Bronze Movie, Video and Animation Design · 2026
Once Upon a Rabbit Animated Short
by Jesseter Wang and Hannah Sun
- A' Design Award 2026 Bronze Winner in Movie, Video and Animation Design
- Awarded April 15, 2026
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 4,167
- Verification code D7F9B152E3 · Verify this award
About Once Upon a Rabbit Animated Short
Once Upon a Rabbit is an animated design project inspired by cultural details of the Lantern Festival and childhood visual memory. The work establishes a soft, expressive visual language through a hybrid of dimensional form and hand drawn sensibility, creating imagery that feels both structured and playful. Recurring motifs such as the rabbit and Tangyuan, rice balls, are used as visual anchors, while motion, rhythm, and composition emphasize atmosphere and continuity, resulting in a cohesive design experience rooted in warmth, familiarity, and cultural resonance.
Hannah Sun and Jesseter Wang's Once Upon a Rabbit Animated Short presents a frame from their animated narrative that situates culinary tradition and communal dining within a vibrant visual language drawing upon contemporary illustration aesthetics, folk art flattening conventions, and East Asian decorative sensibilities, the work engaging with traditions of food representation that celebrate nourishment, cultural heritage, and the rituals of shared meals as fundamental human experiences worthy of aesthetic attention and narrative exploration, the compositional achievement demonstrates sophisticated chromatic orchestration wherein a warm analogous palette of burnt sienna, cadmium orange, ochre, and golden yellow establishes thermal unity and psychological warmth while strategic cobalt blue and teal green accents provide chromatic punctuation and visual relief, preventing monotony while maintaining overall color temperature cohesion, the formal organization along a horizontal axis with central focal emphasis creates both frieze-like decorative rhythm and narrative focus, the simplified geometric vocabulary and bold contour treatment suggesting accessibility and visual clarity appropriate to animated storytelling while maintaining aesthetic sophistication through pattern integration and compositional balance, technically the work appears to employ digital painting or illustration techniques that successfully evoke handcrafted warmth through chromatic saturation, textural patterning on ceramic vessels, and gestural economy in rendering the central rabbit motif, the execution demonstrating accomplished control of flat color application and decorative detail integration, passages of particular note include the blue patterning on the central bowl which provides focal contrast, the rhythmic scoring on golden pastries at lower right creating directional energy, and the overall chromatic saturation that generates optical vibrancy and celebratory affect, thematically the work explores the significance of food as cultural carrier, dining as communal ritual, and culinary tradition as narrative subject, the animated short seemingly celebrating seasonal festivals, family gathering, preparation and presentation of traditional dishes, and the intersection of nourishment with cultural identity, the rabbit protagonist positioned literally and symbolically at the compositional center suggests anthropomorphic storytelling traditions that employ animal characters to explore universal human experiences, the abundant array of dishes, beverages, and decorative serving vessels evoking festive occasions and the generosity of shared meals, potential iconographic references include East Asian culinary traditions particularly soups or desserts featuring spherical elements that might reference tangyuan, mochi, or similar preparations associated with seasonal celebrations, the rabbit figure carrying associations with lunar festivals, abundance, and folk tale traditions across various cultural contexts, the ceramic vessel decoration suggesting blue and white porcelain traditions with centuries of cultural heritage, the overall visual approach demonstrating awareness of contemporary graphic storytelling while honoring decorative traditions and cultural specificity, viewers might consider how the work navigates between cultural particularity and universal accessibility, how simplified visual vocabulary serves narrative clarity while maintaining aesthetic richness, and how the celebration of everyday rituals like cooking and eating becomes worthy subject matter for animated narrative art, inviting reflection on how food functions simultaneously as physical nourishment, cultural expression, aesthetic object, and narrative catalyst.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Once Upon a Rabbit is an animated short inspired by childhood memories and subtle cultural details of the Lantern Festival. Guided by the recurring presence of the rabbit and tangyuan (rice balls), the film unfolds as a sequence of connected moments that gradually lead toward a shared table. The piece emphasizes emotional flow and visual association over explicit storytelling, capturing the lively warmth of the Lantern Festival.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 16x9 video file
- Tags
- Animation, Motion Design, Illustration, Culture, Year of Rabbit
- Production Technology
- The project was produced using a hybrid 3D and 2D animation workflow. Core scenes and motion were created in Cinema 4D, with a focus on modeling and animation. The renders were then composited in Adobe After Effects, where textures, graphic details, and subtle motion accents were added to achieve a cohesive, handcrafted visual quality.
