ARCADIA 9

The Animation Production

The Animation 2 students of 2024-2025 at Sachse High School worked together as a studio to create a concept for an animated film. The students collaborated on characters, backgrounds, and object designs. Afterward, they created storyboards and animatics based on the concepts. They also worked on scripting and marketing for the project as well.

"I'm so impressed with what you've organized with the Acardia-9 project. It's such an incredible plunge into the type of collaborative artistry that your students will encounter if they pursue filmmaking, in any shape, way or form."

- David Lowery, Director of Pete's Dragon, The Green Knight, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

TEAM MEETING

Before they started production, they reviewed the script, assigned roles, and created a to-do list of things needed for the film. This was created by the projects Director, Sidney "Sid: Pike ('25 Senior).

The students work together to choose styles.

The production slides were drawn out by the projects director Sidney Pike.

They created a production pipline to help with the production.

To make sure they kept on schedule, they created a check list of items needed.

Students were assigned department roles and would work together.

Once things were completed, new tasks would be written down.

Advertisements were also talked about, to promote the project.

Character Concepts

Once they had a script, the students began to create concepts for the three main characters in the film. Several students would sketch out what they thought the characters would look like, and as a studio, they would review, pick, and choose elements from each sketch to create the final concept.

SAVANA ACQUAH-ASARE - Character Artist

AN MY QUY - Lead character Artist

Background Concepts

As some worked on character concepts, others began to work on the backgrounds, including the environment and the colors surrounding them. This went through different stages until they found the color that they all agreed on and shared it with the rest of the team so they could use it.

Students created backgrounds using Adobe Photoshop and Animate. However, to get an idea of how they wanted it to look, some sketched out the background and colored it using paint and markers to get a feel for the environment. They would then scan and transfer the image to Adobe to outline and color digitally.

CASSIDY ROBINSON - Background artist/animator

Students create their backgrounds digitally step-by-step in Adobe.

They use images of the character's concepts created by other students to represent what is happening in the scene.

Creating a scene for the animatic storyboard.

Ships Concepts

In the concept, the protagonist and the antagonist both have spaceships. Students with scenes featuring the ships would then create concepts and ideas of how they wanted the vessel to look.

Protagonist Ship: The Arcadia 9

TRAVIS MATTHEWSON - Arcadia 9 ship designer

ZULEYKA "Z" ALVARADO - Arcadia 9 ship color designer

The hero ship "Arcadia 9" underwent many redesigns before a concept was picked.

The ship's colors were also part of a deep discussion between the assistant art director Allana Parks, the ship's art designer Travis Matthewson, and the ships colorist Zuleyka "Z" Alvarado.

This is the final version with the updated colors.

TRAVIS MATTHEWSON - Arcadia 9 ship designer

ZHANE' SATCHELL - Artist

JESSICA VAZQUEZ - Artist and Animator

TRAVIS MATTHEWSON - Arcadia 9 ship designer

Antagonist Ship and The Pilot

GABRIEL POLZER - Design Artist

KENNEDY NGUYEN - Enemy Character Designer

The enemy ship also went through a few redesigns. The original concept for the Enemy Ship was created by artist Gabriel Polzer, with the design based on a sword.

Character artist and animator Kennedy Nguyen designed a pilot for the enemy ship.

GABRIEL POLZER - Design Artist

Creature Concepts

In the story, the main characters encounter an animal who helps them along their journey. The students assigned scenes that included the animal guide began to create concepts of what it would look like. It underwent different stages of looks and colors before a final concept was chosen.

Storyboards

As concepts are being created and shared among the teams, students develop storyboards for scenes they are working on to help them better understand what they want to animate and what they need for that scene. These storyboards also help other students understand what happens before and after the scenes in the story.

JESSICA VAZQUEZ - Artist and Animator

Students create their storyboards on paper and digitally using programs like Adobe Photoshop.

The goal is to use these storyboards to help create their animatic storyboard scene.

They can even scan and trace their storyboards to help build their animatic.

