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RATATONY

VFX short film — Unit 7, Day 847, Last Signal

An AI decided humanity had to go. RATATONY may be the last robot still walking. After 847 days searching for energy, and doubting its creator's "logical" choice, it lets go of its last glowing capsule at the end of a pier, facing the sea. A sacrifice with no one left to see it. The film is built like a mission file: every shot is dated, located, indexed — and that HUD identity became this site's.

2:36

Context: Third-year project — animation and visual effects, HEAJ. A 2:36 film, with a 1:41 breakdown and a turntable.
Role: Robot rig (rebuilt with Rigify), animation, lighting and rendering in Blender. Editing, grading and sound in DaVinci Resolve — including the robot's voice: low, mechanical, fragile.
Year: 2025 – 2026
Team: Solo
Tools: BlenderDaVinci Resolve StudioFairlight

Watch the breakdown (1:41) ↗

Process

Step 01

Sketches and intent

Preparatory sketches: silhouette, poses, framings, logo.

Step 02

Modelling, rig and animation

Modelling and rig in Blender; rig tested in T-pose then in pose.

Mech rig in T-pose in the lookdev studio

Step 03

Lookdev and turntable

Texturing and materials validated in a neutral studio, chrome ball and colour chart.

RATATONY — turntableTC 00:00:00:0001 / 02

Chrome ball and chart in frame: light and materials are judged under controlled conditions.

Step 04

Effects research

Special effects research in Blender.

RATATONY — FX researchTC 00:00:00:00LOOP

Step 05

Simulation

The ground breaking on the weapon's impact, after the mech's jump: fracture simulation in Blender, shown here in wireframe.

RATATONY — simulationTC 00:00:00:00LOOP

Step 06

Tracking and integration

The scene is shot in a Brussels street. The camera is tracked, then the mech is integrated with shadows and reflections. The rain and some set elements are added in Blender; the smoke is added in post-production.

Final integration: rain and set elements added in Blender, smoke in post

Step 07

The compositing chain, layer by layer

One shot rebuilt in the real order of operations.

RATATONY — compositingTC 00:00:00:0001 / 12

Step 08

Sound design

Soundtrack composed and processed in four steps.

RATATONY — sound designTC 00:00:00:0001 / 04

The signal before processing.

Step 09

Second shot: the mound, from plate to comp

Breakdown of the second shot.

RATATONY — breakdown, plan 02TC 00:00:00:0001 / 03

Step 10

Editing, grading, titles

Editing, grading and titles in DaVinci Resolve.

Result

A 2:36 film delivered with its breakdown and turntable: rig, animation, lighting and rendering in Blender, then editing, grading and sound design in DaVinci Resolve.

The portal formed by the stone hands, among the cacti

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Two worlds, one portal: an environment film built with method.

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