Case Study for: Prolific Studio | "Gregg & Lise – A Hawaiian Love Story"
At Prolific Studio, we keep things simple and focused — starting with a clear understanding of your vision, then moving into storyboarding, design, and expressive animation. Our team works closely with you through each phase, making room for feedback while staying efficient. From concept to polished final cut, we make sure every frame delivers emotion, style, and purpose.
Project Objective
To bring a true love story to life through cinematic 3D animation, capturing the heartfelt journey of Gregg and Lise — from an unexpected bus encounter to a deep and lasting connection formed during their college years in Hawai. The goal was to preserve the emotional essence of their story and present it in a warm, visual narrative.
Target Audience
Young adults, animation lovers, romantic drama fans, and anyone who appreciates real-life stories filled with emotion and nostalgia. The film also served as a personal keepsake for Gregg Fox, former founder of Fox Racing.
Our Streamlined Approach
We kept things simple and focused! Starting with a clear understanding of your vision, then moving into storyboarding, design and expressive animation. Our team works closely with you through each phase, making room for feedback while staying efficient. From concept to polished final cut, we make sure every frame delivers emotion, style, and purpose.
Challenges
Character Personality: The characters needed to feel grounded and real. Gregg had to come across as observant and kind, while Lise needed a balance of vulnerability and strength. Their chemistry had to feel authentic without feeling overly scripted or exaggerated.
Realism and Fluidity: The animation focused on small, emotionally rich moments — the glance on the bus, a party filled with laughter, and the quiet intensity of a heartfelt goodbye. Achieving natural facial expressions and believable body movement was crucial for emotional impact.
Technical Constraints: We were working within a limited runtime and a modest budget while aiming for high-quality 3D visuals. The challenge was to maintain cinematic polish without sacrificing detail or storytelling clarity.
Solutions
In-depth Character Study: Our team collaborated closely with Gregg to understand the tone and emotional beats of the story. His personal insights helped us design character models, clothing styles, and environments that felt true to the early 2000s Hawai college scene.
Skilled Animation Team: Prolific Studio’s 3D team used stylized realism to convey emotional nuance, creating lifelike characters with subtle animations and expressive facial rigs. Lighting and textures were crafted to reflect the warmth of island life and youthful energy.
Iterative Feedback Process: We involved Gregg throughout the pipeline, from character modeling and animatics to scene blocking and rendering. His feedback helped guide emotional accuracy and ensure the pacing hit every important beat of their journey.
Optimization for Game Engine: The final video was delivered in multiple formats, optimized for personal playback, digital screening, and potential future festival submissions. Sound design was kept intimate, supporting the story’s emotional tone without overshadowing it.
Results and Success
The final 3D animation became more than a personal tribute — it was a cinematic love letter to a real relationship. Gregg described the film as “emotional, timeless, and incredibly true to how it all happened.” The project showcased Prolific Studio’s ability to turn real-life experiences into meaningful animated stories, combining technical artistry with human emotion in every frame.
