The Spirit of The Laughing Owl

The Spirit of The Laughing Owl is a 3-minute 3D animated comedy short film. The story centers around a young painter and a Laughing Owl spirit, who both help each other achieve their goals. This story is aimed to engage audiences through comedy, visual storytelling, beautiful stylized animation and bring to light one of New Zealand extinct birds. All funding goes to software costs, equipment costs, sound costs and Film Festival costs.

As a solo creator and current Master of Fine Arts (Design) student at Victoria University, I (Clydille) am leading all aspects of production—design, modeling, animation, and editing. With support from fellow students,  Sarah Paton Taylor and Erin Thomas-Riley on sound design. 

This project aims to showcase strong visual storytelling while shining a light on the long-forgotten Laughing Owl.

All funding will go towards helping out with sound and me with Pre-Production, Production and Post-Production. All funding will go to the following:

• Equipment
• Software and Software Add on
• Sound
• Film Festival Submissions and promotions

Your contribution will directly empower a passion-driven student animation, helping it reach audiences not only in New Zealand but around the world.

I’ve always been drawn to the power of animation to convey emotion, humor, and meaning, without needing words. The Spirit of The Laughing Owl is a personal and creative challenge that allows me to bring together everything I’ve learned so far: character design, 3D animation, storytelling, and visual direction.

This film is about overcoming creative blocks, finding inspiration in the unexpected, and learning to laugh through frustration. The Laughing Owl also represents something uniquely close to home. It’s a species that once lived in New Zealand, now extinct, but still holding a place in our natural and cultural history. Through this project, I hope to reintroduce it to the world with not sorrow, but whimsy and wonder.

The Spirit of The Laughing Owl is more than just a charming animated short, it's a celebration of imagination, resilience, and rediscovery. At its heart, this film speaks to anyone who’s ever struggled with creative block, self-doubt, or the pressure to leave a meaningful mark on the world.

New Zealand was home to a lot of amazing species and now they are mostly gone now, the Laughing Owl being one of those species. Once native to New Zealand, has been extinct for over a century. Re imagining the Owl as a playful spirit, brings awareness to a lost piece of our natural heritage in a way that's accessible and engaging for all ages.

All support is appreciated and will be credited in the end of the credits.