Design Challenge and Design Ideas

To mark Ireland’s first space mission with the EIRSAT-1 satellite, that was launched on December 1, 2023, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, I was commissioned to create a three-minute animated short film with strong illustrative designs. The film is based on a poignant poem about “home,” written and voiced by twelve secondary school students from around Ireland. The challenge was to create an animation that captures the essence of the poem while celebrating this historic milestone in Ireland’s space exploration.

How the brief was fulfilled

The film transforms the poem’s themes of home, belonging, and identity into dynamic and emotionally resonant illustrated visuals, integrating these themes with the broader context of space exploration. The animation aimed to translate the poem’s themes into well-executed and thoughtful illustrations. The animation is designed to reflect the significance of Ireland’s space mission while deeply resonating with the personal themes of the poem.

Collaborating with composer Phil Brookes, the design intent included ensuring that the original score and sound design seamlessly blended with the visuals, amplifying the animation’s emotional impact and coherence.

In terms of the creative execution, I hope that the animation stands out for its creative integration of space themes with the personal significance of home, presented through high-quality execution and thoughtful illustrations that artfully play with metaphor, enhancing the poem’s narrative, translating its abstract concepts into engaging and dynamic imagery.

The animation was produced in both English and Irish, thanks to translation by Eoin McEvoy of UCD School of Irish, Celtic Studies & Folklore, broadening its accessibility and reflecting Ireland’s cultural richness.

This project was a collaborative achievement. In particular, the involvement of the film’s producer, Jane Allen, UCD Arts and Humanities (Emer Beesley, Emma Loughney, and Caroline Byrne), MoLI Museum, JCSP Library Project, UCD English, and UCD Research. The poem was edited and curated by Paul Perry with contributions from Chiamaka Enyi-Amadi and Jessica Traynor, showcasing a strong network of educational and cultural institutions.

In addition to the animation, UCD Artist in Residence Emer O’Boyle created an engraving of the poem onto the actual satellite.

Overall, the animation successfully celebrated Ireland’s space milestone while honouring the poem’s emotional depth, demonstrating creativity, competence, and collaborative spirit in its execution and finish.