AMY NGUYEN - Storyboard artist

Animatics

Once their storyboards or concepts were ready for their scene, students began to create animatic scenes based on those concepts. The goal is for each student to complete an animatic of their scene that would then be pieced together to create a full animatic storyboard of ARCADIA 9.

CASSIDY ROBINSON - Background artist/animator

Marketing

To help motivate and promote the film, the creative team is working on a marketing campaign that starts with creating a poster. They first sketch out an idea of what the poster might look like, and then they assign a student to help make the poster for online promotions and marketing of the project. To also help promote the concept, students are creating a documentary about the making of ARCADIA 9. The goal of the documentary is to be submitted to film festivals.

AN MY QUY - Lead Character Designer

Director Sidney Pike drew a concept for a poster. Then, lead character designer An My Quy worked to design a poster based on that concept.

The Script

Originally titled "Echoes of the Past," the title was changed by Director Sidney Pike, naming the film after the protagonist's ship. The script for ARCADIA-9 went through many different rewrites, the first being with script supervisor JAHREE TRAHAN gathering all feedback from the artists over character and scene directions. Then, script editor ISETH LAZOS reviewed the script and worked to merge scenes or cut ones out altogether. Additional rewrites of scenes done by NERY SAUCEDO and SAVANA ACQUAH-ASARE to help drive the narrative between scenes that need it.

Synopsis

The ﬁlm follows a research team sent on a mission to record the culture and technology of an alien planet named Arcadia-9, the ship they use is named The Voyager. The crew is composed of; Ryder the proud, optimistic captain, ﬁlled with a sense of childlike wonder, Jenna the curious, studious tech specialist, she also acts as the mechanic and an archeologist, she loves technology and history, she can get engrossed in it at times. and Alex, the pessimistic and somewhat cynical pilot, frequently bickering with Ryder, he's also a bit cowardly.

SCENE 1: The Launch Pad - SPACE STATION

INT. SPACE STATION - DAY

A sleek spaceship, The Voyager, prepares for launch. The station buzzes with activity.

CAPTAIN RYDER

(standing in front of the ship, looking to the front window, in a conﬁdent pose. determined) "Today marks the start of yet another great journey. A research mission to the ancient: Arcadia-9."

Director’s Notes:

● Establish a bustling environment around the space station.

● Use wide shots to show as much of the ship's exterior details as possible, the general atmosphere of this scene is that of excitement.

● Focus on Captain Ryder's conﬁdent demeanor; camera should linger on their determined expression.

SCENE 2: Cockpit of The Voyager

INT. VOYAGER COCKPIT - CONTINUOUS

Ryder enters the ship, ﬁnding his crew awaiting him.

ALEX

(focused on the navigation)

"Setting course for Arcadia-9, We should be arriving soon."

CAPTAIN RYDER

(excitedly)

"Just imagine what wonders await us there ."

JENNA

(full of wonder)

“Think of all the stories we could get from this place, the wonderful creations, on-goings, and endings of civilizations long gone!”

Director’s Notes:

● Create a high-tech cockpit with glowing screens.

● Use close-ups on the characters’ faces to convey their focus and excitement.

● Emphasize Jenna's enthusiasm with energetic movements as she interacts with the control panel.

SCENE 3: Arrival at Arcadia-9

INT. The Voyager - DAY

The ship approaches the vibrant alien planet, ﬁlled with exotic ﬂora and strange structures.

ALEX

“Approaching Arcadia-9. Deploying landing gear”

The ship lands on the planet

RYDER

(pushing a button. Opening the cockpit)

"Touchdown! Get ready to explore!"

ALEX

(Gathering his supplies) (in a condescending tone)

“Don’t go rushing off again”

RYDER

(in an annoyed tone)

(brief sigh) “Whatever you buzzkill!”

Director’s Notes:

● Don’t forget the use of body language here, Ryder’s movements should be slightly sporadic, Alex doesn't move much here, what movements he does make shouldn't be too fast or too grand.

