Case Study
Michael Dotsikas, author of the successful "Benjamin Birdie" book series, approached our team with a vision to expand his educational adventure stories into animation. The goal was to create a trailer that would captivate potential investors and educational partners while preserving the series' core values of scientific accuracy and sense of wonder.
A nimble team of two creative technologists leveraged cutting-edge AI animation tools to produce a compelling 60-second trailer that captured the educational essence and adventure spirit of "Benjamin's Wild Explorers," establishing a foundation for a full animated series.
Challenge
Transform a beloved children's book series into an animated trailer capable of attracting investors and educational partners.
Outcome
A professionally produced 60-second trailer created in just three weeks
Secured partnerships with real-world explorers and scientific institutions
Established a scalable production framework for future episode development
Differentiated the project in the crowded children's educational content marketplace
Maintained creative integrity while pioneering new AI-assisted animation techniques
Project Scope
Narration Development
Character Design
AI Animation System
Environmental Design
Brand Style Guide
Sound Design & Music
Michael Dotsikas, author of the successful "Benjamin Birdie" book series, approached our team with a vision to expand his educational adventure stories into animation. The goal was to create a trailer that would captivate potential investors and educational partners while preserving the series' core values of scientific accuracy and sense of wonder.
Three-week production timeline
Need to maintain character integrity while evolving design
Integration of real explorer partnerships
Educational content requirements
Rather than focusing solely on cryptocurrency concepts, our content strategy positioned the book within the broader context of financial literacy and future preparation:
Character Animation: AI technology to generate fluid character movements from single images
Environmental Design: Custom style codes for consistent world-building
Asset Creation: Systematic pipeline ensuring visual cohesion across all elements
Scene Assembly: Hybrid approach combining AI-generated elements with traditional animation techniques
The trailer maintained the educational integrity and adventure spirit of the original books while evolving the visual style:
Character Evolution: Updated Benjamin with a more mature design while preserving core traits
Environmental Storytelling: Created a rich world centered around the "tree of life" concept
Scientific Accuracy: Integrated real explorer expertise into narrative elements
Emotional Resonance: Crafted an opening sequence that immediately captivated viewers
"Thanks to everyone at Will Be Live for an amazing effort! The video was sharp, emotionally on point, and exactly what we needed to ignite serious conversations with partners and investors. Smart thinking and flawless executino. You guys CRUSHED IT!"
Michael Dotsikas
Author and CEO of Business Systems Consulting
Our team began by developing a comprehensive style guide that would serve as the foundation for all visual elements. This included:
Character redesigns that maintained core identity while updating for animation
Environmental concept development centered on the "tree of life" motif
Technical system setup and testing of AI animation capabilities
Creation of a movement library for primary characters
The production phase focused on:
Generation of core animation sequences using Minimax/Haliao
Environmental rendering through Midjourney with consistent style parameters
Scene assembly combining character and environmental elements
Initial review and timing adjustments
The final phase included:
Audio integration with custom music and narration
Quality control and technical standard verification
Final refinements based on stakeholder feedback
Delivery of completed trailer in multiple formats
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