Art of Panchita!!

Creative studio Unsaid Studio has released the 60” version of its 5’ animated short, ‘Panchita!!’, for TECHO, an NGO which builds homes for South American families. The film, which is currently on the festival circuit and has already won Short to The Point’s Best Animation Short, is set for wider release on World Habitat Day (October 2nd).

A drive for change to help combat poverty in informal settlements in South America, ‘Panchita!!’ is based on a true story. The vibrant animation tells the tale of a South American girl who unearths a magical old VCR showing Shirley Temple’s ‘The Little Colonel’. Inspired, she discovers her calling: to tap dance. Guided by an unexpected supernatural friend and mentor - based on philanthropist Bojangles - she looks for stable foundations to support her dreams.

The story is based upon a video from a TECHO volunteer, who documented a little girl’s joy at getting a new floor - a huge and essential development for her. From there, the animation and the cause snowballed, with companies and artists alike falling in love with its potential, inspired by the artwork and opportunity to give back.

Unsaid Studio then faced the balancing act of remaining respectful to the cause while depicting the story in an entertaining and uplifting way. They decided to tackle it through the analogy of needing a floor to follow a tap dancing dream, paralleling the much larger issue of lacking stable conditions upon which to build a future. Unsaid Studio then embarked upon the task of conveying this narrative in an understandable way with no voice over or dialogue.

Ensuring authenticity throughout the process, Unsaid Studio championed young South American creative talent in the building of the project. To offer a creative complement to the technical crew, the team also brought on a Brazilian oil painter, teaching him the 3D software from scratch so he could lend a spark of artistic personality to the animation. The final toy-like set encourages the idea that the audience can reach into the scene and build a model home there themselves, mimicking their ability to make physical change through TECHO.