SCENE 4: First Steps on the Planet

EXT. ARCADIA-9 - CONTINUOUS

The crew exits the ship, looking around in awe.

RYDER

(enamoured in the scenery) (with a sense of awe)

“Wow, that’s just... stunning”

ALEX

"If I had a nickel for everytime you said something like that, I wouldn’t need this job"

JENNA

(pointing)

"Look at those structures! They must be hundreds of thousands of years old."

ALEX

(nervously glancing at the temples)

"Heh.. just, be careful, we don't know the dangers that await us "

RYDER

(excitedly)(while running ahead of the others) “That’s what makes it fun!”

Director’s Notes:

● Close-ups on their expressions as they react to the environment.

● Use Jenna's pointing gesture to lead the audience’s attention to the structures.

● Showcase the alien landscape with vivid colors and exotic plants.

● Ryder should show awe, gazing around with a slow pan of the camera to emphasize discovery

SCENE 5: Discovering the Ruins

EXT. ANCIENT TEMPLE - DAY

They approach a massive, partially collapsed temple covered in vines. There's a large closed door.

JENNA

(with a sense of awe)

“Woah, it's just so dominating, it stands like it proudly owns the surrounding area.”

RYDER

(with a sense of unease)

"This place feels... different. Like it’s watching us."

ALEX

(genuinely disinterested in their banter) (with a slight sense of relief) “Too bad its closed though, looks like we’ll just have to go back and-” The ground shakes as the door opens.

Director’s Notes:

● Focus on the crew's facial expressions of concern.

● Use slow camera movements to reveal the temple's grandeur gradually.

SCENE 6: Inside the Temple

INT. TEMPLE - DIM LIGHT

They enter the temple, illuminated by glowing symbols on the walls.

JENNA

(touching the symbols) (with a slight sense of self doubt)

"These markings, I- I haven't seen anything like them. It’s gonna take a while to decipher them."

Ryder

(glances over to her) (reassuringly)

“I know you can do it.”

A door at the end of the hallway starts to open.

JENNA

(surprised) “Woah!”

RYDER

“Cool!”

ALEX

(looking a Jenna)(in an slightly angry, condescending tone) “What did you do?”

JENNA

(going through the door) “Look at what's in here.” Director’s Notes:

● Use glowing symbols to create a magical atmosphere.

● Show Jenna's excitement and sense of wonder and through dynamic hand movements as she interacts with the symbols.

● Slow zoom-in on the symbols to highlight their importance.

● Scene 6.5 has been merged with this scene.

SCENE 7: The Console

INT. TEMPLE - ANCIENT CONSOLE

JENNA ﬁnds a glowing control panel pulsating with energy.

JENNA

(eyes wide with excitement)

"This looks like a control panel! Maybe we can activate it."

ALEX

(very agitated)

“Do you have any idea what that could do? Even if by some miracle we get to work, we could get ourselves killed.”

RYDER

(Nonchalant)

“So?”

ALEX

(staring daggers at him)

Takes a deep breath then exhales

“ You know what, personally I’m tired of you doing stuff like this.”

RYDER

“Like what?”

ALEX

“Like this, you rushing us into situations like this, endangering us, something that any captain worth their soul would never do.”

(he turns around and heads to the entrance)

RYDER

(looks genuinely hurt by that)

Scoffs “your loss!”

ALEX

“You Know the worst part about all this Ryder.”

RYDER

(silent)

ALEX

“How you’re wasting the potential of a genuinely great historian by sending her on suicide missons.”

JENNA

“Alex, I-”

(He walks out of the temple)

Director’s Notes:

● Make the console visually striking, pulsating with energy.

● Consider using a low-angle shot to give the console an imposing presence.

SCENE 8: Activation of the Console

INT. TEMPLE - CONTINUOUS

JENNA is standing in front of the console, RYDER to her side behind her .