- Design Challenge
- A key creative challenge was achieving a sense of warmth and human touch within a digitally constructed visual environment. The project sought to avoid a rigid or overly polished appearance by introducing texture, softness, and brush-like qualities into form and motion. Balancing control and imperfection required careful visual restraint, ensuring the imagery remained expressive and inviting while maintaining coherence and clarity throughout the animation.
- Project Duration
- The project was developed and completed in 2023 as an independent animation project, produced remotely.
- Operation Flow
- Motion unfolds through a sequence of gentle transformations, where shapes, colors, and motifs transition fluidly between scenes. Visual elements expand, contract, and reorganize to guide attention and create continuity, allowing the design to feel cohesive while maintaining a sense of lightness and rhythm throughout the experience.
- Research
- This project is based on exploratory design research focused on visual expression and cultural memory. The objective was to understand how abstract form, color, and motion could evoke familiarity associated with the Lantern Festival without relying on literal depiction. The research was conducted through visual experimentation, reference studies, and iterative sketching using digital tools. Observations were drawn from personal memory, cultural imagery, and repeated motion tests. The results informed a visual language that balances simplicity and expressiveness, demonstrating how motion design can translate shared cultural atmosphere into an accessible and emotionally resonant visual experience.
- Inspiration
- Once Upon a Rabbit was inspired by childhood memories and subtle cultural details of the Lantern Festival. The project explores the use of 3D techniques rendered with a 2D sensibility, creating a vivid yet dreamlike visual language reminiscent of childhood doodles. By prioritizing mood, memory, and shared cultural experience over literal representation, the work aims to evoke a sense of warmth and nostalgia through motion.
- Image Credits
- Direction / Design / Animation: [Jesseter Wang & Hannah Sun]
Music / Sound: [Davis Aguirre]
Colors of Once Upon a Rabbit Animated Short
Design Interview about Once Upon a Rabbit Animated Short
Beyond recreating a nostalgic memory, we were also interested in exploring the cultural values embedded within these traditions. Festivals like the Lantern Festival are not only celebrations; they are moments of connection that carry ideas of togetherness, shared rituals, and intergenerational storytelling. As societies become increasingly fast-paced and digitally driven, many of these small cultural experiences risk becoming distant or abstract, especially for younger generations and for people living between cultures.
A major design goal was finding a balance between familiarity and surprise. We wanted the piece to feel dreamlike and emotionally warm, while introducing unexpected transitions and playful transformations that keep the experience visually engaging. Rather than relying on direct narration, we aimed to let movement, pacing, and visual rhythm guide the emotional journey.
The concept developed over several weeks through conversations, sketching, visual experiments, and motion studies. Rather than arriving at a fixed idea immediately, the project evolved gradually through a process of exploration and iteration.
Because the piece was built around emotional qualities rather than a strict narrative, much of the process involved testing different visual languages and motion behaviors. We explored how color, texture, abstraction of shapes, and spatial movement could influence the feeling of the work before shaping them into a cohesive experience.
Because the piece was built around emotional qualities rather than a strict narrative, much of the process involved testing different visual languages and motion behaviors. We explored how color, texture, abstraction of shapes, and spatial movement could influence the feeling of the work before shaping them into a cohesive experience.
The concept was driven by inspiration rather than a commercial brief. The Year of the Rabbit and Lantern Festival themes gave us a starting point, but the project gradually evolved into an exploration of transformation, movement, texture, and symbolic imagery.
