In Unstable: A PonyTale, a girl named Sydney is looking at ponies for sale. Instead of the fancy show ponies, she enthusiastically picks a crazed pony with a mean streak. The insane pony tries everything to shake her determination; however, through the bucking, biting, and crashing, the little girl’s smile never wanes. When the pony finally pushes her over the edge, they are surprised to make an unlikely team.

Director Biography - Lauren Hale

I grew up in rural Maryland, where I spent the majority of my time with a pencil in my hand or out in the fields with the horses. On my artist journey I was able to combine these two to inspire my senior thesis film. The question of if I would become an artist had never crossed my mind, more so what kind of art I wanted to pursue.

When the time came to enter higher education, I was amazed with every animated release. I felt the era of 3D style was being pushed to break new ground in terms of storytelling, and visual identity. I had made my decision to explore computer animation, and there was one name that stood out: Ringling College of Art and Design.

While at Ringling, I fell in love with 3D art and animation. Surrounded by countless talented peers, I pushed myself to create work with a distinct visual voice. I strived to incorporate 2D elements into 3D works. Mainly by hand-painting my materials, using stylized modeling to look hand-made, and keeping my love of traditional animation by incorporating 2D FX into my thesis film. Continually pushing myself for a high-quality project got my work recognized at the annual Best of Ringling gallery. I was selected to participate in the Hasbro sculpting workshop while on campus, meaning I explored a new avenue of computer modeling: toys. Under the guidance of professional artists at Hasbro, I made my first action figure with moving joints. My experience with the sculpting team led me to interning with their art and deco shop for the summer of 2024. I am endlessly grateful for the opportunity to work with such a team, expanding my skill set with characters from soft and cartoony to realistic materials and character sculpts.

When I began learning 3D art, advice that stuck with me from very early on is that professional CG artists spend a significant amount of time making their work look lived-in. To do so, they meticulously take the perfection out of their work. Models and textures look more authentic with scrapes, dents, rust, and splatters. Animators strive to have characters trip over themselves or stumble with their words for the sake of acting choices. Building projects in the digital space is hardwired for smoothed services, and linear arches. I find it endearing to think about how important adding asymmetry and imperfections is to a viewer.