RYDER

(reassuringly )

“Don’t let him get to your head Jenna, you’re very capable on your own, you haven’t let anything stop you this far-”

JENNA

(Slightly agitated)

“I’m not gonna let some cynical brat’s words get to me, you don’t need to pamper me”

(she presses a big glowing button on the console, it hums to life, ﬁlling the room with light)

● Show how the two seem anxious after the argument

● Create a dramatic lighting change as the console activates.

● The console should hum with energy—consider a subtle vibration effect.

SCENE 9: A Vision of Past

INT. TEMPLE - CONTINUOUS

(The console begins to show a projection, showing a catastrophic war.)

RYDER

“Is this… a war?”

JENNA

“What happened here…”

(JENNA pauses, seeming to recognise something) “Something about those ships seem-” Director’s Notes:

● Use quick cuts to show the crew's varied reactions.

● The console should hum with energy—consider a subtle vibration effect.

● Jenna’s speech is cut off in the last line.

SCENE 10: The Warning

INT. TEMPLE - CONTINUOUS

(the hologram suddenly changes to a warning in an alien language)

JENNA

“This looks like a warning… We should leave-” ( the ground starts shaking)

Director’s Notes:

● The message should appear slowly, drawing the viewer in.

● Show as the remaining crew’s expressions changed from curiosity to uncertainty

● Use a shaking effect for when the ground begins to shake

●

SCENE 11: Unleashing the Past

INT. TEMPLE - GROUND SHAKING

The ground shakes, causing debris to fall, the entrance to the temple is closing.

RYDER

(shouting)

"We’ve triggered something! We have to get out!"

JENNA

(slightly agitated, panicking)

“Agreed, let’s go! ”

(they start running out of the temple)

JENNA

“The door is closing!”

RYDER

“Faster!”

Director’s Notes:

● Implement a shaky camera effect to convey instability as the ground shakes.

● Show debris falling around them with quick cuts to intensify the urgency.

● Characters should react with fear and determination to escape

SCENE 12: The Escape

EXT. TEMPLE - OUTSIDE

The crew run out of the temple right before it collapses, they ﬁnd Alex in the voyager awaiting them right outside

ALEX

(screaming)

“GET IN, THERE WAS A SIGNAL COMING FROM THE TEMPLE, SOMETHING MIGHT BE COMING, WE NEED TO GET OUTTA HERE!”

(Jenna and Ryder run inside the voyager)

Director’s Notes:

● Capture the chaotic energy of the crew running from the temple.

● Use fast-paced editing to heighten the sense of urgency.

● Incorporate sound effects of crumbling stone and falling debris.

● Scene 13 was merged with this scene.

SCENE 14: Incoming Threat

EXT. ARCADIA-9 SKY - DAY

A dark ship appears in the sky, descending rapidly toward them.

RYDER

(determined)

"Prepare for battle! We need to defend our ship."

ALEX

(Panicked)

“Battle?! We are RESEARCHERS”

JENNA

(Confused)

“We have weapons?!”

RYDER

“Of course we have weapons, what ship doesn’t have weapons!”

ALEX

“You really think our peashooter is gonna do anything against THAT”

Director’s Notes:

● Introduce the dark ship dramatically.

● The crew should react in shock; quick cuts between their expressions.

● Use sound effects to build tension as the ship descends.

SCENE 15: Battle Stations

INT. VOYAGER - COCKPIT

They man their stations, readying the ship for combat.

ALEX

(annoyed)

(sighs)"Engines at full power. Weapons online."

JENNA

(Disbelief)

“I- I don’t know how to use this thing!”

RYDER

“No better time to learn than today, right!”

Director’s Notes:

● Create a sense of teamwork and urgency as they prepare for battle.

● Make the camera have swift movements, showing experience and determination in the crew.

SCENE 16: First Strike

EXT. VOYAGER - SPACE

The enemy ship ﬁres; hitting one of the thrusters, the Voyager shakes violently.

RYDER

(pressing buttons at his console)

"Return ﬁre! Jenna, target their engines!"

JENNA

(Angrily)

“I’m doing that!”

