"DRAWN OUT" in stylized green and blue letters with purple outlines and eye illustrations inside some of the letters.

Short Film - 2 minutes - Development, Production, Realisation

Drawn Out (or Monsterlijk Mooi in Dutch) is the story of Yara — a quiet 13-year-old who finds comfort in drawing. She’s shy, often alone, and stuck with a terrifying teacher. But one day, in a moment of frustration, something shifts. Her drawings come to life and she faces her fears in the most unexpected way.

We came up with the idea, pitched it to the Nederlands Filmfonds, and they said yes. The green light came during the Nederlands Film Festival, and from there, we had six months to bring it to life.

All of this happened while our director and producer were learning how to be new parents. Sleepless nights, bottles, strollers… and in between, we were animating a full classroom of twelve individual student characters, a handful of wild monsters, and one unforgettable teacher who, for the record, was inspired by the worst traits of every teacher we ever had. You know the type.

The film premiered in Vue cinemas across the Netherlands, screening right before Trolls Band Together which felt pretty surreal. One of the most meaningful moments came when a parent reached out to tell us how much the film had inspired her son creatively. Hearing that Yara’s story sparked something in someone else’s imagination we’re really proud of. 

Since then, Drawn Out has made its way around the world, screening at festivals like SNAFF in Iowa, BIKY in Busan, Golden Kuker in Sofia, and Tromsø International up in Norway.

It’s a film filled with chaos and heart just like the time in our lives when we were making it.

Stills

Animated girl in purple overalls drawing with two colorful cartoon creatures, one purple with horns and one blue with antlers, sitting in front of a brick building and greenery.
Animated scene of a woman with purple glasses and a chef hat feeding colorful letters to a white duck using a funnel in a classroom, with children watching.
Animated classroom scene with students sitting at desks, a teacher in the foreground, and various backpacks on the floor. The classroom features bookshelves and a wall chart.
Colorful drawing of a girl and a cute, winged creature on one page; a smiling sun and another creature on the other. The artist's hand is visible holding a pen.

Characters

Animated character named Storm with turquoise hair, wearing a black shirt with a lightning bolt, jeans, and sneakers. Described as a headstrong, curious, rebellious teenager with a focus issue, causing trouble in school.
Animated character Lotje with worried expression, red hair in buns, wearing a sweater and pants, text describes her as quiet, anxious, and afraid of public speaking and math class.
Animated character named Folmuller, depicted as a strict math teacher with a stern expression, large glasses, and holding a ruler. Text describes her as demanding order, with no joy, color, or creativity allowed in her classroom, focusing on math equ
3D animated character named Yara, a shy 13-year-old girl holding a sketchbook and pen, wearing overalls and sneakers. Text describes her as creative but fearful of judgment, preventing her from sharing her creativity and making friends.