About Me
I’m Mandela, an illustrator and independent creator from Melbourne, Australia, now based in Japan. I’ve been quietly developing Dreamers, a fantasy-action animated series combining emotion-driven storytelling with powerful visuals.
The video above is a rough animation animated by Nyong Jalu who is one of the amazing and talented animators I would like to continue working with for the entirety of the Dreamers project. This was done as a test animation for a seperate project.
Why This Project Matters
Two of my favourite shows, Avatar: The Last Airbender and Naruto, explore the themes of identity and growth. With Dreamers, I want to create something personal that resonates with others. A story about resilience and friendship, as seen through the eyes of Naomi Tanaka, a girl who is thrust into a new world that is directly linked to her own.
What Your Support Funds
- A 1-2 minute high-quality trailer
- Original music and sound design
- Fair pay for freelance animators, artists, and engineers
- Post-production and admin costs
Budget Overview
- Pre-production: $8,000–$10,000
- Animation: $15,000–$20,000
- Backgrounds: $4,000–$6,000
- Compositing & editing: $2,000–$3,000
- Sound & music: $4,000–$6,000
- Fees & admin: $2,000–$4,000
- Total Goal: $40,000 AUD
Note: This budget ensures fair compensation for all artists involved without compromising on quality. Additional funds will enhance animation, VFX, and sound design.
Stretch Goals
- SG1 - $50,000–$100,000: Full-length pilot episode (10–15 min)
- SG2 - $150,000+: Extended pilot (15–25 min) with professional voice acting and enhanced production
- SG3 - $200,000+: Extended pilot plus pre-production for episode two
Why the Cost Makes Sense
Animation is labor intensive. The budget ensures high-quality art, fair pay, and a finished product that serves as both trailer and teaser. A major studio quoted me $400,000 AUD for a 10-15 minute pilot, advised to work on the trailer independently. However, I am want to work with freelancers and build a small team to make this indie project feasible, but to also ensure funding goes directly to the artists and creators.
Final Note
Every donation, share, and word of support helps bring Dreamers closer to life. The finished trailer will be freely available on YouTube when completed. Should the stretch goals be met, the full pilot episode (non-downloadable but free to watch), downloadable Art Of books, series documentation, such as synopsis and character guides, background and environment art, sound tracks, etc. will be available free on our website (not yet available).
For a more breakdown of the above, please access the Google Doc linked below:
Thank you in advance!
We are really looking forward to making something special with your support!!
~ Mandela J Komba
Organizer
