The Zenith Project at Freestyle is meant to be a culminating project that allows students to use the skills learned at Freestyle for an original project.
For my Zenith Project, I composed and recorded a collection of songs with simple animations, telling the story of Raine, Raccoon, and their adventures. I really enjoy music and telling stories, so this project was perfect for me. I had originally envisioned doing more animation, but didn’t end up having time.
Before this project, I had never done any sort of 2D animation, nor had I ever tried to compose a collection of songs. I was able to apply fundamentals of animation I had learned in my Animation class, even though the class was for 3D animation.
I started by writing and composing Mushroom Blues.
I used an online MIDI tool called Signal (https://signal.vercel.app/edit) to work on composition while away from actual instruments.
From there, I started brainstorming how the rest of the story should go by laying out how I wanted to break up the story into different songs.
From there, I worked on writing lyrics for the rest of the songs and composing them on Signal and with actual instruments.
Once all of the songs were written and composed, I started recording vocals and guitar.
From there, I animated short loop-able animations in Adobe Animate.
Then I edited the audio and video together using Adobe Premiere Pro.
And that’s it! Enjoy (if you can) the final product!
Lyrics:
Oop I ate a mushroom
spoopin through the woods
stepped on a raccoon
now he is my friend
But where did I go
To end up so alone
But I’ve got Raccoon
So leave me mushroom blues
See the squirrel kingdom
All up in the leaves
Raccoon’s having fun
Climbing into the trees
But how could this be
To almost forget me
But I’ve got Raccoon
So leave me mushroom blues
Raccoon is the king now
Ruling all the squirrels
He’s rocking his shrooms crown
Now he calls me earl
But when did that change
To Earl and not Rain
But I’ve got Raccoon
So leave me mushroom blues
Raccoon is a tyrant
Oppressing his people
Rebels making good chants
While hiding in the steeple
But who is Raccoon
His reign I need to end
Raccoon is my friend
I’ll save him from these shrooms
So I overthrew him
And then we ran away
We went and picked more mushrooms
To save for another day
Lyrics:
left the past, but at what cost
felt so alone, felt so lost
never thought I would
Stumble out of these woods
into the
Open air
out on the prairie
the wind blows so softly
out on the prairie
can carry you anywhere
or time can pass you by
out on the prairie
free to move, just not back
what to do? I’ll get a snack
never thought I could
stumble out of those woods
into the
Open air
out on the prairie
the wind blows so softly
out on the prairie
can carry you anywhere
or time can pass you by
out on the prairie
too many choices, lost again
what to do? where to begin?
maybe I should
stumble back to the woods
out of the
Open air
out on the prairie
the wind blows so softly
out on the prairie
can carry you anywhere
or time can pass you by
out on the prairie
Lyrics:
I just kept walking
why’d I keep walking
up to the cliff edge
looking down over
don’t push me over
stuck on the cliff edge
but Raccoon’s doing fine
so I should be too
need some peace of mind
what should I do
look out at the sea
not down at the beach
but I want to go back
afraid of falling forward
I just kept walking
why’d I keep walking
up to the cliff edge
looking down over
can I climb over
don’t fall off the cliff edge
how is he so fine
what did I miss?
the only way down is a dangerous climb
and yet Raccoon has bliss
look out at the sea
not down at the beach
we can always go back
or find a new way forward
I’ll just keep walking
glad I kept walking
up to the cliff edge
looking out over
before the sunset’s over
sitting on the cliff edge
Lyrics:
Make it to the shore
with the little leaving light
left me wanting more
but it has to fade to night
the waves are not crashing
just lightly sloshing
what a relief
building a pyre
starting a fire
flames getting higher
Raccoon gathers more sticks and leaves
but from the fire he picks and heaves
the flaming fuel he chooses to pull
spreads the heat around the cool beach
stare into the plasma
burning off miasma
waves sloshing forward
pulling me toward
the sea
building the pyre
tending the fire
flames getting higher
Raccoon tugs at my arms and sleeves
telling me that it is time to leave
he made obscene the beautiful scene
spreading the heat around the cool beach
stare into the plasma
burning off miasma
waves sloshing forward
I’m running toward
the sea
we built the pyre
tended the fire
flames gotten too high
now we must say bye
to the soft sand
to the cool breeze
to the dull sounds
of the nice beach
say bye
to the soft sand
to the cool breeze
to the dull sounds
of the nice beach
say bye
to the soft sand
to the cool breeze
to the dull sounds
of the nice beach
Lyrics:
Drifting at sea
Alone in our boat
Just you and me
But it’s always
home
When I have you here with me
Drifting at sea
Alone in our boat
I’ll never leave
Cause I have a
home
When I have you here with me
Drifting at sea
Alone in our boat
our long journey
and you make it home