“The Candle Keeper” is a story that has followed me throughout my life. I originally wrote it as a short story back in middle school, but something about it always resonated with me and with my family and so, when it came time to choose a senior project, I saw the perfect opportunity to revisit this story and bring it to life through animation. Animation has always been a passion of mine, and this project allowed me to merge my love for storytelling and art in a meaningful way.
Summary
“The Candle Keeper” is about a young Candle Keeper who faces the painful reality of his candle’s flame fading; a loss that not only takes away its light and warmth but also severs his connection to the human he watches over who nears the end of his life. As the Candle Keeper grapples with this inevitable goodbye, he must discover the deeper truth: that the end of a life does not mean the end of a legacy.
My Goals
For this film, my main goal was to preserve the heart and emotion of the original story while fully embracing my love for art and animation. I envisioned something ambitious—something that would challenge me creatively and technically. Beyond storytelling and visual design, I wanted to incorporate the video production skills I’ve gained throughout my time at BYU-Idaho, blending my passion for animation with a strong foundation in editing and filmmaking. More than anything, I wanted to create a project that not only reflects my growth as an artist but also serves as a strong portfolio piece showcasing my storytelling, animation, and post-production skills.
What I Learned
Bringing this film to life was both exciting and overwhelming, with countless ideas swimming in my head about how to execute it. As a result, I spent a significant amount of time in pre-production, experimenting with character designs, animation techniques, and pacing. I had ambitious goals, wanting to incorporate dynamic color, lighting, stronger animation, and voice acting, but some of these elements ended up being beyond what I could realistically achieve within my timeframe.
This project became a valuable lesson in time management. I had to learn how to pace myself properly, prioritize tasks, and avoid procrastination. Despite the challenges, many aspects of the film turned out better than I expected. Throughout the process, I was able to apply a wide range of filmmaking skills I developed during my time at BYU-Idaho, including storyboarding, scriptwriting, creative brief creation, animation in After Effects, video editing, and more.
What I would Do differently
If I could go back to the beginning, I would tell myself to relax. I spent so much time stressing over the project instead of actually working on it, which only made the process more overwhelming. Taking a step back to breathe and fully flesh out my ideas might have helped me avoid feeling so rushed toward the end.
Time management was one of my biggest challenges, along with navigating the many unknowns of the project. I constantly went back and forth between different art styles and, up until the very last day of production, I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to include backgrounds. A more structured plan from the start would have made the entire process much smoother.
That said, despite the stress and uncertainty, it all came together in the end. I’m proud to have a finished film that I can share with others in the hopes of telling a heartwarming story.
Final Thoughts
I’m very happy to have a finished short film to share. Despite the sleepless nights and stress, this experience was deeply rewarding and taught me so much. More than anything, it reinforced my passion for storytelling and animation. I am very thankful for the wonderful people who motivated and helped me through the whole process. I wouldn’t have a project without them. I know this is just the beginning of my journey in video production, and I can’t wait to see what other amazing and creative projects I’ll have the opportunity to be a part of in the future!
Poster
