Google Play Indie Games 2022 Programs

After helping with some of the animation back in 2021, I was delighted to work again with the agency Wazzo on the 2022 Indie Games project, this time as the animation director.

The Indie Games Programs are designed to support indie studios around the world in their goals of creating games. The programs are comprised of the Indie Games Accelerator, which provides mentorship from industry experts, the Indie Games Fund, which awards cash and support to selected studios, and the Indie Games Festival, which gives studios an opportunity to showcase their game and win contests for financial and promotional support.

As the animation director I worked with Wazzo and many other talented artists to create and bring to life hundreds of assets. The number of animated assets alone was over 260, including YouTube shorts, promotional animations such as sign up and event reminders, templates for judges, mentors and competitors, animations for the Indie Games Festival live event, as well as dozens of animations for internal documents. Below you can find a short animated case study as well as other selected assets from the project!

Client: Google Play

Agency: Wazzo Ltd

My Roles: Director, Lead Animator & Illustration

Lead Illustrator: Fabio Buonocore

Additional Animation: YLLW Studio, Marta Azaña, Oliver Sin, & Alberto Pozo

A digital illustration of a birthday celebration scene with red, pink, and blue balloons, a yellow trophy, several red and pink party hats or decorations with pink leaves, and teal and blue swirl decorations on a white background.

A (very small) selection of gifs that were created for internal deliverables.

A cartoon scene on the water featuring two characters: one riding a jet ski with spiky hair, and another on a surfboard holding colorful balloons. The sky has a couple of clouds.
A cartoon illustration of a unicorn with a rainbow-colored mane, lying on a pink and white striped blanket on clouds, with a black chat bubble character and a yellow electrical device nearby, against a background of a light beige sky with white clouds.
Cartoon dog riding an all-terrain vehicle underwater, with fish and pufferfish around it.
A cartoon black character standing on a platform near a ladder, with large blue pipes and clouds in the sky.
A cartoon black cat balancing a colorful beach ball on its paw while performing a handstand on a sandy beach. The scene includes palm trees, clouds, and pink plants in the background.
A collage of three promotional social media posts from Google Play showcasing the Indie Games Festival and Indie Games Accelerator. The posts contain colorful cartoon-style illustrations of playful scenes, including characters, a tree, a pond, and cacti, with text noting dates and calls to action for indie game developers.

A small sampling of storyboards I drew over the course of the project.

Comic strip showing a fish-themed game with bubbles. First panel: Text 'Get help from Google Play' made of bubbles, with three fish-shaped objects below. Second panel: Bubble fun about a fish passing by. Third panel: Bubbles surround a character, with one fish passing by. Fourth panel: Character leaps into the air after a fish jumps out of the water, with bubbles around.
Series of sketches for an animated scene showing a jungle adventure. Starts with a sign reading 'Don't forget to join the adventure!' then a character named Blobby swooping on a vine, followed by a camera pan over the jungle. Blobby swings to another vine, then the scene shows a crossing labeled 'September 3rd' and a link to a game. The final frame depicts a sloth resting in a tree while a flying squirrel is in a tree.
Four black and white cartoon-style panels depicting a character in a car chasing a floating diamond, with themes of winning promotions.
Comic strip illustrating a sloth reaching for a toy, catching it, and then landing respectfully on a platform amidst a natural outdoor setting with trees.
Cartoon scene with pink crabs wearing party hats and holding bangles, celebrating on a sandy shore with colorful confetti, and a black creature on a cliff with balloons, musical instruments, and trophies in a vibrant, playful setting.