We have always been interested in observing culture and translating everyday experiences, memories, and traditions into visual forms. Rather than simply documenting cultural symbols literally, we are more interested in interpreting their emotional qualities and transforming them into experiences that feel immersive, playful, and contemporary. Culture constantly evolves, and we see design as a way to create new connections between the past and the present, allowing familiar memories and rituals to be experienced from a different perspective.
Interestingly, this has become a throughline throughout our practice. Across both personal and professional projects, we have continuously explored how storytelling, motion, and visual systems can communicate emotion and human experiences. Projects such as Jesseter’s Starry Merry, recognized by the MUSE Creative Awards, and Hannah’s Blip, featured as a Vimeo Staff Pick, are examples of this ongoing exploration.These recognitions are rewarding, but they often represent only a small visible part of the process, while much of the real growth happens through experimentation, iteration, and years of making.
It also gave us the freedom to experiment creatively across motion, composition, and the relationship between 2D and 3D elements. It also reflects a larger direction within our work. Coming from backgrounds that combine visual communication, architecture, and computer arts, we naturally gravitate toward work that exists between disciplines. Once Upon a Rabbit became an opportunity to continue that exploration through a more personal and culturally rooted lens.
We have always been interested in observing culture and translating everyday experiences, memories, and traditions into visual forms. Rather than simply documenting cultural symbols literally, we are more interested in interpreting their emotional qualities and transforming them into experiences that feel immersive, playful, and contemporary. Culture constantly evolves, and we see design as a way to create new connections between the past and the present, allowing familiar memories and rituals to be experienced from a different perspective.
Interestingly, this has become a throughline throughout our practice. Across both personal and professional projects, we have continuously explored how storytelling, motion, and visual systems can communicate emotion and human experiences. Projects such as Jesseter’s Starry Merry, recognized by the MUSE Creative Awards, and Hannah’s Blip, featured as a Vimeo Staff Pick, are examples of this ongoing exploration.These recognitions are rewarding, but they often represent only a small visible part of the process, while much of the real growth happens through experimentation, iteration, and years of making.
It also gave us the freedom to experiment creatively across motion, composition, and the relationship between 2D and 3D elements. It also reflects a larger direction within our work. Coming from backgrounds that combine visual communication, architecture, and computer arts, we naturally gravitate toward work that exists between disciplines. Once Upon a Rabbit became an opportunity to continue that exploration through a more personal and culturally rooted lens.
We were drawn to this type of work because it allowed us to communicate and document cultural memories. We wanted to reinterpret familiar traditions and symbols through motion and visual storytelling, creating something that feels both rooted in culture and visually fresh for modern audiences. Rather than presenting culture in a historical or literal way, we were interested in expressing its emotional qualities through movement and symbolism, while bringing in a playful twist.
We used a combination of 2D and 3D tools throughout the project. Cinema 4D was used for modeling, animation, and building the overall spatial compositions, while After Effects was used for compositing, timing, transitions, and integrating the final motion language of the piece. We also used graphic design and illustration workflows during the early concept phase to explore composition, color, texture, and visual direction before moving into animation and production. The hybrid workflow allowed us to move fluidly between different mediums and refine the project from both a design and motion perspective.
This project was a close collaboration between the two of us, combining our different backgrounds and perspectives across motion, design, and spatial thinking. Throughout the process, we worked together on concept development, visual direction, animation, composition, and refining the overall experience of the piece.
Because the project was self initiated, most of the creative and technical work was handled internally by us. Our interdisciplinary backgrounds allowed us to move across different areas of production, including 2D and 3D animation, texturing, compositing, and motion design, while continuously shaping the project together through experimentation and iteration.
Because the project was self initiated, most of the creative and technical work was handled internally by us. Our interdisciplinary backgrounds allowed us to move across different areas of production, including 2D and 3D animation, texturing, compositing, and motion design, while continuously shaping the project together through experimentation and iteration.
