategic and efficient workflow. Using premade assets from KitBash3D he was able to construct a richly textured environment quickly. 

"We used KitBash's medieval packs to create a richly detailed environment, which was crucial for the film's visual impact," adds Theorin. 

By leveraging these assets and focusing on production efficiency, Theorin was able to create a visually stunning short film. Boneyard Brawl not only entertained viewers but also served as a proof of concept for potential gaming clients, demonstrating Something Awry's capability to produce high-quality video game cinematics.

"Boneyard Brawl helped us showcase our versatility and attract new opportunities in the gaming industry," says Theorin.

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Looking Ahead

As Something's Awry continues to grow, Theorin envisions expanding the studio's capabilities to collaborate on larger projects with even bigger brands, as well as continuing to tell their own stories. 

The studios use of pre-made assets for some of it’s projects has allowed it to sidestep lengthy animation processes, enabling faster iteration and a quality level previously reserved for the largest animation studios. 

"For small teams like ours, KitBash is invaluable. It provides production-ready assets that seamlessly integrate into our projects, whether we're creating a sci-fi city or a medieval town," says Theorin. 

“The teams that benefit most from KitBash3D are the smaller production teams like ourselves, that just have a handful of people working on a project at a time who might not have the time or the money to go out and hire a whole bunch of artists to create these big custom cities from scratch.”

Kris Theorin Creative Director

Make sure to keep up with Something’s Awry’s journey by following @somethingsawryproductions and @kristheorin on Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube for more amazing shorts!