We follow Mr. Seed about his daily business—at home, at the gym, and out in nature—as he bemoans the many woes of industrial agriculture, highlights the differences between himself and genetically modified seeds, and explains how organic farming is the key to a healthier future.

Seed Matters combines both 3D and 2D animation. With the 3D portions of the film, our goal was to emulate a handmade, stop-motion aesthetic. First, we asked ourselves how a seed would see the world, and what sort of things he would find useful or beautiful. From there we designed each set, character, and prop as if it were built from actual craft materials. We modeled and textured everything with scale in mind, including deliberate imperfections to make the objects feel physical and tiny. A shallow depth of field, mimicking real camera optics, completed the miniature look.

Taking inspiration from early, psychedelic Disney work, we crafted a 2D animated opening spot for Pharm Foods, the corporate nemesis of Mr. Seed. Characters were choreographed to the rhythm of the company jingle, giving everything a singsong beat. The hand drawn animation was done in multiple passes before being composited over painted backgrounds.