One of the biggest challenges was finding a balance between cultural specificity and universal accessibility. We wanted the project to remain rooted in our own experiences and references while ensuring that audiences from different backgrounds could still connect with it emotionally.
Another challenge was maintaining a sense of visual richness without overwhelming the viewer. Since the piece relies heavily on atmosphere, transformation, and motion-driven storytelling, we needed to carefully consider pacing, transitions, and visual density so that each moment felt connected within a larger experience.
Another challenge was maintaining a sense of visual richness without overwhelming the viewer. Since the piece relies heavily on atmosphere, transformation, and motion-driven storytelling, we needed to carefully consider pacing, transitions, and visual density so that each moment felt connected within a larger experience.
Grand Interview about Once Upon a Rabbit Animated Short
The decision to blend 3D construction with a hand-drawn aesthetic came from the emotions we wanted to capture. Once Upon a Rabbit is inspired by the Lantern Festival, a tradition often remembered through feelings of warmth, wonder, and nostalgia. We found that a purely 3D approach felt too literal, while a fully illustrated style lacked the depth and atmosphere we envisioned. Combining the two allowed us to create a world that felt both immersive and approachable.That decision shaped every stage of the project. We used 3D to build environments, lighting, and camera movement, while hand-drawn textures and graphic treatments added softness and personality. Rather than aiming for realism, we focused on creating an emotional experience that felt like a memory brought to life.Looking back, the hybrid visual language became the foundation of the film, helping us communicate the warmth and spirit of the story while making it accessible to audiences from different cultural backgrounds.
From the beginning, our goal was not to explain the Lantern Festival, but to capture the feelings associated with it. While the film is rooted in a specific cultural tradition, the emotions behind it—wonder, togetherness, curiosity, and celebration—are universal experiences that transcend cultural boundaries.We focused on visual storytelling rather than explicit narrative. Elements such as rabbit lanterns, glutinous rice balls, calligraphy, and festive gatherings provide cultural context, but the film does not require prior knowledge of the festival to be understood. Instead, we used atmosphere, color, movement, and pacing to evoke a sense of warmth and joy that audiences can connect with on an emotional level.By emphasizing shared human experiences rather than cultural explanations, we hoped to create a film that feels authentic to its origins while remaining accessible to viewers around the world. In that sense, the Lantern Festival became both a cultural reference and a universal symbol of connection, hope, and celebration.
One of the key lessons from Once Upon a Rabbit is that technology works best when it serves a purpose rather than becoming the focus itself. Our hybrid workflow combined the flexibility of 3D production with the warmth and expressiveness of illustrative compositing, allowing us to create imagery that felt both structured and personal.For designers working with culturally inspired stories, I believe the methodology demonstrates how digital tools can efficiently help us develop the right visual experiences. Rather than striving for perfect realism, we used technology to support atmosphere, mood, and feeling. The 3D foundation provided depth and consistency, while textures, graphic treatments, and subtle imperfections helped preserve a sense of humanity and craft.As creative tools continue to evolve, the opportunity is not simply to create more detailed imagery, but to create more meaningful experiences. Technology can be a powerful bridge between cultural heritage and contemporary storytelling when it is guided by emotion, intention, and a clear creative vision.
Receiving this recognition was especially meaningful because it affirmed something we strongly believe as designers: stories rooted in specific cultural experiences can still resonate with a broad audience when they are communicated through genuine emotion. While Once Upon a Rabbit draws inspiration from the Lantern Festival, our goal was never simply to represent a tradition, but to capture the feelings of warmth, wonder, and connection associated with it.The award reinforced our belief that personal creative vision and broader audience engagement are not opposing goals. In many ways, the most universal stories often emerge from the most authentic and specific experiences. Rather than simplifying cultural references to reach a wider audience, we focused on presenting them with sincerity and care.The recognition also highlights the growing role of design and animation as tools for cultural storytelling. In an increasingly connected world, visual communication has the ability to help people discover experiences beyond their own while still finding common emotional ground. That is something we hope to continue exploring in future work.
