Artist: Ethan Hamill
Title: “Mountain Breeze”
Medium: Digital Animation
Run-time: 1 min 40 sec

Artist Statement
“My film, Mountain Breeze, is all about the solace that can be found in nature, particularly the mountains of Colorado. The story is based on my experiences hiking with my dad in the mountains of Colorado’s Front Range. Throughout my life, I have struggled with being in the present moment, as I always find myself in my own little world, sometimes even feeling smothered by my own thoughts. Despite this, whenever I got a chance to go hiking with my dad, I was always able to bring myself back and remind myself about the beauty of our world. This is something that I explore in my film, as the main character, whose head is literally submerged in a thought cloud, is slowly able to regain awareness of their senses over the course of his hike. Through this story, I was able to pay homage to the sights and sounds of the Colorado mountains.

The color palette is warm, suggestive of a perfect outdoor summer afternoon embracing the main character and the audience. The line work and cartoony character designs are inspired by various sources I’ve emulated over the years but are mainly influenced by Ed, Edd, N’ Eddy (1999), a classic cartoon that despite not being part of my childhood feels like it’s right up my alley. Additionally, the cartoony nature of the film’s art style is intended to charm and relax the audience in a way that only cartoons can. Mountain Breeze is not only a film that shows the audience how beautiful the mountains of Colorado are but also reminds the audience that being in touch with your senses can be a great way to lift your spirits.”

Artist Biography
My name is Ethan Hamill, I grew up in Loveland Colorado, and have been animating since I was around 12 years old. I was particularly inspired to get into animation from watching Disney’s The Princess And The Frog (2009). That, coupled with all the internet cartoons and animated TV series I was obsessed with, created an intense passion for animation within me that hasn’t died out since. I’ve become particularly fascinated with character design and character-driven stories as I continue to create. To me, the most important thing when making an animation is making sure the character’s emotions are clear and impactful, whether it be through body language or facial expression.

Throughout my education, I always worked on personal animated projects in my spare time. Over the years I have submitted to many film festivals and was able to garner an award for my live-action animation hybrid “Caught!”, which won “Best Student Film” at Front Range International Film Festival in 2022. After graduating high school I began attending Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design (RMCAD), and am earning my bachelor’s degree in animation. Along with my classes, I work as a student ambassador at RMCAD and hope to be involved in the animation industry when I graduate. I’ve always said to myself that no matter where I end up, I’ll always be creating something.