BORYANA

BORYANA.

A 2D Cinematic Symphony of Bulgarian Culture - 4th Year Honours Project (Abertay University).

A 2D animated short film about a visually-impaired Bulgarian girl that sees the world through sound.

This project is a 2D animated short film that focuses on Slavic culture, with a particular focus on Bulgarian traditions and heritage. I embarked on this endeavor to address the lack of representation of Slavic culture in contemporary media. Having lived in Bulgaria for ~20 years, I've had the opportunity to experience numerous rituals and customs firsthand. Through this project, I aim to declare to the world that Bulgarian culture is vibrant, dynamic, loud and ready to be explored!

Initial Storyboard.

Animatic.

During the production of the animation, several elements from the animatic and storyboard were either completely changed or removed to enhance animation efficiency. These adjustments were made because certain parts did not significantly contribute to the story and would have consumed valuable production time.

As this was also a university project with time constraints, it was essential to find smarter ways to animate within the given deadlines.

The Kukeri.

The Kukeri are elaborately costumed Bulgarian performers, traditionally men but increasingly including women, who wear animal furs, leather belts with large copper bells and striking 'scary' masks. Their dances are meant to scare away evil spirits.

This significant ritual has been a part of Bulgarian culture for an unknown length of time, originating from Pagan traditions. It remains one of the most crucial practices for passing down cultural heritage through generations.

Character Designs.

From top to bottom: Boryana, Great-Grandfather Ivan, Baba Varda, Baba Yaga, Yara.

Although not all characters made it into the final version of the animation, they remain integral to the lore, showcasing significant aspects and stereotypes of Bulgarian culture such as traditional attire. The designs were simplified to enhance animation efficiency.

Shots from Boryana's POV.

Shots from Ordinary POV.

The FOREST.

Assets.

The Movement.

All assets and textures in the forest scene are 2D Animated/Painted (except the rocks). Simple 3D Planes with applied 2D textures (animations) were used to create depth in the scene.

Reusable Assets.

Reusable assets highlighting the cultural significance of embroidery and patterns in Slavic heritage, giving the animation a rich folklore feel. These elements are crucial as they mimic the sounds in Boryana's world and the ordinary world, making them an essential part of the animation and post-production process.

These assets were made reusable to work more efficiently within the time constraints mentioned earlier, allowing me to allocate more time to areas that needed more attention.

Audio.

Voice Actors.

Thank you to Mira Chorchopova and Martina Petrova, my friends, for their amazing voices and for agreeing to be part of this project. They really infused the project with so much emotion.

Mira Chorchopove - Narrator

Martina Petrova - Boryana

Song credits.

Dzivia - Flower Maiden ft. Guda Folk Choir

Mariya Angelova - Devoyko, Mari, Hubava

Oratnitza - Tzurni Ochi ft. Kipri

Other sounds - recorded by me or found on freesound.org (list in video)

VFX, Animation, Post-Production, Script, Character Design, Audio Editing: Yana Stoyanova (me)