LAVA BED BATS

Lava Bed Bats is a sci-fi animated short produced at the Maryland Institute College of Art in collaboration with scientists at NASA's Goddard Research Center. It explores two lunar astro bats who discover a cult below lava bed tubes underneath the moon.

Made in 2.5 months, it marked as a highly collaborative project between artists and scientific researchers..

production journal link: https://lavabedbats.tumblr.com/

Final Film
co-created by MICA illustration alumni, Celine Krempp

Original Pitch Animatic
created for NASA Goddard's approval

Character Model Sheets
designs by me and colors by Celine Krempp

Wise One (Wilfred Noitall) Color Model

Wilfred is the leader of the Lava Bed Bats. He lures visitors on the moon in a welcoming tone, but then tricks them into getting consumed by the moonstone to harness into fresh molten lava. Inspired by the Goblin King from Labyrinth.

Elliot Color Model

One of the astro-bats sent to the moon for exploration, he is the shorter and more responsible member of the duo.

Concept Art

Pre-Production Layout

The first rough layout for the the moon's lunar cave. Drawn before any animation even started.

Early Bat Drawings

Early development sketches of the two lead bats.

Story Sketches
beat boards representing each shot for the film

Story Sketches 1/8

The first of several beat boards used to visually nail down the short shot by shot.

Story Sketches 2/8

© 2022

LAVA BED BATS

production journal link: https://lavabedbats.tumblr.com/

Final Film
co-created by MICA illustration alumni, Celine Krempp

Original Pitch Animatic
created for NASA Goddard's approval

Character Model Sheets
designs by me and colors by Celine Krempp

Concept Art

Story Sketches
beat boards representing each shot for the film

EK

LAVA BED BATS

production journal link: https://lavabedbats.tumblr.com/

Final Film co-created by MICA illustration alumni, Celine Krempp

Original Pitch Animatic created for NASA Goddard's approval

Character Model Sheets designs by me and colors by Celine Krempp

Concept Art

Story Sketches beat boards representing each shot for the film

EK

Final Film
co-created by MICA illustration alumni, Celine Krempp

Original Pitch Animatic
created for NASA Goddard's approval

Character Model Sheets
designs by me and colors by Celine Krempp

Story Sketches
beat boards representing each shot for the film