(she ﬁres the weapon, hitting the ship) (excited)

“OH MY GOD I HIT IT!”

(the ship seems unaffected) “UUUHHHHH WHAT NOW?” ALEX

(Stressed)

“This is NOT how this was supposed to go”

RYDER

(annoyed)

(scoffs) “Hang on, I got this.”

(he presses a button, opening the cockpit, a bunch of crates fall out the voyager, hitting the enemy ship, the enemy ship starts to lose altitude, the cockpit closes)

(Alex and Jenna are wide eyed, looking at Ryder in silent shock. The enemy ship crashes)

RYDER

(confused) “What?” JENNA

“WHY RYDER”

ALEX

“RYDER WHAT THE [Censor Bleep]”

JENNA

“WE NEEDED THAT SUPPLIES RYDER!”

RYDER

¨What? We’ll just collect them when we land, oh yeah by the way Alex we should land before that thrust-¨

(The thruster explodes, causing the voyager to spin out)

RYDER

¨uughhhhhhh oh my god you gotta be kidding¨

ALEX

¨I hate you¨

JENNA

(screaming as the ship goes down)

Director’s Notes:

● The action should feel dynamic; show the ship shaking with impact.

● Use sound effects to enhance the ship's response to ﬁre.

● Scenes 17 and 18 were merged with this one.

SCENE 19: The Crash

INT. Damaged Voyager - DAY

They crashed in a dense, alien jungle ﬁlled with vibrant colors.

RYDER

“Welp, we ain't getting off planet in this condition.” (he pushes a button opening the cockpit)

“Let’s survey the damage”

ALEX

“You say that like we have the supplies to ﬁx it”

RYDER

“We’ll just send a ping-”

ALEX

“That they can track, leading them right to us, along with any other signals or messages we send out”

RYDER

“Then we’ll just search for the supplies manually, Alex you're with me, Jenna you stay back and diagnose and ﬁx whatever you can with what we have on hand.”

ALEX

“With how fast we were going when you pulled that little maneuver, we might never ﬁnd them, even if we do, by some miracle happen to ﬁnd one before daylight dies, we’d have to hope it isn't damaged and it’s the one with our maintenance supplies, and it could take days just to bring it back.”

RYDER

“Fine then, we’ll just-”

JENNA

(probably the angriest she has ever been in her life)

“ALRIGHT, YOU CAN STOP NOW, BOTH OF YOU!”

(Alex and Ryder are looking at her shocked) (she takes a deep breath then exhales)

“Now here's what’s gonna happen, since we don’t have much daylight left you two will help me diagnose the ship, then organize the supplies we do have, then tomorrow you two go looking for those crates while I do what I can to ﬁx the ship, Now let’s go.”

(she heads out of the ship, the other two follow)

Director’s Notes:

● Create an atmosphere with a bit of a high tension.

● The characters' movements and body language should match their mood and dialogue.

● Remember the voyager is damaged here, the lighting and backgrounds should reﬂect that.

SCENE 20: Resting in the Jungle

EXT. JUNGLE CLEARING - late afternoon, nearing unset The crew are outside, assessing the damage on the voyager. JENNA

“Just problems with thrusters, engines, landing gear, and some console functionality, thankful nothing unrepairable, but it’s gonna take a while, I estimate a couple of weeks, to ﬁx without the proper supplies”

ALEX

“So we’re stranded?”

JENNA

“No, did you not just hear what I just said?”

ALEX

“You really think in that few weeks time, that they won't scan the area for us, or for their downed ship, which will then lead them straight to us.”

JENNA

“Then we’ll just have to hurry then.”

RYDER

“Look, let's just stop worrying about that for now and rest for the nigh-” (he gets interrupt by noises coming from the foliage around him) Director’s Notes:

● Create a serene atmosphere; slow, steady camera movements.

● Focus on the crew's exhaustion, using heavy eyelids and slow breaths.

● Use gentle background sounds of the jungle to create a sense of peace.

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