One of the most interesting aspects of the project was intentionally moving away from the perfection that digital tools naturally encourage. Modern 3D workflows are incredibly powerful, but they often produce imagery that can feel overly precise and detached from the emotional qualities we associate with memory and human experience.Throughout the process, we were constantly looking for ways to introduce softness, texture, and subtle imperfections. Instead of treating these qualities as flaws, we embraced them as an essential part of the visual language. The goal was not to hide the technology, but to use it in a way that felt more personal and expressive.That balance between control and looseness became an important creative lesson. We realized that emotional resonance often comes from the small imperfections that make something feel crafted by human hands. The experience reinforced our belief that successful design is not about demonstrating technical virtuosity, but about using technical tools with intention to create meaningful emotional connections with an audience.
The exploratory phase of Once Upon a Rabbit was driven by experimentation rather than a fixed visual plan. One of our biggest challenges was finding the right balance between the structure of 3D production and the warmth of illustration. Early tests often felt either too realistic or too graphic, neither of which captured the nostalgic feeling we wanted.A key discovery was that simplifying forms and focusing on atmosphere created a stronger emotional connection than adding more detail. That realization shifted the project away from depicting the Lantern Festival literally and toward capturing the feeling of experiencing it.Many of the final aesthetic choices emerged through iteration and testing, reinforcing our belief that exploration is often just as important as the original idea.
Once Upon a Rabbit reinforced our belief that design can communicate culture through emotion and atmosphere as effectively as through narrative. Rather than focusing on explaining a tradition, we were more interested in capturing a feeling and creating an experience that audiences could connect with intuitively.Looking ahead, we hope to continue exploring this intersection of animation, cultural storytelling, and communication design. As the boundaries between these disciplines become increasingly fluid, we see opportunities to create work that is both visually engaging and emotionally meaningful. The framework developed through Once Upon a Rabbit encourages us to focus on atmosphere, memory, and shared human experiences as powerful tools for connection.Ultimately, we believe design has the ability to bridge cultures by making personal stories feel universal, and that is a direction we are excited to continue pursuing in future projects.
One aspect that often receives less attention is the personal nature of the project. While the film is inspired by the Lantern Festival, it is ultimately about memory and the emotions attached to cultural experiences. Many of the creative decisions were guided not by historical accuracy, but by how we remembered these moments and how they felt.From a technical perspective, the hybrid visual style is often the first thing people notice, but for us it was always a means to support that emotional goal. Every texture, lighting choice, and graphic treatment was intended to make the film feel more intimate and human.If there is one idea we would like to emphasize, it is that cultural storytelling does not always need to explain or document a tradition. Sometimes simply capturing its atmosphere and emotional essence can create a deeper and more universal connection with an audience.
The rabbit and tangyuan were chosen because they are closely associated with the Lantern Festival, but we were less interested in their symbolic meaning than in their ability to evoke a feeling. We wanted them to function as familiar visual anchors that could guide the audience through the film and create a sense of continuity between scenes.As the project developed, we treated these motifs almost like recurring melodies in music. They would appear, transform, and reappear in different contexts, helping to connect moments without relying on a traditional narrative structure. The rhythm of their appearances was guided by emotion rather than plot, allowing them to support the atmosphere of wonder, warmth, and celebration that runs throughout the film.Our goal was to create a viewing experience that felt intuitive and memorable, where the audience could form their own associations with the imagery rather than being asked to decode a specific message.
One lesson from Once Upon a Rabbit is that cultural storytelling can be both specific and accessible. The film embraces recognizable elements of the Lantern Festival, including lanterns, tangyuan, and rabbits, and uses them as recurring motifs throughout the piece.However, I think the key is not just selecting meaningful cultural imagery, but designing how those elements move, transform, and connect across a film. Motion can help turn familiar symbols into a cohesive emotional experience.We found that audiences often connect most strongly when a work remains authentic to its cultural roots while focusing on emotions that are universally understood.